Perspective.
It's a curious thing. Other than the obvious point of affecting how an individual sees things, he or she can also hold multiple impressions of a particular topic.
Consider a pop culture reference- Regina George from Mean Girls. Known as a manipulative, spoiled diva, she's also beloved and idolized by her fellow high school peers.
Diverging slightly, the most poignant example that has yet to be revealed is the political process. A cult favorite, House of Cards shows the through antihero Frank Underwood. It's loved for its exposure of manipulative politicians and has been cited as a revelation for people.
Yet this new “exposed” perspective hasn't contributed to any action on the American people’s part. The 2014 elections saw a 36.3 percent voter turnout, the lowest since World War II. Our nation continues to live in apathy, further plunging us into an era of divided government. Embroiled in gridlock, our current Congress is yet to create impactful change for the country.
There’s a simple reason why; differences in perspectives. Congressional members align themselves to a particular party and refuse to compromise on a variety of issues, such as education, the debt crisis, and foreign policy.
A little more complicated is the perspective of gun control. Armed with the second amendment, we carry the right to defend ourselves. But this right has also blindsided us. Certainly there needs to be some restriction? Freedom of speech isn't absolute, decided by cases like Schneck vs. United States and Texas vs. Johnson.
This isn't to argue that we shouldn't
immerse ourselves in healthy discussion. As determined by James Madison, the emergence of factions with various interpretations of how to run the nation is unavoidable.
This week's 14 hour Senate filibuster served as the superhero signal to assemble the team. After 354 mass shootings (defined as 4 or more people killed), our governing body decided enough was enough. They refused to let this remain the status quo.
Differences in perspective accounts for differences in action. The key to having these perspectives actively account for something is to discuss them. This in mind, Senator Chris Murphy's actions signalled a move in a right direction, helping us achieve a more perfect nation.
