There is no doubt that tensions have been rising between political groups ever since 2016 with the election of President Donald Trump, but that shouldn’t stop people from sharing their opinions. Activist groups such as Turning Point USA (TPUSA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who visit college campuses throughout the country are helping college students understand different opinions in politics on different subjects—which is what college is all about—and why many students pursue higher education. Students who are activists or curious about politics need to immerse themselves in the opposite side’s territory just as much as they immerse themselves within their own perspective.
Political discourse is necessary for two sides to understand one another. Dr. Kirk Schneider Ph.D, an adjunct faculty member at Saybrook University, said in the American Psychological Association (APA) article regarding political divide that “research indicates that the divisiveness will continue to grow if fear of the other and the wounds fueling that fear are not addressed.”
It may be difficult listening to the opposite opinion, but it is helpful in a way that drives us to focus on why we support the opinion that we hold about a current issue. It forces us to question ourselves and challenges us to find evidence to support our opinion.
When we challenge ourselves to find evidence for our own opinions, critical thinking and statistics will be the logic that upholds our opinion or tears it down. Another way to make sense of our opinion is by listening to public speakers. Many people form opinions based on what people in the newsrooms or podcasters think, which can be convincing. However, it is fully necessary to consume content from the other side.
If you do not consume content from the other side, it is the same as lifting the same amount of weights repeatedly and not seeing any progressive results. One day you may have to gain the courage and strength to argue against a point you haven’t heard before, which forces you to reconcile how you are going to counteract that opposition.
Some people who hold more liberal opinions towards activist groups—such as conservative activist group TPUSA, spread hate speech or make them feel uncomfortable because of their extreme opinions. For example, after the UC Berkeley protests, a UC Berkeley senior student in an interview said that she personally didn’t feel comfortable with having TPUSA present on campus because she believes they spread hate speech. At the same time she added that UC Berkeley has a history of being the home for free speech. This means that even though she may disagree with them, they still have the right to host their event if the campus allows them to, which they did.
It is easy to call something hate speech. There are key differences between hate speech and free speech. Hate speech vilifies another group of people based on factors that they cannot change and provides constructive elements to conversations. Free speech may be controversial, but that is because people have different viewpoints on opinions being shared. If words make you uncomfortable because it’s a point that is different from yours, it may be useful to find out why that point strikes a nerve. Could it be because you simply do not understand it, which is something the UC Berkeley student should have attempted to do before the arrival of TPUSA.
With free speech and the sharing of opinions, there will always be those who want to listen and those who want to keep spewing the same talking points without any critical thinking. However, constructive debate—even if it makes someone uncomfortable — is how we move forward together. Today, the hardest part about politics is the fear of sharing opinions, which is the foundation of politics.
