Third Blog Post (March)

Lilly Crolius

Dr. Christina Ivey

Communications 160

31 March 2017

Blog Post #3

“If we can’t change a system unless we’re immersed in it, how can we hold on to enough of ourselves that we are able to discern the status quo and challenge it when we should?” This was a quote I wrote down in class a few weeks ago. It interested me more than the numerous bullet points that followed. More specifically, the part that goes “challenge [the status quo] when we should” caught my eye. This has been a common thought on my mind for the past few years. My generation, the millennials, has sparked a social revolution that focuses on the sexes and race. I was raised in a conservative household that stressed tradition. Talking about different genders, sexualities, and racial issues wasn’t taboo, but it was and still is concerning to me that people are starting to come out as anything more than straight, gay, or bisexual (identifying as animals and races that they’re not, or young children deciding they want to change gender before they even know what sexuality is). In my eyes, the right-wing is concerned with upholding the traditional values of politics and society while the left-wing is all about progression and change. I think change is really good with a lot of topics, but I also think it’s important to decide what is worth changing. There’s been a lot of attacks on the Republican party lately due to the 2016 election, which is understandable due to freedom of speech and opinions, but there have been some unnecessary actions taken against the Red Party. For instance, Google has recently changed their definition of fascism to “an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.” Also, people have been beaten on the streets for voting or assumed of voting, for Trump. I, personally, have been called racist and homophobic online for no reason and I know truly I am neither of those things and never will be. I am a very accepting person who only dislikes people if they are rude or attack me first. This has been happening to the entire Republican party. I agree there is a large number of anti-progressive members, but pigeonholing everyone else isn’t fair and very hypocritical. The problem with today’s political system is that both parties assume the other is the enemy. I agree with the leftists that some things in America should be reformed such as women’s rights, but I agree with the right wing that marching with no clothes on and talking about “drinking male tears” isn’t the way to approach that. I also think when people start identifying as ages and races they’re not and genders that don’t exist, the line gets blurry and we need to set boundaries. I know this sounds harsh, but it’s mistaken by a lot of people and they think I’m saying “I hate anyone who wants to identify as a pansexual demi-queer foxkin.” I’m not saying that at all; everyone deserves kindness, but in the eyes of social construct it’s important to remember that having structure is important.