It goes without saying that politics is a very divisive topic. People become ostracized because of their political beliefs.
But here’s the thing, regardless if you are a communist, a socialist, a Marxist, a liberal, a libertarian, or a conservative: You are allowed to have your own political beliefs, and as long as you don’t commit acts of violence or heinous crimes, you should not have to live in fear for openly expressing your views.
Having said that, I would certainly not encourage you to be a Marxist — it’s failed everywhere it’s been tried — but if that’s your prerogative, then so be it.
It is not disrespectful for you to defend your point of view, whether it’s in politics, sports, healthcare, finance, or some other area.
You are not an evil person because you voted for President Donald Trump, or because you worked for a Republican governor. People may disagree with the policies of those individuals, but just because you believe that we should be a sovereign nation that secures our borders and doesn’t let in anyone who wants to come, doesn’t mean that you hate immigrants or are xenophobic, or are racist, or whatever inaccurate label people want to attribute to you.
A classic tactic of many people on the Left is to try to guilt you into believing that you don’t care about other human beings, particularly when it comes to immigration, minorities, or the working class.
Do not fall for their trap. Two things can be true at once. You can feel sorry for individuals who are trying to escape a socialist regime in Cuba or Venezuela, while at the same time believing that we should still have an immigration system that vets people before they enter the United States.
Likewise, you can appreciate that a nurse or a teacher or a plumber works exceptionally hard and may still struggle to pay their bills, but that does not mean the solution is to tax the crap out of corporations that create jobs and products that improve lives for the consumer — at a lower cost.
In sum, once you’ve done your homework and you know what your values and beliefs are, stand firm in them and don’t let a living soul tell you that you need to change your views to accommodate their feelings.
Ideally, in a perfect world, you should be able to attend a university or college and not have to worry about whether you will be penalized academically or socially for having the temerity to answer questions candidly.
The problem is, when so many professors make their political views widely known to their students, even when it has nothing to do with the subject matter that they’re teaching, it doesn’t exactly encourage the student to challenge their ideas, particularly when their main concern is getting a good grade.
But you don’t just go to school to pass the course. Ideally, when you’re not out drinking some bottom-shelf liquor or beer that looks like it came from your house pet, you should be honing your ideas. How often have you heard a fellow classmate say, “I think this is what the professor wants us to say” in a response to a research paper?
You should never write “what the professor wants you to say.” On the contrary, you should write what you want to say! As long as you can defend your ideas and back them up with logic, facts, and common sense, there is no reason why you should ever have to worry about the repercussions of your answer causing problems.
And, for the record, that mentality should be true in all aspects of life. Whether you took the initiative at work or are simply having a sports debate with your buddies, the one thing you should always ask is: Can I defend my actions and my rhetoric?
Schools are supposed to be places of free thought, free ideas, and open discussions that embrace debate. But unfortunately, in the past 15 years or so (probably much longer if I’m being honest), many colleges and universities seemed to have turned into breeding grounds that promote leftist ideologies and silence those who question some of the more radical points of view — namely that men can become women, or vice versa, or that America is an irredeemably racist country that can never be forgiven for its past sins, or that straight white men are oppressors.
Those are just a few basic examples.
Now I certainly do not think the Republican Party or the conservative movement is perfect, by any stretch of the word, but I do think that the GOP is correct in promoting the idea that the government should play a minimal role in promoting policies that discourage competition and innovation while picking winners and losers and taxing the hell out of those who create wealth and job opportunities. I also don’t think we should be lying to children and saying the world is going to end (How many years do we have left now?) due to “climate change.”
I’ll never forget, during my ninth grade physics class, when the teacher said most of Manhattan would be underwater by 2020. I could be wrong, but unless my eyes are deceiving me, I don’t believe my recent bike ride in Central Park took place below sea level. Although I can confirm, it was quite humid out!
I hate to say it, but in just a few weeks, many colleges will be back in session.
And I would challenge those students not only to be open-minded but to consider politely pushing back against some of the more radical viewpoints they might hear from professors and classmates, without fear of being penalized academically or getting strange looks at the local watering hole.
THE RIOT TAX: HOW BERKELEY BILLS EVERYONE ELSE FOR ITS OWN COWARDICE
That is not only how you can challenge yourself and set an example for others but also how you become a free thinker and a leader.
Isn’t that the whole point of college?
David Keltz is the author of the new book Life Sucks, but Your Life Doesn’t Have To: How To Build Confidence and Find Purpose in a Turbulent World.