Phil McMullin
Opinions Editor
Apparently, Robert De Niro really dislikes Donald Trump.
Earlier this month, De Niro made a video in which he said he would like to punch Donald Trump in the face. Many people loved it and found it humorous – especially liberal social media enthusiasts who made the video go viral.
Earlier in the year, many people were sharing videos showing violence at Trump rallies in order to prove that the Trump supporters were brutish and vastly different than the civilized supporters of other candidates. At that point, not only were these Facebook fanatics totally and passionately peaceful, but they would frequently berate Trump for merely joking about violence.
However, now that a liberal Hollywood star has suggested violence, their tone has changed.
I have found this disheartening because I do believe the liberal cause is, at its core, one that strives toward peace. It is a shame to watch politics become such a herd-minded carnival of likes and shares that the ethical nature of liberals can be so easily tossed aside.
It should not be enough to be against the violent rhetoric of Trump and his supporters unless you are against all violent rhetoric.
It is not enough to stand up for the safety of your friends unless you are also willing to stand up for the safety of your opponents.
With social media, it is easy to judge the fleeting posts and viral videos passively as they come across your screen. It is easy to share whatever looks righteous at first glance, sharing or supporting messages without much thought or background information.
That being said, the future of our society deserves more thought and care.
Whether Democrats or Republicans, we must first be moral human beings.
We must Lrmly stand against violence, regardless of political affiliation.