When it comes to the current problems with our country, many are quick to point fingers at the “other.” I am sure often, you have heard people attribute issues to “the woke left” or “the right,” or even blatantly, “it’s the transgender people” or “it’s the immigrants.”  

Some examples of identity politics throughout history are how Jewish people were blamed for many problems in 1930s-1940s Germany. Instead of acknowledging the actual causes of the issues, it was easier to blame them on a group of people who were different. A similar thing happened with Muslim people surrounding 9/11.  

The American government’s obsession with things like immigrants, DEI, transgender people, Black people, Muslims, Jewish people and more are prominent examples of identity politics. Even the obsession with political labels like “conservative” and “liberal” falls into the classification of identity politics. Our government wants you to focus on the idea of an “other” causing all the problems, rather than the real problems in our country. Our economy is in shambles, our federal officers are murdering people in the streets, our current president has very close ties with one of the most prolific sex traffickers in history, and we have recently entered a war that has nothing to do with us – and no matter your political affiliation, all of this should be concerning to you. These issues are nobody’s fault but the government, and if you disagree, you are likely a victim of identity politics. 

No single group can ruin an entire county, no matter what our government is trying to tell you. The government wants us to be divided and argue with each other, so it is easier for them to get away with things that they know would cause backlash. The government is not your friend, and it is best if people realize that sooner rather than later. We need to stop fighting each other and focus on what actually matters in our country.