Political ideologies are influenced by a number of factors including family, gender, religion, race and ethnicity and geographic location. Our society exists in a constant state of political turmoil, the sheer amount of ideologies that exist make it impossible to develop a government or policies that every single individual would be satisfied with.

Currently, our nation stands divided, and our government has become infested with corrupt politicians who are solely focused on their individual agendas. The United States is an extremely diverse geographic location, yet our representation in government consists of old, white males; this composition of leaders results in extreme biases and discrimination throughout our society.

As citizens grow more discontent with the current state of our system, conflicts have begun to arise surrounding what is morally right and wrong. A great example appears in the Black Lives Matter movement; Black people have been murdered, discriminated against and ignored by white people for centuries. 

While some may view the riots and protests as completely unnecessary and destructive, many others would claim that it’s about time for a revolution — seeing as neither peaceful protests nor the use of their voices has made a difference in the past.

When a president is elected, they become the face of that country and represent the morals or values those citizens hold. Donald Trump has set an example for our citizens the past four years and it isn’t surprising that a racist president has made it acceptable to be racist in America again. 

Not only did we elect a racist, but we also chose a blatant liar and thief to be our nation’s leader. We elected him after we watched him insult women and violate their bodies, after he laughed and poked fun at the disabled, after he disrespected members of our military and avoided being drafted into the military multiple times. 

However, Donald Trump is not the issue. We are the issue. A very clear line has emerged between who is right and wrong surrounding issues in the United States as racism has become more ‘acceptable’, this division has (and absolutely should) ruin friendships and relationships. When it becomes clear that someone in your life judges an individual based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or identity, religion or economic standing, you as an individual are responsible for not condoning that behavior and ending that relationship. 

Claiming that politics should not ruin relationships is ignoring a central part of one’s identity. If you respect everyone regardless of their characteristics, as you should, there should also be zero tolerance for any individual who does not respect someone based on appearance or identity. In order to maintain a successful relationship with anyone, it’s important that your basic morals, values and beliefs align with one another and as America has divided itself in two, it has become clear that it’s no longer about a matter of opinion but a matter of respecting basic human rights. 

Donald Trump embodies the perfect example of a white privileged male who refuses to recognize that privilege and is only concerned with maintaining his position of power by any means possible. He is willing to lie and cheat to remain in office, he has wrapped the Senate around his finger and has done the same to the Supreme Court now that Amy Coney Barrett is allowed to sit where Ruth Bader Ginsburg sat. 

This election is not as simple as the selection of a president, this is about all of America and how we wish to be represented. We no longer have a direct democracy and we have settled into a two-party system. Our democracy is slowing slipping away and Donald Trump, if reelected, could be the end of democracy in America. 

The issues we face are no longer about competing groups coming to a compromise. When one group aims to disempower white supremacists and the other fights to defend them it becomes clear who is right and who is wrong. 

We can no longer tolerate any form of hate in this country and if you are currently in a relationship, any relationship, with someone who disagrees on basic human rights then that isn’t a healthy relationship. They must first come to the conclusion themselves that they want to change their hearts, because you cannot do that for them.