This has gotten way out of control. The way our current political climate is going, it won’t be safe for anyone to share their political views.

This past week at the Minnesota State Fair, a female Republican Party of Minnesota volunteer was sexually harassed twice by another woman after getting into a political disagreement. Andy Ngo, a conservative journalist, has had milkshakes thrown at him, been pepper-sprayed and been given a brain hemorrhage by the “anti-fascist” group Antifa, which seems to support facism more than oppose it. California Congresswoman Maxine Waters told a group of her supporters to “push back on them” referring to Republicans, to “create a crowd,” and to “let them know that they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere!”

Recently, we saw a Washington Post columnist named Jennifer Rubin on MSNBC say that the GOP should be “burned down” with no “survivors” (whatever that means).

When I wrote my opinion article in May about indoctrination in the high school, I was met with horrible names for simply writing about my experiences. I also had letters written in this very paper by former educators attacking me and saying horrible lies about me.

These are only a few of the examples I can think of off the top of my head relating to the aggression in our political system. Don’t get me wrong, neither side is perfect. Both sides are guilty of contributing to the violence. All I’m saying is that it’s very sad and appalling when people resort to sexual assault, giving someone brain damage and attacking a teenager with false rhetoric in their attempts to prove a point.

If you can’t prove your point on your own merit without attacking someone else, you have no point. I think it’s important to remember that just because you are commenting on a Facebook post, a tweet or even the Albert Lea Tribune website, does not mean that it affects people any less than if you had said it to their face. If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t say it at all. Also, don’t make assumptions about people you have never had a conversation with. These are only a couple of things that people can do to help reduce the aggression in our political system. Please, be smart, and don’t contribute to the problem.

Aaron Farris

Albert Lea