It was a treat to be part of a conversation with Prof. Peter Enns at the previous week’s Rose Café. The topic was based on the current political climate and it couldn’t be anymore pertinent considering the rather unstable nature of our government and interplay between our institutions. We discussed many different things and policy decisions, such as the immigration ban and such but we also delved into more social aspects, such as appropriate ways of interacting with people who support President Trump. There were quite a few instances where we delved into psychology amusingly enough but I found it valuable nonetheless. When talking to someone about a controversial topic like politics, it is important to have an open mindset. One should not approach the situation to “win” or to change the other person’s mind because it only causes them to entrench in even further. Prof, Enns mentioned that changing people’s mind is often quite subtle and originates from small seeds planted from a productive conversation, not a combative one. Prof. Enns also talked about a struggle or conflict that he was trying to reconcile in seeing if his point of view and opinions about the topic at hand were “factually correct” or a product of bias. It is an interesting concept and something every one should try to think about on their own time.

Bias is inevitable but personally, if I can find enough facts that is objective and independent enough to support my claim, then I feel confident in it. It is tricky trying to make sense of the world, especially when it seems the world and worse the media at times seem to have an agenda. The staircase phobia that Pres. Trump supposedly had was widely spread by major news organization before there was a call for skepticism. It is not easy trying to discern what is stated as fact in an article, e.g., a quote, and an interpretation of the information that may not be substantiated with sources. Reading once or twice more and taking things with a pinch of salt is a healthy approach to consuming news. This is especially relevant considering the phenomenon of “fake news.” While articles can be improperly sourced or certain opinions are incorrectly passed as truth, I find it ludicrous to consider everything “fake news,” especially if it is from a publication that may not align with your political ideology. Claiming every negative poll or critical news story as “fake news” is dubious at best. Mentioning false events as facts is another problem as well. Prof. Enns talked about whether Presidents should have to tell the truth all the time and I don’t think he or she would have to on the basis of being a human but they should make an effort to not to. Additionally, even if they got something wrong, they should provide a correction or retraction with the same amount of import and attention as the original statement. If the latter is not achieved, then lying or saying incorrect things to the public is inexcusable. Elected officials have a duty to guide and serve the people, not mislead them. Luckily, we are imbued with options to push for more competent governing. Political action has never been more relevant since it is important to protect the rights we care about and allow for the United States to progress and not regress. How do you view the presidency so far and the current political climate?