I hate election season. Not because I'm not interested in the issues, or that I don't plan to vote but because of the dirty politics involved. Unfortunately, I'm not referring to the politicians.
I vote independent. On some issues, I would be considered quite conservative. On others, I would be regarded as quite liberal. I would say that my Facebook friends run the gamut from extreme left all the way to extreme right.
And it's on Facebook that I see the very worst of the vitriol and hate. The people that I know as loving and generous post rants or photos filled with name-calling, inflammatory speech, and utter disrespect. Trust me, if you want me to hear your argument...the best way to get me to tune out is to start the name-calling. We are adults. That behavior should never get past kindergarten graduation.
There are also those who have intolerance down to an art form. I have seen numerous instances where someone threatens to "defriend" or actually does so because they don't agree with someone's stance on a particular issue. Obviously, these people do not actually understand the concept of "friend". Besides reeking of "mean girl", this behavior is infantile and petty. Facebook offers the option of hiding individual posts or posts by a specific person. If you don't agree with a post or find it offensive, hide it. Get it off of your news feed where you don't have to see it. Be the grown-up.
We still have a ways to go before the elections are over. I hope and pray that the discourse in this country does not deteriorate any further and that respect finds it's place in politics, online, and in our daily interactions on social media.
Love,
Jerri
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