Without requesting it, Barron Trump has once again found himself in the public eye. The president of the NYU College Republicans of America, Kaya Walker, was forced to step down a few days ago after referring to Barron as a “oddity on campus.” Her remarks quickly went viral on the internet, and although some students seem to believe that the outcry has been overblown, Trump supporters were incensed.

Therefore, I would like to know if it is reasonable for a student president to be forced to step down due to a statement that is so innocuous. And what message does it convey to American youth that standing up for what you believe in—which in this instance wasn’t particularly controversial—can result in you losing respect and status?

This, in my opinion, demonstrates every issue facing the US today. It’s time to start considering our priorities and the kind of world we wish to leave for future generations. The United States’ political landscape is becoming increasingly polarized every day. Republicans accuse Democrats, Democrats accuse Republicans, and ultimately, we are left with numerous issues and few answers.

Much of the savage internal strife is about insignificant things like pronouns and the proper name for the Gulf of America (the Gulf of Mexico), rather than important issues like taxes, healthcare, and the educational system.

Although there will be disagreements on every topic, one of the pillars upon which the civilized world has been constructed is freedom of speech. It’s the one thing that should never be suppressed, but regrettably, it occurs frequently in the US and other countries.

Even worse is when someone is singled out for a witch hunt just for voicing an opinion—and, worse, one that isn’t objectively deemed offensive or polarizing. Unfortunately, in some political arenas, that is irrelevant, and we should all be concerned about what Kaya Walker, the former president of the College Republicans of America, had to go through this week.

For a piece about Barron Trump, Vanity Fair interviewed Walker. The backlash was swift and devastating, even though her description of the president’s son as a “oddity on campus” should not be interpreted as a controversial opinion. Thousands of irate MAGA supporters seized a pitchfork and torch to pursue her after her remarks went viral.

Due to remarks about Barron Trump, the student president was forced to step down.

It was common to think, “How dare she say something bad about Donald Trump’s son?” Her expulsion from the Republican college group was demanded. You read correctly: college group.

The fact that Walker, a senior at NYU, was eventually compelled to leave her job serves as further evidence that the political climate and tone are becoming completely out of control. It goes against the ideals of how most of us think the world should operate for a young person to be subjected to harsh personal consequences for expressing a non-malicious opinion in a single sentence. In actuality, the social media outcry was exaggerated to an absurd degree, illustrating the negative aspects of contemporary society.

What message does it convey to our kids, too? Do we want to prevent them from speaking up because they might face backlash and lose their prestigious positions or even their jobs as a result? The fact that a college club member is unable to express herself without having the book thrown at her says says it all about the ongoing debate on social media and in real life.

Simply put, the political atmosphere in the United States is appalling, with conversations turning into accusations and people not even paying attention to what is being said. When did Americans start to react so strongly to nebulous criticism of their politicians—or, in this case, politicians’ famous relatives?

It’s easy: we have to perform better. Furthermore, we shouldn’t take offense at anything we disagree with personally. It’s acceptable to think that Kaya Walker’s viewpoint wasn’t suitable, but is it fair that she was fired from the college club for it?

“It’s time to think carefully about the future we leave for our kids.”

We should promote discussion on all issues, no matter how minor, because there is a thin line between accountability and stifling free expression. However, it is concerning to realize that free speech and the vision of a free and healthy America are in danger of disappearing when someone is punished for voicing an opinion and when online mobs decide what is allowed or not.

It’s time to think carefully about the example we set and the future we leave for our kids. I’m definitely not proud of where we are at the moment.

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