Usually I like to select weekly blog topics about current events or certain political activities in the news, but today, I’m going to rant. Yes, I said it. If you’re not interested in hearing a bunch of complaining, then you might as well exit this page right now.

I’m going to start off with a fair warning- everyone is entitled to their own opinion. My only wish is that people would educate themselves before they become tangled up in a political debate built solely on bogus facts. Now, I’m not over here waving my almighty flag, but I watch the news. I listen to NPR. I would say I have a pretty solid idea of what is happening in the world.

An opinion is different than a fact. I specifically remember doing some type of unit in elementary school when our teacher would give us a worksheet with a scenario and we would have to discern the difference between validity and someone’s viewpoint; apparently, a few people missed the boat on this one.

Nothing grinds my gears more than walking down a crowded hallway or through the LSC and overhearing political “facts” being thrown in all directions. I’m glad people are engaging in the these type of conversations, but it makes me want to go back to the saying “if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all.” Does this apply to correctness? Everyone has different options and ideas about the world and that doesn’t make them wrong, but what invalidates their statements is something either opinion based or factually incorrect.

Plain and simple, do the homework. Read a book, do research online, or speak with a professor. Politics are something you can easily learn about! Back yourself up with concrete evidence, not something you picked from a TV rerun. End rant.

Hallie Gardner can be reached at blogs@collegian.com.