We show our support in many ways: posters, shirts, bumper stickers, hats and social media posts. But, there is a fine line between political support and idolatry, and during the campaign process for the upcoming election, more and more people have been crossing that line.
In the new era of political campaigning, I’ve witnessed all sorts of ways politicians try to connect with their audience, including Among Us live streams and celebrity endorsements. As voters, you should research politicians and choose based on policy, rather than personality.
Idolizing politicians leads to political division and greater conflict between parties. If you revere a politician, you will view people with opposing views or beliefs as enemies. As we can see with the House of Representatives and the Senate, conflict between parties and politicians will prevent anything from being solved.
After former President and current Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s first assassination attempt in Butler, PA, some of his supporters have crossed into the dangerous territory of martyrdom. After the attempt, Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) said that Trump was saved by “divine intervention” and “protective hand of God.” Trump’s supporters are using the assassination attempt to gain sympathy and turn him into a martyr for the Republican party. They believe that the attempt is an example of the persecution that Trump has faced for his beliefs and policies.
Since the attempt, I’ve seen more and more people label Trump as the messiah to the Republican party and compare him to Jesus. At a rally in Las Vegas, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) told the crowd, “The Democrats and the fake news media want to constantly talk about [how] ‘President Trump is a convicted felon’. Well, you want to know something? The man that I worship is also a convicted felon. And he was murdered on a Roman cross.”
With an increased use of social media in these campaigns, more people are emotionally invested in today’s candidates. They conflate the politicians’ social media presence with their political decisions. This can cause voters to ignore the flaws of politicians. Voting is not about loving or worshiping a candidate; rather, it is about supporting their policies and plans for our country.
Unfortunately, some politicians go back on their promises in order to stay in power. They sacrifice their ideals and beliefs to gain support or an advantage over their opponent. Most of us don’t know any politicians personally, so we shouldn’t vote for them based on the good character we think they have.
Our government is a team effort, and the president is incapable of fixing any problems within our country without the support of the Legislative and Judicial branches. So voting for someone because you think they will single handedly fix every problem is flawed logic. Every president relies on their Cabinet and other advisers to help them during their term.
Above all, a politician’s job is to serve the public. They are not celebrities, heroes or friends, nor should they be treated as such. You must think critically about each candidate and their plans before you vote on Nov. 5.
