Whatever Happened to Respect?

I've been thinking a lot lately. Shocker, I know. A friend of mine reached out to me a few months ago about my blog. He talked to me about how he had been tossing around the idea of starting a blog. I asked him what he wanted to write about. His reply really shocked me. He told me he often keeps his opinions to himself and is a "people pleaser" during conversations to avoid any arguments or disagreements between him and his friends. He told me that if his friends knew what his real thoughts and feelings on different topics were they would be really surprised. I was shocked! I didn't think he was one to just go with the crowd. I explained to him that I thought that was a great thing to write about and how I have worked my way out of being that same way. We talked about how keeping our mouth shut doesn't do any good in the long run and eventually it starts to really wear on a person to feel like they can never voice their opinion without feeling like your friends will walk away from you. And if they do walk away from you for a difference in opinions then maybe they weren't as good of friends as you thought. He did start a blog and writes about how he feels like he's always in a gray area. He wants to start speaking up more, he wants his friends to know that he has opinions and he wants to feel comfortable discussing those opinions without feeling judgment. This leads me to where I am right now.


Matthew and I tuned into the last 30-45 minutes of the first presidential debate last night. I am not a huge politics girl, but Matthew loves politics. He grew up around them and is really passionate about his beliefs. He is one who can see both sides of literally everything. He is also one who keeps his opinions internalized and seems to only discuss them with people he's close to (me, his mom, his step day) for the same reasons the friend I mentioned above. He has been bullied his entire life for his number one passion, which is the Chicago Cubs, and I think has just been guarded. He doesn't want to be bullied for what he believes, his hobbies, or how serious he may take something that others find petty. Back to the point. We had the debate on and in the last 10 minutes or so I rolled over and decided to check social media. What I saw was horrifying.


On all forms of my social media 100% of the comments, tweets, posts, articles, pictures, etc etc that I saw were all people in this country literally degrading Donald Trump. They were mocking every single thing he said. Every word that came out of his mouth. Every quote. Everything. I saw some extremely mean and scary things posted. I kept scrolling. I kept reading all of these downright horrible things people were saying about Trump. I know that 100% of the folks I follow on all forms of social media are not liberals. But they were definitely the ones taking to the internet to degrade a human being. I did not see one negative post about Hillary. I did, however, tweet #IVoteTrump and lost a few followers out of it. I find this behavior absolutely disgusting. People wonder why our country is falling apart. I can agree that our two presidential candidates may not be the best of options, but there is a reason they are our two options. Someone had to be backing them and voting for them. I have been in several discussions, and even just a bystander listening, about politics that involved slamming everyone and everything Republican. I haven't ever heard Republicans talk about Democrats that way. And it's not because I chose to not hear it, it's because it simply doesn't happen. The liberals in this country are bullies. Do you ever think or realize that what you saying on the internet is the same bullshit that you probably get offended by when a friend, family member, or coworker says them to? I want to know when it became the norm for humans to be so degrading to a person they have different opinions from. Do you talk to people you know personally the same way you post about Donald Trump, who you probably have less than a 1% chance of ever meeting? What do you do to "be the change you want to see"? Probably nothing. I just can't fathom how someone can be so purposely mean. I am not perfect and I disagree with a lot of things but I do not act that way towards those who I disagree with.


In fact, I am back to being afraid to even admit what I DO believe in. But, at the risk of losing friends or family I am putting it all out there:  I am a Republican and I will vote for Trump. I am against abortion in every single way that one can be against it. I do not think rape is a reason for abortion. I do not think gun control is the answer nor are guns the problem. I do not think we need to bring in any Syrian refugees. I think we need to control our borders and deport people who are here illegally. I don't hate rich people, and I definitely don't think they need to pay higher taxes. Food stamps need more regulation. Free higher education is such a stupid idea. I don't hate police. I believe that certain races build their own stereotypes. I am not afraid to be friends with someone of a different race/color/religion. I don't think there needs to be gay pride festivals and parades. After all straight people don't have their own parades. Gender neutral single stall bathrooms are not an issue for me. I have friends and know people who do not agree with everything I believe in, and that is okay. That doesn't give me the right to treat them poorly or less than I would treat someone who agrees with me. Why do people with different thoughts or opinions have to shove them in my face and make me, quite literally, afraid to even disagree out loud? Anything else you want to know, ask me. I'm an open book at this point.


Think about that the next time you take to the internet and social media to blast how you feel about someone running for a political office.