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Name-Calling and Label-Making Are Not Problem-Solving

Do you want to move society forward or just make yourself feel good?

Brian Tubbs
2 min readApr 6, 2024
A typical 21st-century activist disdaining constructive conversation — image via MidJourney

My daughter and I have had this conversation numerous times. She is interested in politics because she wants to solve problems and help people. Unfortunately, politics today is more about yelling, screaming, name-calling, and label-making.

Politics in 21st-century America is cancerous, not constructive.

Before I’m misunderstood, I’m not advocating for any new laws or regulations. I’m not calling for censorship or limitations on speech.

Freedom of speech is essential to democracy, including the constitutional republic in which I live — namely, the United States of America. As George Washington warned: “If [the] freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

But…

Having the freedom to speak and write doesn’t mean individuals shouldn’t exercise (on their own initiative) restraint and responsibility in what they say or write.

Just because you have the right to be rude, obnoxious, or uncivil doesn’t mean you should be rude, obnoxious, or uncivil.

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Brian Tubbs
Brian Tubbs

Written by Brian Tubbs

Sharing thoughts and insights about faith, history, and personal growth. Hoping to inspire more faith, hope, and love in a world that needs it.

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