Personally, I have an enormous aversion to confrontation. I watched the presidential debates and my stomach was in knots, fearing the ensuing argument or the interruption of the mediator. Debates and political conversation make me feel uncomfortable, on edge, and frankly, a little bit cranky. In the past few months, the upcoming election has been gaining steam, brewing controversy, and developing into what may be one of the closest elections in a very long time. And in these past few months, I have found myself in many situations in which my friends or my classes have started to discuss political views, who they are planning to vote for, or other social conundrums that are associated with the election. I usually make some sort of awkward sigh or noise, return to eating in silence, or avert my eyes so that I don’t have to feel uncomfortable or even worse, have to join in on the discussion.
It is about time that I, and the young voters here at BC, start talking politics.
Boston College is an elite institution. We are privileged to attend a school in which our student body is educated and confident enough in this education to develop our own belief and value systems and to make our own choices. So why is it that so many of us avoid political discussions at the dinner table or remain completely neutral when civil rights are brought up in a seminar discussion? Perhaps for some it is just the sensitivity of the topics, and for others, maybe they truly believe that their vote and opinion will not make a difference in an electoral vote.
I argue that it is essential, especially this close to the election, to start having these uncomfortable conversations. Many people argue that when it comes to politics, voters can be stubborn and almost
ignorant in their choices and opinions. Sometimes, it seems that it is a rarity to see a staunch Republican or extreme Democrat understand the perspective of an opposing candidate or even more, question his or her own views. It is important to understand that the truest sort of intellectual conversation and stimulation is when you are able to listen to the opinions of others and decide whether or not to adjust your own beliefs accordingly.
What I argue to be these “real” conversations can be found anywhere on campus. Perhaps you are just sitting in Lower with a few friends, or in your 8-man watching a debate. Maybe you and your roommates just saw Tom Brokaw speak, and you feel compelled to actually talk about the importance of the things of which he spoke. Even on Facebook and Twitter, political commentary abounds and we can either choose to ignore it, make fun of it, or participate.
No, I am not encouraging the all-caps Facebook statuses or abrasive tweets. Rather, I recommend actual discussion with someone whose ideas differ from your own. We learn here at Boston College that we are men and women for others, and that acknowledging the perspective of those different from you is essential in becoming a well-rounded, truly educated individual. It is about time that we transfer this central ideology of our university to our everyday conversations, and to the social and political issues that are at the forefront of current events.
We are very lucky to go to the kind of school that brings journalists like Bob Woodruff, Tom Brokaw, and Luke Russert to our campus just to discuss politics and the importance of youth activism. We are a part of a student body that fills an entire theatre when someone like Kal Penn comes to speak, because we are able to acknowledge the importance of not only civic engagement, but also the significance of the youth voice in this election.
Allow these debates, these speakers, and these events on campus to be catalysts for real conversations with your peers. No matter your views on our political system, our economic situation, civil rights, or religion, this election should no longer be ignored or deemed pointless. The results on November 6th will affect us as students and as American citizens, and I encourage you to rise above the awkwardness that encompasses political conversation, and become a part of the youth voice in this election.
Photo Sources:
venturebeat.com
http://www.washjeff.edu/
http://www.iupui.edu/~blacksu/archives/80
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