Us vs. Them

Transitioning into adulthood is usually accompanied by a barrage of responsibilities that one has to shoulder. I quickly had to learn how to navigate everything - things as simple as phone calls to the doctor and as complex as going to court for a name and gender marker change.

Given that I'm now of legal voting age, I also had to learn how to navigate politics.

My view on politics is unorthodox from other people like me - disenfranchised members of the LGBT community who were cast out by conservative family members - as I don't label myself a Democrat. Don't get me wrong, I did for a long enough time. The promises were great. Equality and freedom and an easier life. A grand illusion, really.

Then I started really paying attention.

I noticed a common trend in the rhetoric from both sides, that everyone loves to point fingers. The tactic is simple and effective: divide and conquer. We're so caught up hating each other over such genuinely arbitrary things that we fail to notice the scent of corruption beneath our noses.

The truth is, there's no "us" or "them", just a bunch of people falling victim to friendly fire. American politics will continue to fall apart as long as we continue to widen the gaps. We're a piece of swiss cheese being chewed up by a blind schizophrenic man. We're a loaded gun that's jammed. A losing battle.

And until we learn to stand as a nation and face our true problems head on, that's all we'll ever be.