Today is “Bill of Rights Day.” On this day, 229 years ago, the U.S. Constitution was amended to include the Bill of Rights. This was significant and showed how we, as a nation, could further develop our great founding document.

I mention this because we are, today, still developing as a nation. This past election season has given me some insight into why we are so divided.

I see a whole bunch of reasons for this division, but I want to touch on a personal one that has been bothering me for quite a while.

This issue became somewhat more focused for me just this morning while reading through a friend’s social media post and the comments that followed it. My friend was disturbed that two old friends of his had defriended him after a discussion about the current debate over the presidential election. He indicated that he considered the opinions of these old friends were invalid and they had defriended him because he had countered their statements with “facts.” The terms “cowardly” and “their arguments…were nonsense…” were included in the post. I do not know what their arguments were, but injecting these terms into the conversation may have been the reason for the defriending. The comments that followed degenerated into an argument over vote counts. My reading ended when someone posted a poem that ended with “I will hug your elephant but you can kiss my ass…” This is why we are divided.

Over the last few years, I have not defriended, but I have certainly muted people on my social media platforms, not because of their opposing viewpoint, but because of their belittling of my viewpoint. This is the very core of what is dividing us.

I have experience with this. There are people in my various social circles who are so sure of their own superiority as far as morality and education that they belittle and condescend to others who disagree or possess opposing views. Instead of discussing, they insult and demean. Any sources used to defend my opposing position are dismissed as liars and corrupt, as well as being “stupid” and “ignorant.”

In most cases, I back off in order to preserve the peace. I found that this only makes things worse. It normalized the bullying and allowed it to continue. Now, when I finally do speak up, I am “privileged,” “ignorant,” and a bully. They don’t like the fact that I am engaging them and instead of discussing they resort to ad hominem attacks (e.g. “nazi,” “racist,” “fill-in-the-blank-phobic”) against me or my sources, not the issues themselves.

I believe it is this condescending, superior tone that insights the division more than the disagreement over the issues. I perceive the dismissal of my views as “…just wait until we get into power and can have our revenge and force all these ignorant people to do as we say…”

I am working on my own attitudes and awareness of my “debating tactics” in order to insure that I do not engage in this behavior. However, I will not tolerate being demeaned, insulted, or attacked for my opinions or views any longer. I will not be quiet to avoid a debate.

This country is based on debate, compromise, and respect for differing opinions. The main point of our Constitutional Republic is to protect us from the passions of mob rule and respect for the loyal opposition. The sooner we get back to the spirit of our founding, the better off we will all be.