Politics is Poison
- Details
- Category: Treasure Addis-Mills
- Published on Friday, 19 November 2010 19:08
- Written by Treasure Addis-Mills
It's treated like it's a plague, a total taboo, and if you talk about it, you'll burn in Hell. I'm going to say it: politics! Okay, so maybe burning in Hell is a little over the top, but the way in which political talk is referenced, especially around election day is ridiculous. The day before the elections on November 2, I was in a waiting room and CNN was on the television. The whole time I was watching, the reporters were talking about ways in which NOT to talk about politics. This was in relation to discussing it on the job. They pointed out that you could get in trouble with human resources; if you spoke out, you could be fired; if you posted information on a personal site, you wouldn't get a job with a company if they found out about it. It's all ridiculous.
Isn't this country build on freedom of speech and on a political foundation that allows us to discuss any type of political issue? Now, I understand that private companies can have their own rules around what is appropriate to talk about in the workplace, but we don't have to treat political talk like the plague. In essence, we are treating it like it's socially wrong, and thus people are not able to adequately learn how to properly discuss politics in a social setting. I think we have become so ingrained in the thought that politics is a taboo issue and we shouldn't talk about it for the possibility that it may hurt someone's feelings, that we are harming our thought processing around politics, and people become jaded and no longer participate in the precious act of voting.
Generally speaking about politics and our ideas is not outrageous and should not be quashed. Politics is what affects each and every one of us. Politics is what determines how we live in society; therefore, we should be talking about propositions, governors, city council members, school board members, bills and other legislation. Quashing the subject quells the fruitful discussion that can take place and reprimands those who can properly discuss the issues without being offensive. If we're denied the ability to talk openly about the very precious part of our American lives, how are we ever to have a positive, honest, and free-thinking conversation that gets everyone involved in the voting process and our country headed in a good direction for all?
