Politics vs. Friendships

Hey everyone! It's Tuesday again! This time around, my post is gonna be a bit more serious. 

Yesterday at the dinner table, my mother brought up something very troubling that we've been seeing on Facebook. We all know that Election Day is almost upon us and that we'll be deciding who will run this nation for the next four years. Facebook has become a battleground of political propaganda photos and ranting status updates about why the opposing side needs to fall off the face of the earth. To be honest, it's all ridiculous to me. But my mom brought up something a lot worse than these things. 

"What pisses me off is how people, who've been friends for years, are now attacking each other because they are voting for different people."

She's right. I've seen friends attack one another because one supports Obama while the other supports Romney. But if you look back a few months before, they were friendly with one another.

The biggest issue here is: nothing changed in anyone simply because they are openly supporting a candidate. They are still good people who work hard, treated others with decency and respect, and enjoy the same things. They are still great students, parents, bosses, artists and workers. But now, these people belittle one another for their political opinions and think it's okay. It isn't. In any other situation, you'd be decent to one another. Political opinion should not change that. 

We live in the United States of America. We have the freedom to choose. We have the right to think freely and not feel persecuted for it. 

When this election is over, I suspect that many people will find they've lost friends over their political spam. Either they argued their way into losing friends, or they've annoyed those who are indifferent to politics, resulting in a loss. I feel bad for those who've put politics over friendship in such a way. 

I hope we can all continue on toward Election Day with a mindfulness of how to treat those with differing opinions. Show respect. Don't get angry. Remember that their opinions didn't change them. And for crying out loud, fact check!!!

Until next time, 

DFTBA

Shelby W.

9/11

Hey guys! Today is Tuesday...

*sigh*

Today is 9/11 and I'm not the sort of person to write/talk about it. I find it hard to express my opinions on this subject. I think it's important to remember those who have been lost and those who lost loved ones, but there's a point where I have to draw the line. 

I don't want to see the old news footage from that day. I don't want to see photos of the towers falling all over the Internet with the caption, "Remember 9/11." I want to remember the individuals, not the whole ordeal overall. I think many people focus on the act and get angry, forgetting that the people who are left in the wake of such an event are the ones who need to be cared for and supported on this anniversary. 

Last semester, I read a novel for my contemporary literature course called The Falling Man. It's about a family after the 9/11 attacks and how the event impacted each person. The father survived the attacks, escaping one of the towers before it fell. The mother became even more disconnected from their already crumbling relationship. The son made up explanations for what had happened that day. The emotional impact of the attacks was felt nationwide, but those of us who didn't experience it firsthand can't really understand the feelings of those who did. This novel, while a difficult book to get through (I'll admit, it was slightly boring), was very insightful and helped me understand the emotional aftermath of the attacks more. But most of all, it validated my feelings about the way we remember 9/11.

Covering the Internet, television networks and newspapers with photos/footage of the towers doesn't help those who are trying to move on and live life in the long-term aftermath of the attacks. I can't imagine having lost someone, or surviving when others you knew perished... but I'd assume it can't be easy to see the footage or photos, even after all these years. Why make this anniversary (and all of them to come) more painful than it already must be?

The most amazing thing I've seen in order to remember those lost was a memorial at a local funeral park a few years back. On one empty lawn, hundreds of flags were raised, along with little notes about the person it was honoring, and the family that was left behind. Driving by, it's instills a powerful feeling of sadness and awe. There were no photos of the attacks. No videos playing on a loop. No "patriotic" songs playing. Just flags standing and flowing in the breeze. It was silent, simple, and beautiful. 

If only more people could remember those lost in such a quiet, personal way... without devastating images and overly patriotic proclamations. But not many people share my feelings. Which is why I don't typically discuss 9/11...

I hope all of you enjoyed your Tuesdays... 
DFTBA
Shelby W.