Disagreements about politics are rarely easy, but lately, the divisions in America feel unbearably hostile. Political opponents are no longer enemies to disagree with; they’re enemies to destroy.
A 2020 study by Science found that Americans on average hate people with opposing political views more than they like people whose views they share.
Another study from Pew found that 80% of Americans have only a few or zero friends with different political views than them.
Meanwhile, researchers from Public Religion Research Institute found that 80% of Republicans believe “socialists” run the Democratic Party, while 80% of Democrats believe “racists” run the GOP.
The polarization is getting harder and harder to avoid. It’s reached a point where No Labels is having to write guides on how to discuss politics with family members without it blowing up.
And adding fuel to the fire is an endless barrage of social media and news that works to silo people into opposing factions whether they realize it or not.
It’s an overwhelming, exhausting cycle, and people are fed up, with one study by Ipsos showing that the vast majority of Americans believe the hostility poses a serious problem for our democracy.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. In that same Ipsos study, respondents found that “73% of Americans agree that it is a good thing that Americans have many different political viewpoints, including some that they disagree with, and 71% agree that they can learn something by talking to people whose political views are opposed to their own.”
At No Labels we agree. We are Democrats, Republicans, and independents, with different political opinions. Sometimes, we have serious disagreements over policies. But one thing we all share is a commitment to respect those differences, and to find areas of common ground so we can move the country forward.
It’s the only way for America to remain united despite our differences.
If you can still love and respect people even if you disagree with their politics, join the No Labels movement today.
