Reclaiming Grounds for political discourse

The boy and the girl to my left are chatting. They are acquaintances perhaps: they usually sit with each other and engage in mild banter and friendly recaps of their weekend and otherwise notable events. They are both polite, easygoing and seem to have a good amount in common. So they chat. Today is a little different.

The election is around a month away and I hear the boy says he is voting for Trump. He says this quietly but confidently, with no air of sarcasm, mirth or embarrassment. The girl laughs out loud, without realizing her friend is serious. He says it again, “Yeah, I am voting for Trump.”

She goes quiet, mouth now agape with disbelief rather than laughter. “You’re absolute slime,” she says, suddenly gathers her books, pencils, notebook and gets up to change seats. The classroom seats are filling up quickly so she returns to her original seat, but not before pointing to her friend, the boy, and announcing to a 35-person class body, “If anyone wants to switch seats with me, you can sit next to a Trump supporter!”

I hear another student in proximity say, “Dude, how can you be serious?” The boy is unfazed, if anything, slightly pleased about the sudden attention and he begins to defend his electoral choice. “I have to plot something to keep you from registering to vote,” the girl cuts him off, laughing now again. “I can’t believe you.” Another voice chimes, “You really can’t be serious.”

So you really, really dislike a certain candidate. Maybe it’s their position on an issue that hits too close to home, maybe you don’t condone their former behaviors, maybe you fear for the future security of this country under their leadership. Maybe it’s all of the above. That’s fine, great, actually. It means that you’ve got convictions and reasoning to back them. But those who think the opposite of you do, too. And just like you, they are entitled to defend, explain and uphold their opinions. Take for instance, the recent article from The Tab at Rutgers. The author wore a “Make America Great Again” hat around campus for a week and faced tasteful passing remarks such as “I will shit on your face,” and “I feel sorry for anyone that has to see you,” as well as the good ol’ middle finger, a stranger physically grabbing the hat off his head, and a bout of public humiliation on a bus full of people. Just like the boy in my class, his apparent declaration of political affiliation was not met with the intention or remote possibility of an open discussion.

This article is not about defending Donald Trump, or Hilary Clinton, or anyone else who might pop up on the ballot between now and November 8^th. It is about defending political discourse between intelligent people, specifically students. Here at the University of Virginia, we come from all walks of life and create vastly different experiences for ourselves on Grounds. We’re diverse, well-rounded and smart. We have much to share and learn from each other. And this election, no matter who you vote for, is consequentially tied to the future of this country. It’s an exhilarating and important time to be a young voter. So why aren’t we, and young people all over the country, taking advantage of these educational and social privileges and discussing each others’ views and opinions with an open mind?

So often, the possibility of an open, successful conversation is cut off by simplifying the conception of someone’s character, morals and views to their political affiliation. “He’s a Democrat, that MUST mean he supports x, y, and z,” or “She’s voting for Trump, so she thinks ___ about ____,” are frequent and easy conclusions to jump to, especially with the polarizing and inflammatory issues surrounding this election. But the personal choice of where to cast one’s vote is as complex and intricate as the issues involved. Listening and discussing why someone thinks a certain way is how we evolve intellectually. It’s also the model of politics upon which this country was founded. Deliberation, debate and idealogical comparisons, all with the betterment of this country and its people in mind, pave the way to political progress.

And it’s easier said than done. The radical stances taken by these candidates on certain issues, combined with the currently tumultuous economic and social climate in this country, are a breeding ground for highly polarized opinions fostered out of anger, disgust or even sycophantic admiration. The media doesn’t help, either. Enraging sound bites and snappy one-liners that attempt to fully embody the nature of a candidate’s campaign only tempt the public to make quick, uninformed and emotional judgements. But none of these instigating provocations justify dismissing someone’s views before even trying to understand how they came to them in first place.

Photo supplied by the UVA College Republicans Facebook page

From Trump and Hillary live on CNN, to the students sitting in discussion in Nau Hall and everywhere in between, ‘talking politics’ has degenerated to an angry intellectual arena refereed by knee-jerk reactions and unwavering judgements. While we can’t change how our presidential candidates, politicians or the mainstream media act, we can definitely start with ourselves. We need to shrug off partisan stereotypes, political correctness, personal qualms, long-held convictions, pride, disgust or whatever else might be keeping us and our peers from a level-headed, two-sided conversation. Get talking, really talking, and let the ideas, opinions and experiences flow both ways. The result? Contemplative, tolerant, aware and vastly informed young voters who will be shaping the future of this country for many, many elections to come.

So next time you see someone on Grounds with an “I’m With Her” sticker on their laptop, or wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, ask them “Why?” instead of “WTF?” Their answers might surprise, educate or even change you.