P&L Discussions | Page 25

driver, not the car company, so why would you blame shootings on guns?” After challenging his opinion, he lashed out with personal attacks. This was not a rare event. I would be heckled when I walked around campus after interactions like this. I would hear this person and their friends call me names, call me a ‘feminazi’ and sometimes a “Clinton lover.” This type of behavior wasn’t exclusively directed to me, but to almost anyone. If you supported Trump, you would hear “You're a racist!” sometimes “You're ignorant!” or even “Check your white, male privilege!” If you supported Hillary you would hear “Remember Benghazi!” also “Hillary for prison!" andoccasionally “You're a feminist SJW.” These polarizing statements created an uninviting and divided community split in two.

During this time I was on the side that supported Hillary. I also associated myself with the Black Lives Matter Movement, the Feminist Movement and I also would have considered myself a progressive. During this time, I was conflicted because both sides were extremely flawed and were absolutely ridiculous. The photo above displays how I have transitioned into being more transparent with my feelings and opinions. This example shows how people assumed that one thing automatically led to another. If you supported BLM, you were thought to think all cops are racist and African Americans were constantly disadvantaged and facing constant oppression. If you were a feminist, you hated men and women were under the firm grip of a supposed ‘male patriarchy.’ If you were a progressive, you needed to undoubtedly follow any and all political correctness. These types of proclamations had driven me away from my core thoughts and ideas and forced me to reevaluate my thinking on all forms of our current events and policy. Throughout the election, I was faced with many “If you’re not with me, you're against me ” type of moments. Although I would be vehemently against most of Trump’s policies, if I were to ever bring up an issue where my opinion differed from the group I was associated with, I would be completely outcasted.

I had come to realize that both sides were so infatuated with their candidate that it didn't matter who they talked to or what the context was, if you didn't agree with everything they said you were completely outcasted. When I was outcasted from both groups, neither

P&L DISCUSSIONS

Jack Galusha

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