Let me give you a few hypotheticals.

Let's pretend that you have a friend on Facebook who is pretty openly racist against your race. Let's say you've never really been friends with this person -- you had a class with them once or twice and you added them on Facebook so you could message them about the final project. Over the last year, you've seen this person post less about cats and funny memes, and more about how "those damn (insert your race here) people are destroying the country". Would you stay friends with them? Of course not.

Let's now pretend that you're openly homosexual. Your family supports and accepts you for who you are, and you're surrounded by a group of friends who are so happy for your new, successful relationship. Every so often, though, someone on your Newsfeed shares an article about how they "don't have a problem with gays but," they don't want homosexual couples to have the same rights as heterosexual ones. Would you stay friends with them then? Yeah, I didn't think so.

Over the last year, I've seen more people on my social media speaking harshly against about things that I care about. Things like gender equality, racial equality, LGBTQ+ rights -- the list goes on and on. I have a few things I want to say to those people...

For starters, this isn't your country. This is our country. Our country is not going to cater itself to your religious views and yours alone. It is yours and everyone else's also. Get the picture so far? Are you with me still? Good.

In my life, I am often the minority. In fact, one of the only ways I am not a minority is in my race. I'm white. I could never understand what people of color have gone through and what they continue to go through every day; but it doesn't take much common sense to recognize that the way people of color are treated in this country is fucking horrendous. If you're one of the people reading this and going, "That's not true," then perhaps you should open your eyes and step out of your little bubble and check out how the rest of the world is treated every single day. What that response tells me is that you are ignorant to what I see my friends, my coworkers, and complete strangers go through daily. Sorry, it's not an opinion and it's not up for debate. It's a fact. Actually, I'm not sorry. Moving on.

Now, when I say I'm in the minority, I mean in terms of my lifestyle choices. I'm vegan, so I often have different views on the treatment of animals from other people. I'm registered as an Independent voter, and I don't like to group myself in with others. I'm a woman, and that usually takes my credibility down a few pegs because, let's face it, everyone thinks that I'm just bitching right now as opposed to making an actual argument. I'm not Christian, which also tends to separate me from groups. That's all fine and good. I'm happy with who I am. I say all of that because there's a huge difference between having different views and beliefs from someone and still maintaining a friendship, and what I've been experiencing lately.

I've broken up with quite a few friends. I've unfriended people. I've heard some say that having different opinions is what makes a democracy a democracy and to cut someone out of your life based on their political views is going against their freedom speech, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of whatever. But I've tried to just ignore it. I tried talking to those people. I've tried. But here's the thing: I don't want to be friends with those people anymore.

If I have unfriended you or "broken up" with you, it is because you are not who I thought I was friends with. It is because you crossed a line somewhere along the way that put you in a category of person that I cannot see myself as being compatible with, whereas before you were just someone who thinks differently. You've proven to be ignorant, and I believe your heart to be full of hatred and close-mindedness, and I refuse to ignore that and to carry on like nothing matters. I have lost faith in you. I have lost trust in you.

It's so much more than watching my friends eat shit that makes me gag. It's so much more than someone believing in a God that I don't find comfort in. It's so much more than that. And what's worse is that you're so stuck in your ways, that you won't even do your research and give credit where credit is due.

A great example of a quote from someone whose opinion is different than mine in a way that I find respectable is thus: "I know pancakes are delicious, but I still believe waffles are a better breakfast food." This proves to me that they have done their research, they see the merit of the opposing view, but they have their reasons. They can go on to say that waffles are slightly crispy while maintaining fluffiness, which is something they admire. They can say that while pancakes are delicious, they find them to be too dense and chewy. They can even say that they're not totally sure why but they know that they feel better after waffles than they do after pancakes, and they admit that they haven't done their research on pancakes, but they're giving full disclosure, here. That, I appreciate. That, I accept.

What I can't accept is this type of argument: "Waffles are better because pancakes suck. Pancakes have never been good and anyone who eats them is disgusting and vile. Pancake people are ruining this menu and if you don't like waffles, then get the hell out of my diner." That shows me that not only have you not done your research, but you're so stuck in your ways that you can't even consider looking at things from a different perspective. Are you really so pompous and idiotic that you can't recognize that other people in this world exist, whom may or may not have more insight than you? Are you so vain that you can't imagine a scenario in which you could be wrong? Have you completely lost track of why this country --or diner, excuse me -- was founded?

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, this is my fucking social media. I go on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram to connect with like-minded, fun people, for entertainment, "for the lolz". I don't mind being challenged: in fact, it's healthy when trying to have a full understanding of an issue to properly educate yourself and to see every single side, even the ones you don't want to research. I don't mind seeing posts that are of opposing views (How many turkeys do I see every November?) but if I feel like you're not the person that I wanted to be friends with, it's my social media. I can delete you for no other reason than because I don't like you. Being homophobic, racist, sexist, or otherwise close-minded and full of hatred and ignorance is grounds for me not liking you. I don't think you're fun anymore. Seeing your words make me sick to my stomach. We are not friends. Am I making myself absolutely clear?

So to those who are struggling with this issue, I say to go with your gut. If you are bracing yourself to see what that person is going post next, cut that person out of your life. Trust me, you won't miss them.