An interesting idea has been plaguing me ever since the debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. First period, my class was passionately discussing the previous nights events. In my school, in my town, the majority of the views lean towards the left. So it follows that Sarah Palin was being given a more negative critique. Still, despite having the overwhelming majority, no one was being attacked, no views being cast aside. Everyone was simple expressing what he or she thought; what he or she felt.

Still two good friends of mine felt that their views weren’t respected. While they did not feel comfortable expressing these views, they did feel comfortable expressing just how little they felt respected. This puzzled me, and more surprisingly, it angered me. I completely get that it can be hard to be in the majority. However, I really didn’t understand what they wanted from the class. Clearly, everyone wasn’t going to change his or her views. And by the same token that they wished their own views to be heard, it gave each and every person the right to express their own opinion. Now I am friends with these girls, they’re people whom I like and respect. So this put me in a strange position, one that I find myself increasingly as the election draws nearer.

I have friends with whom I never talked politics with for a variety of reasons, some because I disagree with what they believe and do not wish to start a fight, and some for other reasons all together. I like to believe that I am tolerant person when it comes to people’s political views. However, I was unsure what to do in this situation. The minority lumped the rest of us all together, when to be perfectly honest not all of us agree.

It is a strange dynamic, which arises between friends with different views. I think that everyone should be able to voice his or her opinion without fear of being personally attacked. At the same time, however, you have to be prepared to hear other opinions, which may or may not attack yours. What’s your opinion? Do you talk about politics with your friends? And how do you strike a balance between voicing your own opinion and not hurting someone you care about?