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    UM band plays together for the first time this year

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    Opinion: We need civility in American politics

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    UM chooses enrollment veteran to fill new vice chancellor position

    Mississippi voters passed Initiative 65. What’s next?

    Mississippi voters passed Initiative 65. What’s next?

    Thousands of scholars rally behind fired UM professor

    Campus prepares for flu season, ‘uptick’ in cases

    University assembles vaccination task force

    Oxford man shot, killed by police after domestic violence situation

    Gallery: Drive-Thru Drag Show

  • Sports

    Gallery: Ole Miss women’s basketball defeated by Mizzou 86-77

    Gallery: Ole Miss men’s basketball falls to Florida 72-63

    Rebels bring home Outback Bowl trophy after 26-20 win over Indiana

    Gallery: Ole Miss defeats Indiana 26-20

    Ole Miss receives bowl-game invite despite LSU loss

    Ole Miss vs Arkansas

    Ole Miss football’s Elijah Moore and Kenny Yeboah to focus on NFL Draft

  • Arts & Culture

    The secret to The Luv Shak’s success

    A look into the fluctuating Oxford food truck business

    A look into the fluctuating Oxford food truck business

    Film Festival brings classic pastime to a new generation

    UM band plays together for the first time this year

    UM band plays together for the first time this year

  • Opinion
    Cartoon: The way you in my business

    Cartoon: The way you in my business

    Opinion: Insulin is far from “cheap like water”

    Cartoon: Vice president-elect Kamala Harris

    Cartoon: Vice president-elect Kamala Harris

    Opinion: We need civility in American politics

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Opinion: We need civility in American politics

Helen Claire McNultybyHelen Claire McNulty
November 9, 2020
3 min read

In an op-ed from The Detroit Free Press entitled “Election will be meaningless if we don’t change our ways,” author Mitch Albom commented on the election, and it inspired me to think critically of candidates’ messaging in this election. This election has brought out the absolute worst in people supporting either of the major parties. As an independent, I have noticed people across the political spectrum demonstrating absolutely unacceptable, callous and vicious behavior. It doesn’t matter who wins the election if we don’t change our ways.

As a university student, I feel like I am unable to share or express my opinions on any particular subject without getting terrorized — yes, I said terrorized — by people, fellow students and professors alike, who don’t agree with me. 

One time in class, I said that I didn’t think it was right to force a woman to carry a child that she doesn’t want. A fellow student immediately labeled me as a “baby killer” with “questionable morals” instead of listening to what I had to say. On several occasions, I pretended to disagree with my views to please a professor in order to get a good grade in the class because if I actually spoke my mind and expressed my thoughts, I felt I would be harshly penalized. 

It seems that any room for a healthy debate of ideas is now nonexistent and is instead met with anger and hostility. This is a real problem, and I know that I’m not the only one. In a country where freedom of speech is so widely prized, this shouldn’t be happening. 

This name-calling happens at the national level, with politicians like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi calling President Donald Trump “morbidly obese” and a kid with “doggy doo on his shoes” and Sen. Chuck Schumer threatening Supreme Court Justices saying that they “won’t know what hit them.” The worst of people appeared when individuals wished death on Trump as he was infected with COVID-19. On the flip side, the president has treated opposing parties in a similar manner. He mocked one reporter’s disability when he was challenged. Trump also regularly refers to the media as a bunch of liars and labels reporting as “fake news” whenever it says something unflattering about him despite it being true.  

I have also heard people use expletives referring to Joe Biden and Trump and have seen videos of people urinating on and destroying candidate signs of the opposite party. 

Hate does not foster respect and reverence; hate breeds contempt and disdain. There is no decency left in the world when we conduct ourselves malevolently and vindictively. People have been so afraid of violence when someone wins the election that stores in New York City, Washington, D.C. and upscale areas in California boarded up their stores to prevent property from being stolen and destroyed. Is this what we have become? A bunch of angry children who throw an ugly tantrum when we don’t get our way? 

Regardless of which party you belong to or with which you identify, if anything that comes out of your mouth that is vulgar, threatening or downright foul about a party, politician or its supporters, I suggest thinking twice. This substandard conduct isn’t helping anyone. 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but the political debate in America should not be a shouting match of disrespectful, character-based insults. This includes blatantly naming and grouping people together based on political views without any consideration to who they are as people. In the end, it is we who decide the fate of this country, and that starts with our attitudes and behavior towards each other. 

Helen Claire McNulty is a senior biology major from Holland, Mich., and West Palm Beach, Fla.

In Case You Missed It

Gallery: Ole Miss women’s basketball defeated by Mizzou 86-77

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Gallery: Ole Miss men’s basketball falls to Florida 72-63

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UM chooses enrollment veteran to fill new vice chancellor position

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2 weeks ago

Gallery: Ole Miss defeats Indiana 26-20

2 weeks ago

Ole Miss receives bowl-game invite despite LSU loss

3 weeks ago

Opinion: We need civility in American politics

Helen Claire McNultybyHelen Claire McNulty
November 9, 2020
3 min read

In an op-ed from The Detroit Free Press entitled “Election will be meaningless if we don’t change our ways,” author Mitch Albom commented on the election, and it inspired me to think critically of candidates’ messaging in this election. This election has brought out the absolute worst in people supporting either of the major parties. As an independent, I have noticed people across the political spectrum demonstrating absolutely unacceptable, callous and vicious behavior. It doesn’t matter who wins the election if we don’t change our ways.

As a university student, I feel like I am unable to share or express my opinions on any particular subject without getting terrorized — yes, I said terrorized — by people, fellow students and professors alike, who don’t agree with me. 

One time in class, I said that I didn’t think it was right to force a woman to carry a child that she doesn’t want. A fellow student immediately labeled me as a “baby killer” with “questionable morals” instead of listening to what I had to say. On several occasions, I pretended to disagree with my views to please a professor in order to get a good grade in the class because if I actually spoke my mind and expressed my thoughts, I felt I would be harshly penalized. 

It seems that any room for a healthy debate of ideas is now nonexistent and is instead met with anger and hostility. This is a real problem, and I know that I’m not the only one. In a country where freedom of speech is so widely prized, this shouldn’t be happening. 

This name-calling happens at the national level, with politicians like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi calling President Donald Trump “morbidly obese” and a kid with “doggy doo on his shoes” and Sen. Chuck Schumer threatening Supreme Court Justices saying that they “won’t know what hit them.” The worst of people appeared when individuals wished death on Trump as he was infected with COVID-19. On the flip side, the president has treated opposing parties in a similar manner. He mocked one reporter’s disability when he was challenged. Trump also regularly refers to the media as a bunch of liars and labels reporting as “fake news” whenever it says something unflattering about him despite it being true.  

I have also heard people use expletives referring to Joe Biden and Trump and have seen videos of people urinating on and destroying candidate signs of the opposite party. 

Hate does not foster respect and reverence; hate breeds contempt and disdain. There is no decency left in the world when we conduct ourselves malevolently and vindictively. People have been so afraid of violence when someone wins the election that stores in New York City, Washington, D.C. and upscale areas in California boarded up their stores to prevent property from being stolen and destroyed. Is this what we have become? A bunch of angry children who throw an ugly tantrum when we don’t get our way? 

Regardless of which party you belong to or with which you identify, if anything that comes out of your mouth that is vulgar, threatening or downright foul about a party, politician or its supporters, I suggest thinking twice. This substandard conduct isn’t helping anyone. 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but the political debate in America should not be a shouting match of disrespectful, character-based insults. This includes blatantly naming and grouping people together based on political views without any consideration to who they are as people. In the end, it is we who decide the fate of this country, and that starts with our attitudes and behavior towards each other. 

Helen Claire McNulty is a senior biology major from Holland, Mich., and West Palm Beach, Fla.

In Case You Missed It

Gallery: Ole Miss women’s basketball defeated by Mizzou 86-77

13 hours ago

Gallery: Ole Miss men’s basketball falls to Florida 72-63

19 hours ago

UM chooses enrollment veteran to fill new vice chancellor position

4 days ago

Rebels bring home Outback Bowl trophy after 26-20 win over Indiana

2 weeks ago

Gallery: Ole Miss defeats Indiana 26-20

2 weeks ago

Ole Miss receives bowl-game invite despite LSU loss

3 weeks ago

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