Over the past few years, our political landscape seems to have transformed itself into a sporting event - a stadium filled with screaming fans, much akin to a scene you might find at a World Cup event, where the fans tear down fences to rush the field and attack the opposition's supporters. A sea of red and blue, with the only shared feelings being each party's hatred for one another.
This is not how our country is supposed to work.
We now live in a time where our political leaders (and their citizen cheerleaders) are more excited to hear negative news about the opposing party than they are to hear positive news about our country as a whole. We, as citizens, have an obligation to our country, and to one another, to put a stop to this "us versus them" mentality. It is destructive and does nothing but regress us as a nation. It is an anti-synergistic approach that, if continued, will ultimately lead to our downfall. So what can we do to stop this behavior? I'd recommend starting where most people would find it most difficult to start - with ourselves.
I recently had to take a step back and remind myself that the only way this country has any chance of surviving the next four years is if we all keep an open mind. Listen to what the other side has to say, be open to facts (not 'alternative' false ones), and hear what the "opposition" has to say. Stop being selfish for a moment and think of the greater good. There may be policies that have a slightly negative effect on you as an individual, but would help a majority of the country; we should be open to these sorts of things. We are a country with over 300 million people. We need to remember that there is no "one size fits all" solution.
It is important, now more than ever, that we rely on policy, not propaganda, to make informed decisions. Educate ourselves on the views of both sides before we make a decision. If we actually take the time to do this, I doubt that any one of us would find that ALL our party's policies are beneficial to us as an individual. The Pew Research Center and Factcheck.org are great resources for nonpartisan information based solely on verifiable facts. Inform yourself and encourage those around you to do the same. Avoid engaging in unproductive rhetoric about things that don't matter. Stop being a cheerleader and start being a responsible and informed citizen.
We are on a slippery slope of misinformation and blind loyalty. I would argue that the future of our country doesn't lie in the hands of the president, but in us, the citizens of the United States of America. Become informed, educate others, stand up and fight for what you believe in, always consider the greater good, and most importantly, try to keep an open mind.
"Much has been given us, and much will rightfully be expected from us. We have duties to others and duties to ourselves; and we can shirk neither." - Theodore Roosevelt