Position statement: Engagement in politics in high school is a positive that is too often frowned upon by peers, but should be celebrated and encouraged without being forced or confrontational.

We are all familiar with the rights of living in a democracy. We know that, as American citizens, we are born with the right to say what we want, worship how we want, and have equal protection under the law, just to name a few. But the attitude that some young people take to the fundamental responsibility of living in a democracy (civic engagement and understanding of what’s going on around us), is both disheartening and downright degrading to the integrity of our great nation.

Whether someone chooses to read the news and be engaged or not is completely up to them. The sky won’t fall simply because one citizen doesn’t choose to form opinions on the news of the day. What is truly consequential here is the social phenomenon playing out in high schools and internet newsfeeds all across America that shame those who are politically active and engaged in what’s happening on the world stage.

This has become particularly apparent over the last school year due to the intensity and divisive nature of the 2016 presidential campaign. Strong views vocalized by students on the both sides of the political spectrum were generally dismissed who political discussions in school were frowned upon. Everyone has that one relative that posted political articles daily and lived off the partisan fighting in their comments. Tweets about candidates for office or about public policies are swamped in bickering and name-calling. There is a time and place for debates, but for these conversations to be broadly aborted and sunk immediately by those who overhear them is naive and counterproductive.

We are the rising generation that will soon be paying taxes and contributing to our American experiment. Almost every current student at LT will be 18 and able to vote in the 2018 midterms and 2020 presidential election. It is time to stop shaming friends and peers for having strong views and to start celebrating it by not jumping on the spite bandwagon.

We can have our beliefs and not act morally superior by shoving them in each others’ faces. We can get away from the echo chambers that are our Facebook and Instagram feeds and have honest disagreements. We can learn to have honest conversations on policy. In these ways, popular participation is the essence of our democracy.

So the next time you see a friend of yours retweet something from a politician they support, don’t think or say less of them for being involved. Be productive and go find who in Washington stands for what YOU believe.