Let’s get something clear. Being opposed to same-sex marriage does not make you homophobic. Being opposed to abortion does not mean you hate women. Supporting marijuana legalization does not make you a hippie. Supporting climate change legislation does not make you a tree-hugger.
Despite my perpetual love for politics, it is increasingly hard to love something that is in complete shambles. There was once a time in which politics was rooted in debate. Each man had to argue his side, applying logic and reason as support. Debate was an art. Its goal: to find truth. What happened? In modern politics, debate has been replaced by name-calling and whining. It’s no wonder Congress can never get anything passed!
Last week, a group in support of traditional marriage was peacefully protesting on the corner of University Avenue and Park Street. Their protest was calm and peaceful. No name-calling. No whining. Their bagpipe player was quite annoying, but it was no worse than any other street performer you’ll often find while walking State Street. Although many disagree on their views, it was refreshing to see a protest that was not aggressive or hateful.
Unfortunately, the people on the other side were not happy. A quick scroll through the popular social media app Yik Yak showed the dark side of controversial issues. Nearly every top post was targeted at the group of protesters. Curse words flew left and right, making the term homophobic seem mild. The amount of hatred was unfathomable.
The irony is that people were accusing the protesters of hatred. Does the Westboro Baptist Church show hatred towards homosexuals? Most would agree, yes. Does a peaceful protest against same-sex marriage show hatred? Some may argue yes. I beg to differ. Not all people agree on certain issues. Just because someone disagrees with you, you don’t have the right to show blind hatred towards them. Especially if they’re stating their opinion in a peaceful way. The people that weren’t protesting were the ones showing hatred. People spitting, name-calling, cursing. Through it all, the protesters stood firm. I find it so ironic that the people showing hate towards others were the ones accusing them of hate. If you can’t respect another’s opinion, it’s time you get an ego check. How would you feel if the roles were reversed, and you were the protester?
The truth is you may be wrong. With the ignorance of logic or reason to come to a conclusion on what is true, we have fallen into a state of believing things that simply don’t hold up to reason. Every single belief should be logically challenged. The problem is that so many aren’t. This either causes people to believe in something illogical or accuse the opposite side of being illogical despite the fact it is. Is there a logical argument for same-sex marriage? Yes. Is there a logical argument against same-sex marriage? Yes. Which position is more logical? That’s for debate to decide. However, no matter what the issue, it is important that you get in your head that, just because you disagree on an issue, it doesn’t mean the other side is wrong. It’s possible that you may be the one that’s wrong!
It’s about time people get an ego check. Disagreement should be settled through debate. Sometimes it may end in a stalemate. The point is that it’s civil. Politics in our society has devolved to a level that is barbaric and disgusting. A person that is against same-sex marriage likely sees value in the traditional formation of a family. It doesn’t mean they want to discriminate against gay people. Someone against abortion likely views an unborn baby as a real, living individual human being that has a right to life. It doesn’t mean that they don’t respect women. A person in support of legalization of marijuana likely is tired of hearing about another drug crime-related death. It doesn’t mean they’re a ‘pot-smoking hippie.’ A person in support of action on climate change likely wants to be responsible about how much we waste so that we can uphold the beauty of nature. It doesn’t mean they’re a ‘tree-hugger.’ Let’s stop with the name-calling and learn how to discuss issues rather than whine about them. When you’re the one crying “Wolf!” you may, in fact, be the wolf yourself.
Ben Miller is a freshman majoring in political science. Let us know what you think. Send us an email at opinion@dailycardinal.com.
