I have always felt a void losing my father years ago. The debates he engaged himself with my mom I used to submerge my ears into vanished with him. Had it not been for news articles online, my sense of the world would have stopped around the time Papa, my father passed. It is no surprise to me why I always feel my father’s existence resurrected whenever I get the opportunity to have brief, but priceless conversations with our beyond his retired years children’s pediatrician.
In mentioning politics, I felt myself smiling, feeling a sense of dopamine familiarity with what our children’s pediatrician uttered. He joked about how challenging it can be sometimes to find yourself sitting through a conversation with someone else’s viewpoints very well not coinciding with your own. The interesting part about his remark is that he added how he continues to have dinner parties with people who uphold opposing views than his own, continuing to indulge in such political debates. I told him that I could relate to all that he mentioned as one of my parents were a Democrat, the other, a Republican. As a child growing up in such a home, I had to frequently listen in to both viewpoints. And yet, never once did I tire from listening in on them.
As a child, you are given the gift of innocence. I had thirst to make sense of the world from as far as I can remember. And what better access to the world than to be gifted with the opportunity to witness two emotionally convicted souls verbally go at it about the current global issues and matters. One thing great about debates is how much wisdom there is to gain from not just listening to words being spoken, but even more, the gestures and expressions individuals with strong convictions give when they are speaking. It is fascinating to me. I can tell how deeply invested each party are through their emotional developments as the debate grows before me. This is, perhaps, why I can always look back and recall those moments I felt so privileged to sit and listen to my parents’ innumerable debates about the world, years of ongoing perspectives of a Democrat and a Republican.
When you love and respect both your parents very much while holding high regards for both of their intellectual prowess, as a child, I simply held the inner power to find understanding of both perspectives. There was no hunger for the inevitable dramatics that came along with two people who undoubtedly loved each other, but just couldn’t agree on many issues. If you have ever been in a room where both sides won’t budge in a heated debate, then you’ve been in a room with people like my parents. Regardless of how heated the debates escalated to, somehow each of my parents knew where to draw the line. Never once did I get the sense that either wanted to be vindictive; they each simply wanted to be heard, speaking up and out from their hearts, led by their minds and spirits.
While I loved listening in to my parents debates about current issues, I don’t ever recall that they were so ill-fated with their viewpoints, however. My own perspective could truly be wrong, but the world, as I am seeing it developing before me, is evolving to become quite the contrary. While the internet has allowed all voices to be heard, providing outlets for anyone like myself who want to follow or listen, I have started to wonder more and more if reasonable perspectives are being crossed. While I recall my parents to have centralized their basis on issues at hand, I don’t recall ever wanting to leave the room during one of their innumerable heated debates. And yet, why do I find myself essentially “leaving the room” of discussion by clicking off before finishing an editorial or article now? Never once did my parents turn against each other for not agreeing in the same way or direction. Is it just me or do I feel that the world is on this trend of thought, you are either with me or you’ll pay?
Lately, I have to wonder if others are starting to feel like me, this sense of discomfort when reading, what I now respectfully refer to as the ongoing political warfare from across the globe. It’s as if I am seeing my parents have turned on each other and honestly, the fun in listening in is getting somewhat… sickening. What is going on, Democrats and Republicans? Are we attacking the issue or just each other? Why must one seemingly have to choose a side? What happened to the freedom to choose based off the facts presented before you? We lead ourselves to secrecy of our opinions because no more can one just have an open thought without someone of the opposing party wanting or waiting to attack a viewpoint. This essentially silences perhaps the greatest minds and perspectives out there simply because one can’t just think out loud and discuss or process what they just want to understand or are strongly convicted to share with others. Have we come to a point where we can no longer openly admit to our own opinions because of the fear that someone will create havoc for having uttered a thought not to their liking?
I have to wonder if it has always been this way and perhaps I was just too innocent to be aware or did not want to view the world as so. I recently read an article that there are some communities where one cannot speak their political views without anticipating a fight or heated debate to take form. I dig deeper then to think, is it the matter we debate or are have we innately inherited the desire to use politics as a form to express hate and distaste for what we view to be on the other end of the spectrum of our liking or comfort zone? I sometimes run across celebrities, those who must realize they hold such great influence on the world watching, especially young minds still trying to make sense of the world, and yet, they do not seemingly hesitate to voice out their distaste for a political candidate. Sadly, as I find myself sometimes reading their very reason, I find myself asking, “What is it about this person you truly hate? Was it what they said? If so, why so much malice on the actual person? Have you taken the time to understand both ends of the issue prior to coming on social media to express your apparent loathe for this person?” And then, once again, I ask myself, “Why so much hate for the actual person?” How does spreading and encouraging hate abolish the very same thing you show disapproval of?
In my video, “When the Dark, the Empty, and the Unfulfilled Persist to Exist”, I share my four opinions on how to handle these spirits trying to enter your realm. I truly believe that if you haven’t already, one must take a moment to ponder upon the very influences you are allowing oneself to be affected by. What we let into our lives is our own responsibility. While it is truly one’s business to decide what they associate their mind, heart, and spirit with, keep in mind that what we each also portray is the very exemplification our next generation is watching.
Our last round of campaign debates and all actions that ramified following the results, educators provided time for our students to share thoughts, creating an equilibrium for the open forum of discussion. I cannot tell you how hurtful it was to feel the eerie silence of my students. I, being on this end of the “mature” generation felt no pride of their silence and as they tried to find the words to express their apparent confusion of how we, as adults, handle our political views. All I could say was, as I usually have taught my own children, “People are examples of what to be or what not to be. You hold the power to choose who you want to become.”
I don’t know about you, but I just want to be that child again, hungry for real thoughts, real emotions flying across the room… without feeling as if anyone would get hurt or ostracized for their very thoughts, voices, and feelings. Let us discuss the matter at hand, free of fear of being attacked for having spoken.
