Oh no! You just found out your bestie-for-the-restie has opposite beliefs as you! They are a strict conservative while you are a liberal. They want to build a wall, and you are appalled just by the thought of one. They love the orange resident of the White House while you are…not a fan. What are you going to do? Do you A: forget about it and never bring it up again, B: Stay friends because you don’t really care about “politics” that much anyways, or C: Find a new friend.
In 2020’s political climate, it is not uncommon for these situations to take place. How you react to them relies entirely on how “politics” affect you. Supporting someone like Trump doesn’t necessarily make you racist, but it shows that racist actions are not a dealbreaker. It gives a loud and clear message to the rest of the world, especially BIPOC, that it doesn’t matter what offends them or how Trump’s policies have impacted their lives. It shows that you share his beliefs, and maybe even that he says everything that you wish you could.
Not to mention, some things are beyond political; they are just morally wrong. For instance, saying Mexicans are drug dealers and criminals is racist. Saying that Muslims are terrorists is islamaphobic. Saying that gay people shouldn’t be allowed to get married or adopt children is homophobic. Even though some of these things are often spoken about in politics, people often think of them as something to put off to the side: they are taboo, not allowed to be spoken about in public. Politics are a very important part of all relationships as they provide a window into one’s morals.
If politics don’t affect your relationships, that is a tell-tale sign of your privilege (or, maybe you are just more evolved than me). Saying “I don’t really care about politics” basically means “No matter how this election ends, I’ll still have rights, and my life won’t really change, and since it doesn’t affect me, I couldn’t care less.” I am truly envious of those people; I would love to be blissfully unaware of everything that is going on.
As a Black woman, that is simply not a privilege that I have. Politics affect all of my choices, from what colleges I apply to, to what candidates I support. I would like to think that if I wasn’t a minority I would still have the same views; I would have enough compassion for others, that it would seep into my political affiliations, but I honestly don’t know. If I hadn’t experienced prejudice, racism, or sexism myself, would I care when things like that happened to others? If I didn’t know what it felt like to be discriminated against, would I still be an LGBTQ+ ally? Would I support the BLM movement? I like to think so, because I know many people who do.
Your position on politics shows others how you see the world and how much compassion you have. American politics aren’t like voting for the president of your form. You don’t see their name one a year, and think “Huh. What did that kid do? I haven’t seen them in a minute.” American politics are a big deal, especially in 2020, when unarmed Black people are being executed by the police, schools are being shot up every month, and women’s health rights are up in the air because an 87 year old justice died (Rest in Peace Ruth). There is a pandemic that is spreading like wildfire, and not to mention the country is divided between Trump supporters and, well, everyone else. Politics must be part of your relationships because politics isn’t “just politics,” and it hasn’t been for a long time.
By now you must be thinking, “You just said the country is divided! You’re just dividing it more by saying you won’t be friends with people based off of their political beliefs.” Yes, the country is divided, but sadly I am not the president of the United States, nor am I a congresswoman or a representative. It is not my job to unite the “United” States of America, that’s the President’s job. My job as a human being is to stand up for myself and those who have been marginally oppressed. Being friends with someone who has offensive “political beliefs” is not making a sacrifice for your country; it’s sacrificing your morals, and I don’t think that is doing you, or America, a favor.
