I recently read a piece on the ways that supporters for
Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders sound
very similar to each other in terms of tone and rhetoric. It’s great piece that reveals one of the
fundamental problems in America right now – the 5th grade schoolyard
bullies are driving the political conversation.
As the piece points out, both Trump’s MAGA supporters and the Bernie
Bros resort to name-calling and abuse anytime they detect someone who is less
than 100% behind their preferred candidate.
The extremists within these two camps will aggressively attack those
within their own party because minor, petty differences.
Amplifying petty differences into major reasons to attack
others is no way to discuss and deal with the problems facing this
country. Instead of discussing different
progressive approaches to solving the health-care crisis, we’re arguing about
whether Sanders told Warren that a woman couldn’t be elected president. Defend Warren’s comments and suffer under a
deluge of abuse from the most ardent of the “Bernie Bros.” Trump’s supporters often behave the same
way. Criticize his use of military funds
for his border wall and watch out. I’ve
even experienced this first-hand. When I’ve
taken the time to respond to various posts from my Congressman, I inevitably
get someone replying to my post by calling me an idiot or telling me I’ve been
brainwashed by the liberal media or some other attack that does absolutely nothing
to move the conversation forward.
Now I get that the various social media platforms are not
the best places to have a real conversation on issues like health-care, student
loan debt, immigration, etc. But firing
off insults and violent vitriol at every perceived slight isn’t going to get us
anywhere either, especially when the attacks are aimed at our supposed allies. So let’s get back to having real
conversations and talk about actual issues.
