Politics is a dirty game. People cheat, lie and wait for the opportunity to trash-talk anyone who might disagree with them. With so much scrutiny, it’s nearly impossible for a politician not to mess up. In this election cycle though, it seems that Mitt Romney is messing up a little more than the average politician.
Romney pledged in May to do nothing regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, despite the issue’s absolute need for attention. In making these statements, Romney seems out of touch and ignorant of facts that seem self-evident to the rest of the country. He is very knowledgeable in his sphere of influence, but it seems he knows almost nothing outside of this bubble.
Every other politician messes up and says things that seem out of touch. In fact, just the other day President Barack Obama was asked about the national debt figure and couldn’t respond. The purpose of this article is not to bash Romney in any regard. It is simply to point out the fact that he and Harding students seem to have the same problem — we’re embarrassingly unaware of what goes on outside of our respective bubbles.
For most of us, moving out of our parents’ homes and into a dorm in college was our first true taste of freedom. We have painted a picture of the real world based on what we have observed in college. For us, that reality means being surrounded by Church of Christ Christians, rarely hearing swear words and immersing ourselves in a culture that often shies away from controversy and difficulty. The phrase “the Harding bubble” is popular for a reason: We’re shut off and, often, that makes us seem ignorant.
No matter how wonderful Harding is, it’s not the real world. We need to know what is going on in our world, whether those things are beautiful or awful. We need to understand that there are people with whom we will be expected to interact and work even though they are vastly different from us. An honest and open-minded view of the world is necessary for our lives after we graduate.
At a fundraiser in May, Romney stated that 47 percent of Americans don’t pay income tax, believe they are victims and are entitled to government assistance. That percentage figure includes elderly and disabled people, but Romney said, “My job is not to worry about those people.”
Romney also said a few weeks ago that the middle class extends to an annual income of $250,000. In reality, the average annual income is $50,000.
As a presidential nominee, Romney has an obligation to take into account the situations of every different American. People don’t make $250,000 a year in the middle class, and elderly people don’t believe they are victims who are entitled to assistance. To say so is ignorant, out of touch and embarrassing.
Just as a presidential nominee has obligations, we have a responsibility as educated American citizens to understand the implications of a flawed and troubled world. To pretend that global crises aren’t an issue or to judge anyone who is any different from us in our moral scope is ignorant, out of touch and embarrassing.
Moral of the story: Do not get caught in the Harding bubble. Take Romney’s mistakes into account and learn about the world outside of whatever bubble you’ve lived in. How can we truly reach and help those in need if we have no idea about life outside of our small, sheltered world?
