What if it’s My Fault?

Is it Trump’s fault that a white supremacist shot up a Walmart in El Paso? Is it Bernie Sanders’ fault that one of his supporters tried to assassinate a group of Republican politicians who were practicing for a charity baseball game? When Ilhan Omar gets death threats is that Republicans’ fault? When Mitch McConnell gets death threats is that Democrats’ fault*?

What if it’s my fault? It’s a question political junkies don’t want to contemplate because we would much rather ask if it’s the other guy’s fault?

What if my hatred for Donald Trump led me to post the names and employers of his supporters in an attempt to name, shame, and harass them. What if it’s my fault my hatred for Rashida Tlaib led me to support the same tactics as if this some Cold War-esque nuclear game of chicken to see who will flinch first.

What if I helped create the political environment that incentivizes incendiary politicians such as Trump by conflating rudeness and insensitivity with speaking truth to the PC mob or Tlaib by saying everyone I disagree with is a racist.

What if my political beliefs can be summarized as “Not them” making the highest political ideal the owning of the libs or the owning of the cons/Trumpers.

What if political echo chambers are my fault? What if the amount of friends, mentors, favorite professors, etcetera, I have that vote for the team I can count on one hand? What if I’m the crazy family member that no one wants to talk to at Thanksgiving or family reunions because I won’t shut up about politics?

None of us are perfect in political discourse, especially as it is not unreasonable to see elections as binary choices, but the key to a healthier political discourse starts with me and you, not with Donald Trump and Rashida Tlaib.

*Shooters and those who threaten politicians are alone responsible for their actions. The point is that when people accuse a politician of inciting violence, that is a standard they would never apply to themselves.