Now, the same folks we were arm-in-arm with a month ago reminiscing about Thursday night dances in the high school day room are using Facebook as a tool to destroy opinions, freedom and free thinking.
Call me naive, politically unaware, passive, whatever. There are reasons why I don’t talk openly about our country’s leadership. I value friendships, for one. Since the election, I have been stunned by the vitriol spewing forth from a handful of classmates whom I had no idea were so idealistic and opinionated about the state of the Union and its governance. Never heard an utterance during the off election years except for the occasional sniping over a hot-button issue. I am a seasoned journalist, yet I don’t have enough ammunition to carry on a healthy political debate even if I wanted to. Trying to help raise a family tends to occupy much of my attention.
There also is a reason I carry no party affiliation: I abhor partisan politics. Evidently, others thrive on it to the point friendships have been cast aside to make way for nation-bashing. But the bullets are flying from both the left and the right, and are raining down on my parade.
Yes, I care deeply about the nation in which I became a naturalized citizen. I also have serious concerns about the future of my children and the decisions being made by those we voted into office. But I have been mortified by the wedge that has been driven because of, and since, the election.
Many on Facebook know the feeling when someone “un-friends” you. Yet, since the election, I have seen folks whom we were toasting four weeks ago become un-friended en masse over personal political viewpoints.
“I expect to be defriended any second now,” wrote one classmate about the Facebook election fall-out. “One of her posts called us all dirtbags yesterday. Hmmm. Nice. This has just gone beyond all sanity.”
“So many (sic) have called me horrible names, absolutely disgusting things, just because I do not agree with them,” another reunion attendee posted on Facebook after a future reunion was discussed. “Some of the vile filth that comes from them has wounded me. They are mean spirited and rude, and I have no desire to go to a reunion and act like these people are my friends. They are nasty and awful. I have gotten inbox messages that would shock you.
“They are dead to me.”
Wow.
Growing up, my family was as politically divided as my classmates evidently are. For me, it provided great dinner table entertainment. But it never got personal. While you might bemoan the election results and the next four years, I just don’t need to be beaten over the head with it. I understand the sentiment. I get it. You’re not happy.
I have endured good leaders and bad, lived through prosperous times and economic hardships. I didn’t blame our presidents for my own dismal economy. I like to feel I, more than anyone or any party in power, control my destiny (with some help from above).
Perhaps another classmate put it best: “Better to find the humor in life, than to get stressed out over things that don’t really matter, like political posts on facebook.”
Please, stop the insanity.
Very nice Kim. I might add this to your blog. I think I was the one who accidentally got this whole thing started with a post to a friend that I thought was private message but wasn't. Long story short- there is only one person who seems to have gone off the edge anger wise. That person had bullied me and others for months about political affiliation. Yes, I said bully. I can spot one from a mile away. Bully. Now the bully is unhappy so she is going to take her toys home and pout. Bullies need boundries and consequences. If you want to be my friend you behave like a friend. The consequences....well I guess she decided that for herself. I'd rather be a "sheeple"any day than be a bully.
ReplyDeleteMeg Armstrong