Having Political Discussions

By: Alaina Valdespino

We all know that this election has been as chaotic and anxiety provoking as this COVID-stricken year. We understand that there is a lot riding on this election: our values, our beliefs, and the potential of life-altering change. With all of these important issues on the line, it isn’t a surprise that this subject is in fact a sticky one, especially when talking to someone who has differing views from yourself. For that reason, I feel the need to share an important message with you all. 

First and foremost, this election is a big one; it affects everyone. Even if you’re not the type of person that likes to discuss your political views, this election isn’t giving you the chance to slide under the radar. America’s political scene is too polarizing and too deeply divided to allow for that. And yes, political discussions can be scary. They cause conflict, they can get argumentative, and they are something that many people choose to avoid all together. But avoidance isn’t the answer to solving this issue and it’s not the answer that’s going to cut it this year. In fact, avoiding these discussions leads to further conflict and doesn’t allow you to learn and understand your views as they relate to other people. This logic of avoidance is extremely ineffective and doesn’t get us anywhere. That’s why we need to understand the proactive stances we can take in order to have political discussions in a way that is beneficial to both parties and gives both people a chance to not just express their views, but to learn from the other person and allow for growth.

When approaching a political discussion, it is important to first understand whether or not the other person in the conversation has views similar to or different from you. Once you understand the stance of that person, it is important that you next decide whether or not the moment is right to have that discussion. If the moment isn’t right, simply extend an invitation to have that conversation another time, that way you don’t bombard this person with a conversation they may not wish to have. Clearly this is easier said than done, but by presenting the subject in a way that gives the other person a chance to decide to or not to talk about politics, it allows for a sense of reassurance that makes the subject a lot lighter and less stressful for all those involved. 

That being said, when the time comes and the conversation arises, there are a few common rules to follow in order to avoid this conversation turning into an unproductive and problem invoking debate. 

First and foremost, create a sense of trust and assurance. Let the person know that this conversation isn’t going to lead to a “friendship break-up” and that you can have differing views and still be friends. Once that is out in the air, make sure to avoid attacking their beliefs should they not be the same as yours because that is what makes these conversations so polarizing. It isn’t easy to do this, but by allowing the other person to express their views entirely before you express yours allows for both people to get their messages across in a way that feels inviting and productive. 

More than anything, just make sure that you do your absolute best to not insult or offend the other party's views. Our political views are deeply rooted in our beliefs and our core values and therefore are directly tied to our emotions. 

All in all, everyone has difficulty when it comes to having discussions with people that may not agree or that may not understand where you’re coming from. Everyone understands that politics are polarizing, that they are confusing and can cause a lot of conflict. That’s why, especially this election season, we have to rise above the anxiety and the fear of political discussions because they are going to be inevitable. This election is one for the books and the results of it will go down in history. The president of one of the most unprecedented times in American history is going to be elected and regardless of who wins, their policies will go on to affect everyone. For this reason, I believe that we should all take notice of our own views and do what we can to help educate our neighbors and to do our part in having these difficult  conversations in order to understand our own views and learn to understand others as well.

Amy Coney Barrett and Religious Conservatism

By: Hannah Ury, Staff Writer

Photo credit: Susan Walsh, AP Photo

In just four years, the Trump Presidency has selected two highly controversial Supreme Court nominations, and it is looking more and more like his second nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, will be confirmed and become a member of the Supreme Court. Thankfully, Barrett does not have any allegations of sexual assault, a rarity in today’s politics, but she does have her fair share of sources of controversy.

When taking a look at her past, it’s easy to like Barrett. She has seven children, two of whom are adopted from Haiti. She is a woman of faith, and she has done extensive work as a judge and a professor, and her students at Notre Dame say she is a great professor who never brought politics into the classroom. It is also refreshing to see a woman rise so easily to power in a career field dominated by men. However, do not expect the rights of women to advance at all should Barrett be confirmed.

Barrett would overturn Roe v. Wade if given the chance, and organizations like Planned Parenthood would be weakened even further than they already have been. Although Americans have little say in the process of picking Supreme Court Justices, the process certainly impacts the American people. To overturn Roe v. Wade would be a significant step backwards, and it would not accomplish the conservative goal of putting an end to abortions. Women would not stop having abortions, they would simply have illegal abortions, but conservatives don’t care. While their message is that they want to save lives, they disregard the millions of children in foster care, the women who will die from dangerous abortions, and so many other lives in the process. This disregard shows that their agenda is not truly about life at all, it is about controlling women’s bodies. If Barrett will not stand up against the control of women’s bodies by the government, what will she stand up for?

One thing Barrett certainly advocates is marriage between a man and a woman, and a man and a woman only. It is fair to assume that given the chance, she would undermine LGBTQ rights, and expand religious freedom to discriminate against LGBTQ people. In our legal system, it is perfectly fine to believe in one’s religion that marriage is between a man and a woman, or a woman and a woman, or whatever else your religious text may say. However, personal beliefs are just that, personal. It is fundamental to our Constitution that religion and state remain separate, and as an originalist interpreter of the Constitution, Barrett should be more than familiar with the concept. However, despite her familiarity, the rulings she has made as an appellate judge and will make on the Supreme Court reflect her religion nonetheless. 

The United States is not an anti-religious country, but we are, or at least claim to be, a country without an official religion. While it is okay for Supreme Court justices to have religious beliefs, it is unconstitutional for their religious views to leak into our legislature. Americans can expect to see a wave of religiously-driven decisions made by the Supreme Court in the future. Gay marriage, the right to choose, and many other landmark decisions could be impacted or even overturned under this new vehemently conservative Supreme Court. While Amy Coney Barrett might be a nice woman and an abundantly qualified candidate, she will leave a lasting impact on America, and it won’t be a good one.

Red Flag Campaign and Women's Issues

By: Hannah Ury, Staff Writer

On Sept. 23rd, the Office of Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention set up a display on the quad with a sign that read, “Say something when you see warning signs (red flags) for sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. Put a flag in the ground to show your support!”

Photo by Morgan Jacobus

Last week, the Red Flag Campaign was featured on campus outside of the Student Center. They hosted a Zoom discussion regarding relationship violence and sexual assault, but aside from that it did not receive a whole lot of attention on campus. The Red Flag Campaign is a part of the Intimate Partner Violence/Sexual Assault Research Development Group in the Institute for Women’s Health at Virginia Commonwealth University, designed to bring awareness to the issues of relationship violence that can be prevalent on college campuses and beyond. While it can feel like the topic gets beat to death, it is ultimately more important now than ever to bring attention to women’s issues. 

With the recent Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, it is clear that women’s rights are under attack, and if Barrett is approved, they could be for decades. Not only would she restrict a woman’s right to safe abortion, including cases of rape, she would also restrict access to helpful organizations like Planned Parenthood. While the Red Flag Campaign is doing incredibly important work, it is ultimately a team effort that will achieve the necessary results for women in America. 

Already President Trump has taken significant action against sexual assault survivors on college campuses. Title IX, a rule concerning sex-based discrimination and sexual assault on college campuses, has been severely limited by his administration. While the goal of the Red Flag Campaign and other survivor advocacy groups is to make it as easy as possible for survivors to report instances of sexual misconduct, the Trump administration has done its best to ensure survivors do not report what happens to them. What had previously been a broad definition intended to allow for ease of reporting has now been narrowed to “severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive” actions of sexual misconduct, according to his new version of Title IX. This definition is extremely harmful to survivors trying to report sexual misconduct because it is entirely subjective. As a result of the subjectivity of the rule, administrations who want to lower their school’s sexual misconduct statistics can simply decide that instances of clear misconduct were not actually severe enough to justify investigation. Rather than giving power to victims who simply want to see some sort of justice, President Trump has given power to the abusers and college administrations. 

While attacks such as these can make college students feel powerless, it is important to remember why an extremely conservative Supreme Court nominee is being pushed through at the last hour. Conservatives know the power young people hold. Young people have the ability to sway elections, and for the first time we can have more impact on this election than the Baby Boomer generation. Sexual assault survivors are counting on us to preserve their rights, and for that reason along with a billion others, voting is more important now than ever. The Red Flag Campaign is an example of what survivors of relationship violence and sexual misconduct deserve: someone to stand in their corner. Vote this November and do your part in standing with survivors.