These past two years have truly put a rift between people on opposing sides of any hot topic. We could put our blame on 24-hour news, social media, or  the recent and heated past election. However, we also seem to blatantly blame the other side. America is centered around the ideals of diversity, yet tolerance for people who have diverse opinions are low.

This is to comfort the ones who go to a dinner party and get stuck in the middle of a political battle, when all you’re truly worried about is what’s for dessert.

You act as the middleman, with opinions on both sides, and honestly are just wanting everyone to, “chill out.”

It’s completely okay to have different opinions and views, and it’s okay to feel strongly about those views. However, your true show of character shouldn’t be your beliefs, but how you handle other people’s opinions and viewpoints.

To shout, yell, and diminish other people’s beliefs is where the middle-man is getting fed up.

People will never have the same opinions on everything and that in itself is a beautiful concept. What’s not beautiful is to hate and bash on others for their perspective on issues and the world.

We all have led unique lives, and our personal experiences have shaped the way we perceive the world which have formed our own beliefs.

To fully understand one another, we need to understand and respect each other’s opinions. We need to listen fiercely, and understand earnestly. Even if you can’t find yourself able to understand another’s viewpoint, sometimes the best thing to do is simply walk away or change the topic.

It’s a skill to be able to converse in a debate with calmness and reason. It’s a show of character if you can feud respectfully.

To oppose a popular belief, just because you talk louder, doesn’t mean you’re right. Take time to consider another’s opinion and counter with a response that’s grounded in respect not hate.