Last week left us feeling down, sad, angry, ashamed and wanting to hug and be with our loved ones.
We’re sad and angry at the continued escalation of political violence in our country, and ashamed at the reactions we’ve seen to it.
We must be better than this.
Disagreement is not a bad thing. Debate is not a bad thing. Hearing the opinions of others, both those you agree with and those you disagree with, is not a bad thing.
What is never OK and is a horrific thing is to harm or kill somebody because of those opinions or the fact that they’re different than yours.
Political violence is not a partisan issue. People across the political spectrum have died for what they stand for (even this year alone), never mind the other attempts at harm and the students who have died or were injured due to the beliefs of others.
It’s disgusting.
While some are trying to seek common ground to work to de-escalate the rhetoric happening in our country, and we applaud those efforts wholeheartedly, many are choosing to see that common ground as a divide that should be widened and avoided.
We cannot continue to function that way and see everyone as the enemy if they don’t fill in the same bubble on ballots as us.
We can’t let the actions of a few define the many. Most people are loving people capable of hearing and communicating with folks with differing beliefs.
We can’t believe everything we read or see. When something horrific or sensational happens, word spreads like wildfire — whether that word is a fact, a rumor, an opinion or something else. Suddenly everybody’s an expert, and news of someone’s death can spread as quickly as word of their miraculous saving. In the case of the murder of Charlie Kirk last week, we literally saw both simultaneously. Sometimes finding out what happened takes patience, and we have to work to seek out solid sources for that information as events unfold. Not everything can be solved as quickly as a crime drama on TV or as quickly as we’d like it to, and we’re better served not assuming (you know what they say about that).
We have to remember to breathe and step away. Social media algorithms are designed to suck us in and keep us coming back, and they tend to feed extremism. The more you interact and look at inflammatory posts, the more you’ll see. Whether it’s a political event, a post about the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, or a meme about the Broncos or Cowboys, if you don’t appreciate it, just keep scrolling. Better yet, hop off social media and head outside to enjoy the gorgeous fall weather. When the world felt heavy last week (and because we didn’t want to risk happening upon video of a gruesome public murder), we carved out time to spend playing games with family and friends to just enjoy being in each other’s company.
We have to take care of our mental health and encourage others to do the same. Constant bad news, focusing on what’s wrong and stressing out over current events is obviously bad for our health. We should all take care of ourselves and step away from time to time, and we need to take the time to focus on what’s good in our lives. Despite all of the ills of the world, there’s also a lot to be thankful for.
We’re in this together. Let’s be better at it.
Randi Pierce
