Discussing Trails In Today's Political Climate
I never imagined talking about politics in the capacity of Trail Builder Magazine. However, after countless comments like “keep politics out of trail building” or “keep your woke thoughts to yourself,” I thought it was time to have an honest conversation that is long overdue. But before we dive into this, let me share a story …
As many of you know, I teach undergrad Digital Media and Communications courses during the school year. I’m counting down the days since the semester kicks off this coming Monday. I love teaching, and even more so, I love spending time in the classroom with university students. As I’ve shared before, one of my favorite courses to teach is focused on research. To highlight the importance of why good research matters, we juxtapose it against the current reality we find online with misinformation, conspiracy theories, confirmation bias, ‘“fake news,” and so on. In other words, we actually talk a lot about politics since, especially here in the United States, our political arena is rife with all kinds of misinformation and confirmation bias.
So, how do we have a civil conversation about something so volatile, like politics?
The key word is “civil.” Like any collection of students, everyone in my classes comes from all walks of life. Some grew up in the city, others in the suburbs, and others in rural communities. Some come from more conservative homes, while others are at the other end of the spectrum. Over sixty percent of my students are ethnic minorities.
And so we talk, we explore, and do you know what? We have A LOT of fun. It’s not my goal to persuade students which way to lean politically. Instead, we learn to have meaningful conversations about what is causing so many infernos online and on social media. At the end of the semester, I heard from so many students who enjoyed our conversations in class.
That is how I approach Trail Builder Magazine. Not only do I want to create a platform to have difficult conversations regarding all of the peripheral topics that touch trail building, but it also is a place where people will be heard and valued. I know that every time I post something about women trail builders or race, I am bound to get someone who’s had enough and wants to unload.
You know what? I’m fine with that. Why? This means that the topic not only bothers the person, but their internal angst compels them to comment on a public platform like Instagram. If you notice, I don’t go into “scorched earth” mode and unload on the person. I listen and reply, hopefully with grace and thoughtfulness. Even better is when these conversations move into the DMs, and we talk more. None of us will agree on everything. We all have strong opinions, and some starkly contradict the person beside us on the trail trimming bushes.
Obviously, this is a different topic than hate speech, which doesn’t have any place here. If someone wants to call me out because I write about how we need to make trail building more accessible and welcoming for women, as an example, what do I care? This is a topic that is very important to me. If that’s not your jam, I’m not going to unleash a torrent of verbal insults on you.
So, what is my big ask of this growing global community of trail builders? By all means, yes, let’s have conversations about sensitive topics. Interestingly, trail building touches on a lot of these topics. At the same time, especially in this current political climate in the U.S., where all that both political parties seem to do is resort to name-calling and fearmongering, let’s be civil and respectful. We can even strongly disagree on many issues, but we’re bound together by our love for trails and everything it means. Let’s talk, hear each other out, disagree, and then grab a beer and hang out.
Maybe I’m too naive? Time will tell. You are part of this community. You matter. Thank you for being here.
Words: Sean Benesh Photos: Sean Benesh
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
