Naive but not discouraged: I implore you!

Talk about a rough couple of days. This shutdown has affected a large portion of our community, even if it was just for a short time.

I wish I was shocked by the most recent lapse of appropriations, but it seems like a common occurrence. What does shock me this time around is the complete lack of decorum that has been displayed, not just on a national level, but within our community.

I understand everyone is opinionated, especially when it comes to politics, but there is a time and place for everything, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are not the place to make your political opinions known. At that point, you are just adding fuel to a burning flame instead of dousing it.

Too many times people get wrapped up in fights involving a keyboard instead of taking time to step back and understand a person's point of view.

I think the most recent events provide the perfect moment to remind people about the foundation of any harmonious community: respect.

Respect is the core of the first amendment of the Bill of Rights, which protects your freedom of speech, right to assembly, religion, petition and press (thank you government class for ingraining that into my brain).

If you want to keep your first amendment right of freedom of speech, it's important to stray from slanderous or libelous comments, which are not only offensive but can threaten your first amendment right.

I know heated debates concerning politics will crop up - there's nothing we can really do to prevent that - but please remember to respect people. It's a key factor in any conversation, even a brief exchange in the comments section.