Discussion and Conversation Can Change Lives
It is no secret that our world is highly politicized and strongly divided. In Broward alone, there is such a division among neighbors that simple daily activities can bring about arguments, anxiety, and stress. Mask vs maskless, racial tensions, vaccine vs no vaccine, Republican vs Democrat, the list of our divisions seems endless. Although there seems no common ground, we must remember that we are human and each of us is simply trying to create the best world possible for our families and future generations.
With this in mind, this article is being written to address some liberal viewpoints in a straightforward, non-attacking manner. We ask that liberal-leaning individuals read through each of these points with an open mind and understand that conservatives are not what many have come to believe. Open discussion and conversation can change lives and help begin to mend America’s division.
Summary:
Trump Supporters are Racist
It’s important to start here because this seems to be the largest target on Conservatives today. In spite of what you may have heard and been led to believe, Trump is not a racist and neither are those who support him. Does our favorite past president always say the right thing? Nope. It is important to remember that Trump is not a politician. So, what did the Trump administration do to support the Black/Brown/African American communities across the country?
- Trump was the only president who successfully funded and tried to solve the Flint Michigan water crisis.
- Black Business ownership, especially black woman-owned businesses, skyrocketed under the Trump administration.
- The First Step Act- This act was passed by the Trump administration, releasing over 3000 inmates, the majority black. According to Wikipedia, “The First Step Act, among other changes, reforms federal prisons and sentencing laws in order to reduce recidivism, decrease the federal inmate population, and maintain public safety.”
- The Future Act– Trump signed a bill to restore public funding to historically black colleges.
Support of Trump is in no way an indication of racism. It goes without saying that racism, unfortunately, is alive and well throughout the country. The only cure to this disease is open discussion and understanding of each other. Calling an individual a racist for simply supporting a politician, especially one with a record of supporting minorities, is simply hurtful, wrong, and unsupported by evidence.
Conservatives Do Not Support Immigration
This is always a conversation topic that baffles conservatives. Conservatives do not wish to stop immigration. Many conservatives are themselves immigrants or have friends or family members who are immigrants. When looking back on the history of the United States, it would most likely be difficult to find a family that didn’t include immigration to America at some point, so why do most conservatives believe we should “Build the Wall?”
Legal Immigration and illegal immigration are two totally separate topics. Legal immigration requires paperwork and documentation of why an individual wish to enter the country if the individual will be working, and how long the individual intends to stay. This process takes time and is a legal process. Illegal immigration is undocumented individuals coming into the country unlawfully. Most conservatives are against illegal immigration because, well, it’s illegal. There is a proper, legal way to enter the country, and skirting around the system can cause problems.
Such problems include:
- Billions in Support- Noone knows the true cost of illegal immigration as it is a very difficult number to figure; however, most undocumented immigrants do not pay into the system as they do not have paperwork to allow legal work in the US. Therefore they do not pay taxes as a citizen would and still are able to reap the benefits of such federally funded systems as housing, medical costs, schooling, and financial support resources.
- Increased crime- The individuals being discussed are undocumented. This means we have no idea of past criminal records or their intentions in the US. Are all who enter illegally bad? Nope and many conservatives realize this, however, crime rates don’t lie and many illegal individuals are arrested and tried for crimes committed in the United States.
- Increased Drug and Illegal substances entering the US- If an individual is entering the country illegally, there is no one monitoring what that individual is bringing into the country.
Please, stop saying conservatives do not support immigration. It’s simply not true.
Conservatives are Anti-Science
This topic seems crazy to most conservatives. Science is the continual study of the world around us based on observation and experimentation. The many methods of gathering data and supporting conclusions are not new to anyone. Individuals across political party lines are able to question the science of such things like masks and the vaccine and many do.
Questioning is part of living in a free society and a political party does not dictate how much an individual chooses to question what’s being provided to them.
Conservatives and liberals have questioned many current issues such as masks necessity and vaccines. This is not a political party belief, it is an individual belief.
We Must Be More Open to Discussion
Regardless of political affiliation, America as a nation must again become “United.” We are all neighbors trying to live the best life possible in the time we’re given. We must be open to discussion without attack or anger. Under it all, we are all human. We are all neighbors. We are all wanting freedom. We must stop attacking across party lines and be open to discussion and understanding one another’s political affiliations.
Since the pandemic began, anxiety and depression have skyrocketed. Sitting with our backs to one another will never solve any problem. Let’s make it a point to stop yelling and start discussing what’s really on our minds.
Broward County residents deserve more. Discussion and Conversation can change lives, but we must be willing to open the lines of communication.
