Polarizing Beliefs

They constantly tell me, “You’re a leftist communist!” They tell me, “You’re a racist Trump supporter!” But, I wasn’t any of those things; at least, I thought I wasn’t. I think of myself of an independent person as I believe in ideals of both sides, but my teachers & peers think otherwise. They paint their solid beliefs, in ink, which make our community that of a common standard; framing us all in one idea, one picture, in a picture that is hard and nearly impossible to change… a polaroid.

White supremacy, communism, religious deportation, xenophobia; these were polarizing, extremist ideas which my peers believed in. Yet, by this small community, We are taught that a person like me is either communist or a fascist. Why? Is it because we believe in equality for everyone? Is it because we don’t want healthcare to be a federally funded program? Or is it because we want semi-higher taxes?

“You’re not planning on voting for Trump? You’re a liberal, right?” “You, Republicans, won’t keep the seats in government.” “How could you support a racist like Trump?” But, I don’t. I don’t love President Trump, but I don’t hate him either. I try to explain to everyone, who I really was. But, nobody would listen. To them, it’s my beliefs that are disgustingly polarizing, as long as I dedicated to neither side of the political spectrum.

It wasn't just name-calling. It eventually evolved... It kept evolving. My friends stopped talking to me. Classmates blocked me on all social media. My teachers had started a war against me, yet they didn't even know it. All they were doing was sharing their beliefs like me. However, they didn't just promote theirs; they demoted opposition.

Republican, History teachers and Democratic, Spanish teachers. I have teachers on both sides of the political spectrum who preached their views in class, no matter the subject. These ideas snap the children’s beliefs with a camera, influencing the children with their beliefs which are ‘correct’. All realities of free thinking beings are wiped clean from our schools, with this particular kind of teaching. By this, society becomes a rigid group of extremes on both sides, looking for something wrong with the other person, instead of bringing our children together as we promised… As Abraham Lincoln, on the steps of the white house, during the Civil War, promised… As Martin Luther King Jr, at the podium, during the march on Washington, promised… And as us all, as Americans, promised. We can’t let ourselves to be brainwashed by these beliefs that seem great in the picture but might not fit us; we can’t.