I am a white heterosexual male and my opinion holds no value… or at least, that’s what I’ve been told.

Before I begin let me make something very clear, I do not support any group or candidate who expresses or encourages racism, sexism, or any form of discrimination. I believe everyone’s voice carries the same weight as another and everyone should be given basic opportunities to succeed without fear of discrimination.

The past week has been interesting to say the least. As someone who tends to avoid the political tables, preachers, and petition holders outside of Parks Library, I enjoy looking at these groups from the outside. What I have noticed is an enormous increase of intolerance for opposing opinions on both sides. In the past week I have talked with a few different Clinton supporters trying to show them why a Trump presidency won’t be the end of the world. While I did not vote for Trump, I have been recently trying to see the silver lining in his victory and trying to get other people to see it as well. While very few saw the silver lining, a huge majority of people seemed to almost hate me for it. At first I understood and figured they needed time to figure it out for themselves, but then I heard it...

“You are a white heterosexual male, your opinion holds no value”

At first, I didn’t know whether to be offended or to laugh. Not only is this wrong, but it is extremely counter-productive.

We live in the United States of America, which was founded on the concept of equality and freedom. The founding fathers envisioned a country where every voice was heard and valued equally. Two hundred and forty years later we are still working towards that goal. There is still an enormous amount of racial and sexist biases we all hold. This is not necessarily intentional, but because of the environments we grew up in, we all likely developed subconscious biases against a group. The first step to solving this issue starts with you. Look at your own biases and experiences, so when you enter an educated discussion with someone, you are able to put those biases aside. As soon as we can all do this, the movement towards complete equality will gain more ground.

Had this conversation taken place before the election happened, my knee jerk reaction would have been to go to the polls and vote republican across the board. Not because I agree with Steve King or Chuck Grassley, but why would I vote the same as someone who told me “my opinion holds no value”. The best way to get someone to oppose you is by saying they are irrelevant. You may have some very persuasive arguments for why I should vote Clinton, but they instantly lose any weight when you say my opinion is irrelevant. The most harmful part comes after the encounter when someone else tries to reason with me. I am not going to give them any attention because you have successfully labeled your side as intolerable.

Every vote matters and everyone’s opinion matters. The beauty about being a citizen of this country is having the ability to openly discuss and debate in a public setting without fear of being persecuted. If you don’t agree with someone, show them why they are wrong. If someone offers up a different perspective, listen. Most importantly, don’t label someone as an enemy because they have different views than you. The only way this country will last is if we stop thinking it is us versus them. We are all American’s and we are all part of the process.