Why This Rare Feel-Good Political Tweet Is Going Mega-Viral
At least one Democrat and one Republican can get along!
You don't need me to tell you that we're living in politically divided times. But perhaps that's why one particularly harmonious tweet sent out on Election Day is currently going mega-viral.
Quick backstory: Colton Winters, 18, is a supporter of Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke. But his friend, Kyle Benton, 16, is a staunch supporter of the Republican party. The Texas Senate race between Beto and Ted Cruz was one of the most hotly-contested elections across the country. These days, this is the kind of political divide that would not only end a friendship but also cause major antipathy between former friends.
But Winters posted a photo of the two of them in which he is wearing a "Beto for Senate" shirt and Benton is wearing a "Make America Great Again," shirt, with the caption, "At the end of the day, always remember that friendship is always more important than politics."
At the end of the day, always remember that friendship is always more important than politics 💙♥️ pic.twitter.com/QSD7x96AKG
— Colton Winters (@ColtonWinters_) November 6, 2018
The tweet has amassed over 10,000 retweets and over 55,000 likes in just two days, and many social media users are thanking him for sending such a positive message in these dark times.
Thank you so much 😊 https://t.co/3nhLAEzxHq
— Colton Winters (@ColtonWinters_) November 8, 2018
Of course, there were also detractors who said it was immoral to continue to be friends with people who support a government that they view as heinous.
If my friends started supporting someone who tears families apart, locks up children and forces them to take prescription that's incredibly dangerous for their age group – I would be horrified of what they have become.
— Joseph Tweet (@Abessinier) November 7, 2018
Winters had a beautiful message for these critics, reminding them that America was founded not only on free speech but also on the right to hold different political and religious beliefs with impunity.
United we Stand. Divided we Fall. I will not accept hate and division. I choose to find common ground and work with the other side when possible. That is how America was created, and that is what we must continue to do to better our country.
— Colton Winters (@ColtonWinters_) November 8, 2018
Speaking to the Corpus Christi Caller Times, Winters said, "We don't know the politicians but we know each other and we love each other and we're friends with each other. And we should not let these people in Washington break that friendship and our relationships apart."
Benton echoed his sentiment, saying, "It shouldn't change how we view each other … it should just be about who we are. Politics shouldn't really play a part in what friends we have or who we like or who we hang out with. It shouldn't matter."
As an aside, it's worth noting that this refreshing approach is part of what made Anthony Bourdain, and his show Parts Unknown, so popular. As a true humanist, Bourdain understood that you can have a meal with someone who holds opinions vastly different from yours, and still bond over the fact that you both really like spicy noodles. He asked questions instead of making assumptions and attacks, and always tried to understand and empathize with the other side. He never demonized anyone for their beliefs, and recognized that, at the end of the day, he probably had more similarities than differences with the person he was speaking to, on the basis that they were both human beings.
In today's day and age, we need that message more than ever. And for more stories on the importance of compassion, read these heartwarming stories about amazing random acts of kindness.
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