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An Open Letter To My Friends Who Post Political Opinions Online

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Utah chapter.

If you are part of my Facebook feed you are (hopefully) someone I enjoy spending time with, want to stay connected to, or you just post enviable photos. You  might be someone I met Freshman year at orientation and never saw again; either way you are someone I have decided is worth having in my life minimally on social media. I might not know everything about you, but I know of you, as do all of your other Facebook friends. So, why do you feel the need to assert your dominance online? I love your “Bernie 2016” cover photo but I don’t appreciate your why-Donald-Trump-is-ruining-America rant.

The comment game has created an environment that can become very hostile extremely quickly and usually these comments are not informed or constructive. My mom always used to tell me to never write anything down that you don’t want in the world forever. This has become incredibly relevant online, friends and families don’t need to be fighting over a rash post or comment. If you really need to voice your loud opinion do it in person, I promise it will have a much more memorable and positive impact!

I have the ability to go on any news source sites and read about the latest presidential scandal and make my own informed decisions on how I feel about that. I am completely capable of holding a one-on-one conversation with you about my political views, and I don’t need to comment on your post to make this known. More importantly, if you are one of my friends online just know I won’t respond to your political posts, but chances are I will sit and fume thinking about what I really want to type. Don’t be offended if I don’t like any of your new photos because I probably took you off my feed. I still love you…just not that much.

Friends and family keep your political opinions to a minimum online and more importantly keep them positive. No one has a problem with your bumper sticker; it’s the 20 memes and one-sided articles that get tiring. Be a positive political advocate and see how many more people are actually interested in talking with you about your opinions. 

I am a current journalism student at the University of Utah. I have spent my years in college studying, traveling, and writing. I am a campus writer for the University of Utah and have my own blog Beautiful Detour. If I am not on campus I am hopefully off in another country meeting new people...or lying in my bed under a million blankets watching that day's netflix binge.
Her Campus Utah Chapter Contributor