I'm to this day extremely baffled by the following:
> Deleting/Cutting out people from your life because of political views, especially when they have been friends/family for many years of your lives.
> Not wanting to openly discuss political topics and suppress such discussion when discussing these matters always gives greater insight to the other side or information on your own current beliefs.
My political and personal opinions always evolve with new information. That's how everyone should be with all things. They should also question everything they believe, themselves.
> Deleting/Cutting out people from your life because of political views, especially when they have been friends/family for many years of your lives.
> Not wanting to openly discuss political topics and suppress such discussion when discussing these matters always gives greater insight to the other side or information on your own current beliefs.
My political and personal opinions always evolve with new information. That's how everyone should be with all things. They should also question everything they believe, themselves.
"My political and personal opinions always evolve with new information. That's how everyone should be with all things. They should also question everything they believe, themselves."
- David Malekar
Let's take a quick summary on my political path for context, then I'll go back into friendships and relationships.
I was told to be a Democrat growing up because I was poor. I didn't listen to politics as a kid because I didn't care about it. Kids don't have to, which is fine. I knew something was wrong, however; because nothing ever changed for the better in my life with the Democrats being in charge. They didn't help me like they always claimed they were doing.
I was told to be a Republican when I was 19 because that was the only other choice. Republicans weren't doing anything for anyone at that time either; they had people getting killed in the Middle East during the George W. Bush era.
Discovering on my own research Ron Paul and his recommendations; I found the Constitution Party and helped them get Chuck Baldwin on the ballot in my state in 2008. This was the first election cycle I could participate in and I finally got into politics. Constitution Party seemed to be happy being stagnant and not growing, so I went strictly independent. Became inactive politically for a couple years.
2012 comes along and Ron Paul mentions Gary Johnson and the Libertarian Party. I look into them and became a member because their party platform matched up with nearly everything I believe in; and they had a very serious 50 state presence that the Constitution Party never seemed to have or work for. Election came and went, but stuck with them because they still kept advancing.
2016 and now I am an editor and journalist and know to look beyond just party line, but look at candidates individually. There are sometimes great candidates that run under all labels. Research is always needed and questions must always be asked. I'm still Libertarian Party member; but know to always look into things, ask questions and follow money trails, etc.
Is this not a reflection of science? As new information is gained, the old information is thrown out once it's proven wrong or obsolete? Shouldn't we evolve our own views with new information? In all aspects of our daily lives?
"Is this not a reflection of science? As new information is gained, the old information is thrown out once it's proven wrong or obsolete? Shouldn't we evolve our own views with new information? In all aspects of our daily lives?"
- David Malekar
Along those lines, why delete or remove people from your lives just because they disagree with you on political information? Why NOT talk about it? I learn so much from others by listening. I have shared years of happiness and memories with people who disagree with me politically. I would lay down my life for a lot of these people if they were in physical harms way in front of my own eyes. Every major election cycle, I lose friends because of these things. This year was the worst of them all because I took on a major Libertarian party role and became a journalist/editor heavily in my spare time. I've never deleted anyone from my personal life for being a Democrat, a Republican, a Nationalist, a Communist, or whatever.
I can't comprehend the behavior or mentality of removing people from your life for political beliefs. Getting rid of folks for personal attacks is a completely different story. Political beliefs are not personal attacks. There are people who think this and the mentality is dangerous, unrealistic and unhealthy.
Political beliefs do not define who you are, they are just an extension of you, like your job. Your job in itself doesn't define who you are. You wouldn't delete someone from your life for being in a job profession that you hate. Why politics?
"I can't comprehend the behavior or mentality of removing people from your life for political beliefs. Getting rid of folks for personal attacks is a completely different story. Political beliefs are not personal attacks. There are people who think this and the mentality is dangerous, unrealistic and unhealthy.
Political beliefs do not define who you are, they are just an extension of you, like your job. Your job in itself doesn't define who you are. You wouldn't delete someone from your life for being in a job profession that you hate. Why politics?"
- David Malekar
One or two Facebook or social media posts a day don't define who you are. Your political view doesn't define who you are. Your job doesn't define who you are. You define who you are.
I'm sick of people being so insecure or whatever the excuse is that they're removing people from their lives that care about them. All over something that doesn't even define their relationship with the person or the person's character. This is current year and there's no reason why we can't have an open discussion, agreeing or disagreeing; but still be able to have relationships and friendships with one another.
I have been told countless times that the person I am online is not an accurate reflection of who I am in the real world; and I agree. I use the Internet to spread information. I do much more than what you see here.
Those of you who don't know me outside of the political world, I'm a IT and Wireless Professional, Amateur Photographer and Web/Graphic Designer, Community Activist and Volunteer/Homelessness Advocate, Artist, Actor, MMA and Wrestling Announcer and Enthusiast, Weight Lifter, Karaoke Nut, Crisis/Suicide Prevention Counselor, Mental Health Awareness Advocate, Marketer and Sales, Retro and Modern Video Games both PC and Console/Arcade-Lightgun and Pinball, Seattle Seahawks-Baltimore Orioles-Washington Bullets (very old school, I know)-Pittsburgh Penguin fan, Car Enthusiast, Outdoor and Urban Explorer, (90sRock-Alt Rock-Grunge-FusionJazz-Later 80s to some current Gangsta/Rap/Hip-Hop, Techno-House-Trap, BluesGrass-OldSchoolCountry, 50s60s) Music Listener, Freestyle Dancer, Writer, Murican-Italian-Mexican Food loving guy. I probably forgot a dozen other things.
Those things still don't even describe my personality or how I am with my friends, family and co-workers, strangers. I like to laugh and make others laugh; kid around and make others happy. I like to listen and give people a chance to be heard, to hug and break stereotypes. I like to teach, to help and repair things; both physically and mentally. My life experiences that could be talked about for hours, from childhood to now. Poverty, starvation, broken home, rising out of the ghetto by working hard against impossible odds. Having a lot of bad relationships and good ones; finding the love of my life. Owning my own business after working so hard to get to that point, then losing it years later and losing my wife to suicide. Going homeless and having nothing again. The struggles and hardships and corruption for years, abusive relationships and people. Moving over 3 thousand miles to give life another try and accomplishing a million things since the beginning. This is so condensed, it doesn't even cover 1% of it.
I hate that I have had to keep saying this throughout the year, but politics does not define who you are; and neither does a couple Facebook/Social Media posts. If you think they do, you have serious revisions to do within your own life. Nobody is worth losing that you care about, over this.
If your identity is entirely based upon collectivist politics, unplug and take control of your life; become your own self and define who you are on your own. Then realize this applies to everyone else, as well.
"If your identity is entirely based upon collectivist politics, unplug and take control of your life; become your own self and define who you are on your own. Then realize this applies to everyone else, as well."
- David Malekar
David Malekar is an Independent Associate Editor for The Liberty
Chronicle Independent, Civil Rights Activist and various other causes.
You can follow him at the links below:
You can follow him at the links below:
