Election Overload

I cannot wait for this election cycle to come to a close. I used to love politics. In fact, in college I was known as "Political Peggy" because of my love of debating the issues and candidates. With time my passion has mellowed. A combination of maturity and frustration has led me to avoid political discussions. Too often, what used to be understood to be friendly banter now quickly escalates to vicious personal attacks. There is so much negativity in the world, I don't feel the need to invite more into my life with political discussions.

I still feel passionately about the issues, but I no longer feel the need to explain or debate my stances with anybody. I have learned that, just as I am set in my beliefs, others are as confident in their viewpoints. Arguing statistics, nuances and platforms becomes an exercise in frustration for everybody involved. Instead of changing political views, these discussions are now more likely to result in hurt feelings and fractured relationships.

This election cycle has been repugnant. The nonstop coverage has been flooding everybody with a level of negativity that I am sure is unhealthy. It feels like everybody is on edge and in a bad mood. I have yet to meet anybody who is enjoying this election.

As a Mom, I resent the fact that I have been forced to explain crass terminology to my ten year old boy. Not only did we have to sit him down and explain why he shouldn't use the term he was mimicking from television, but we were forced to explain why somebody in a prominent position of respect would choose to utilize such language. Thankfully Scott took the lead and succinctly told Robby that he shouldn't disrespect anybody, regardless of the situation or location. Scott calmly explained to our son that demeaning an individual, or a group of people, only makes the speaker look uneducated. He continued by explaining that we send him to a good school so that he can learn a variety of ways to communicate and to express himself. Reverting to crude descriptors does a disservice not only to himself but to his teachers and family.

I suppose the only upside of this exposure has been the opportunity to enlighten Robby about the longevity of his words and his communication choices. Without the constant bombardment on our television, we probably would not have had the discussion about crude and demeaning language. Hopefully we will be able to skate through the next few weeks without anymore conversation prompts from current events.