My 10 Political Commandments

As a Christian going into the legal profession, it can be so hard to hold on to the true values of life. I try my best to carry those values with me so I can keep my morality. I do not want to be bitter and lose sight of what truly matters in life. So I am going to share my personal 10 political commandments that I promised myself to keep.

1. I will not put my faith in the government.

As a Christian, my faith should be placed in the Lord. Relying on the leaders of this country to do the correct thing is not only foolish but naive. The government has and will always hurt marginalized groups. The government cannot fix the centuries of oppression it has imposed

on its citizens.

2. I will speak kindly to everyone.

Not everyone will agree with me, that is for certain. Speaking to people in a cruel and harsh manner will not change their minds. It only hurts you and makes you more of a bitter person. In a time where the country is so polarized speaking in such a way will only widen the divide.

3. I will believe in the truth and facts.

Blindly following any candidate or party is dangerous. It is imperative to do your own research by looking at facts and coming to your own decision. Leave your mind open and hear from other viewpoints.

4. I will not speak in extremes.

People on both sides tend to do this all the time. If someone does not agree with the Left that does not always make them a racist, homophobic, elitist, or horrible person. Similarly on the Right, because someone does not agree with you that does not always make them a dumb socialist, who hates America. Speaking like this seems very childish. There is nuance in every statement and jumping to extremes shows that your argument must not be as strong as you think.

5. I will try to sympathize with both sides.

Politics and policies are not science. It involves the livelihoods of millions on both sides. It applies facts and theories to everyday humans which can help/harm them depending on who is leading the country. If I choose to ignore other feelings towards certain policies then that would be cruel. Politics matter and when people get upset it is warranted.

6. I am not going to lose friends because of politics.

Now, there are exemptions to this rule. I am not friends with people who support extremists or racists or anyone who threatens the lives of citizens. But to me, that is more of a moral issue than a difference of opinion. If someone supports a different party than me, having them around would actually be beneficial. I can learn more about their different viewpoints and again it keeps me less polarized. Everyone has different views which I must respect.

7. I am going to have a healthy media diet.

Only listening to MSNBC or Fox News is dangerous. Listening to one media source which leans strongly in another direction makes you susceptible to blindly following others. Currently, I am trying to find more nonpartisan media outlets along with watching the news from both sides.

8. I will not change my values because of party lines.

Sometimes, people forget their values because of party loyalty or whatever the case may be. Instead of taking a party and molding my values around it, I will find a party or candidate that fits my values. Currently, we see right now that people who have supported people outside of their values have turned their party around to symbolize something outside of what they stand for. I do not want people to think I support anything outside of what I believe.

9. I will not let Twitter sway me.

Twitter has the worst mob mentality I have ever seen. People learn new words and run with them. Some people share their misinformed ideas and when it goes viral it has horrible repercussions. Again, making my own decisions is key. Sometimes people go along with an idea because they do not want to be “canceled” on Twitter or by their peers. But that same mob mentality has led to some of the worst human rights violations in history. Even outside of politics the mentality on Twitter is so weird, I can’t let that form my opinions.

10. I will fight.

I will fight lies, with the truth. I will fight archaic ideology, with critical thinking. I will fight oppression, with strong inclusive communities. I will fight ignorance and racism with love and an open mind. I will fight manipulation, with insight and facts. I will fight injustice, with fairness. I will fight questionable decisions, with analysis and solutions.

These 10 rules have helped me so far from my political standpoints. The worst thing we can do is become so blinded because of party loyalty that we lose any objective thinking we have.