Are Political Parties Or Politics Touchy Subject?

Politics can be a touchy subject for all of us. Some of us may like to debate and be open and willing to discuss our views, while others may be more private and reluctant to start a discussion that could lead to an argument. With politics, there is no right or wrong answer. We are all raised differently, in varying circumstances, and it is common to have opposing thoughts. Even if we “belong” to the same political party, our opinions may be slightly different. For example, we may feel more strongly about one subject, but less bothered by another. One of the biggest problems I see with our country and the politics surrounding it is that there is no middle ground. Many people feel very strongly one way or another and it makes it difficult to find a consensus that suits everyone equally.
We are told that discussing politics can be very controversial and that it might be best to avoid talking about it with those we work with, or even the people we care about.
Talking about who you voted for or conversing about major issues could lead to arguments. However, I think that another big problem with our world is that we are not talking about the issues. At least not in a helpful way. We tend to be sensitive or outraged when someone challenges our views or values. Instead, we should be open to listening to other opinions and relaying ours in a constructive manner. I believe a lot of the issue with our society and politics is that a lot of our sights are misunderstood.
An example of this is gun control. This is a very sensitive topic for people on both sides, especially with the mass shootings that have happened recently. The argument is that conservatives believe that gun control puts restrictions on their 2nd Amendment whereas liberals believe that there should be stricter regulations and limitations on who can buy guns. I believe a lot of the problem on this topic is miscommunication and
misunderstanding.
I can only speak for myself, but I do not want to take anyone’s guns or ban people from having guns. However, I do want to see a major change in the laws for buying guns. Mental illness is a major issue today and it should be addressed when it comes to purchasing a firearm. Although there is no evidence that mental illness is a factor in mass shootings, many mass shootings have been caused by mentally ill people. Thinking back to the Sandy Hook shooting, the gunman killed 20 elementary aged children and 6 adults. It was later discovered that the shooter was diagnosed with, but not treated for schizophrenia, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD.) I believe if he had been treated and undergone therapy and counselling, that the Sandy Hook shooting could have been prevented. If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, I believe that you should undergo treatment before being allowed to purchase a firearm. Obviously not everyone with a mental illness will hurt someone, but addressing the issues may prevent gun violence.
Along with in-depth background checks, I think that we should also be creating stricter rules about the types of weapons and add-ons that a civilian can buy. An example of this is the mass shooting that happened in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 1st, 2017. In about 10 minutes time, the gunman fired 1,100 rounds, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500. After the shooting, it was discovered that the gunman had rigged almost half of his weapons with bump stocks. A bump stock is an alteration that can be purchased for semi-automatic weapons that allow similar firing to a fully automatic weapon. Although most automatic weapons are illegal, the bump stock has been legalized because of technicalities. Although it allows a weapon to be nearly automatic, it is not considered as one officially.
This exasperates people like myself because the argument for owning guns has always been that they are used for protection and to hunt. These circumstances do not require an automatic weapon or any modification that allows that kind of carnage. Banning automatic weapons and bump stocks, and having stricter background checks may prevent incidents like the Las Vegas Shooting or the Sandy Hook shooting.
Another very controversial and sensitive topic is abortion. Abortion is such a sensitive topic because it challenges our morals. Some conservatives argue that abortion is the same as murder and should be completely illegalized. Some will say that instead of abortion, a woman should choose adoption. Some liberals believe that all abortions should be legal in all cases, but especially in cases of rape and incest. Also, an argument for the liberals is that it goes against a woman’s civil right to prohibit her from having an abortion.
My stance on abortion is most likely an unfavorable one. In the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, it delegates that as Americans we have freedom of religion. There is also a clause, called the Establishment of Religion Clause, stating, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Meaning, there can be no laws made because of one’s religious beliefs. Simply put, your religion cannot designate the laws. Therefore, I believe it goes against the Constitution to outlaw abortion.
I do believe that abortion should be legal to an extent. After the first trimester, abortions should not be permitted. Also, abortion should not be used as birth control. Abortions should be documented and regulated to keep women from having multiple abortions in a small time frame. It is unfair to force someone to have a child that they do not want, or that they are unable to care for. Although teenage pregnancy rates have dropped in previous years, teen pregnancy is still very common. More than 700,000 teenagers get pregnant each year. 35% of these teenagers will have an abortion. The other 65% will face challenging circumstances. Teenagers that give birth to a child are more likely to drop out of school, be unemployed, and face health problems, such as depression. Keeping abortion legal will not only help teenagers but also adults.
Whenever abortion is discussed, the counter-argument is that adoption is the better choice. While I believe that adoption should be considered, it isn’t the right answer for some women. If a child is diagnosed with a terminal illness while in the womb, it may be painful for a mother to carry the baby to term. Also, abortion does not solve all the problems. There are so many children in the foster system and not enough people willing to adopt them. Illegalizing abortion will lead to more children in the foster system. If a woman does not want to be a parent and abortion is outlawed, the women may turn to drastic circumstances. She may use drugs or find a way to force an abortion, which could cause injury or even death to herself. Keeping abortion legal will help keep women healthy and allow them to have options when dealing with unwanted pregnancy. Since the presidential election, I feel the political climate shifted. When President Obama was leaving office, a lot of people wanted to see more change and elected Donald Trump. Since electing Donald Trump, the political climate has become more tense and is leaning more liberal. Many people who voted for Trump are now regretting the decision after seeing how he deals with international affairs and his feelings towards minority groups. Though I tend to lean a little more liberal, I believe that we must find a middle ground to save our country. We are so focused on who is right and wrong that we are creating so much hate. Coming to a consensus on these major issues, such as abortion and gun control will help our country to unite.