Don’t Get Comfortable: Staying Alert in a Manufactured Culture War

Part of my responsibility as a candidate is to engage with everyone, including those whose viewpoints differ from mine. Through these conversations, I’ve learned two important things:

1. Opinions are often spread as if they were facts. Sensoy and DiAngelo (2017) explain that “Popular opinions tend to be superficial and anecdotal and do not require that we understand an issue at all” (p. 33). I’ve encountered people who claim that Black children have more privilege than white children because they participate in afterschool programs that allegedly exclude white students. But when I asked follow-up questions, the story shifted. This inconsistency exposed a manipulative strategy —one designed not to inform, but to provoke emotion and reinforce the narrative that white children are under attack. It’s a tactic designed to condition us into fear, suspicion, and resentment.

2. This type of opinion-based misinformation is fueling the culture war. Have you felt uneasy, frustrated, or unsettled about what’s happening in our state and country? That discomfort isn’t random—it’s a response to the ongoing attempt to normalize division. The current phase of the culture war is designed to train us to believe that regressive, exclusionary ideologies are normal. When words like “diversity” and “social justice” are painted as threats, we are being conditioned to accept a worldview rooted in fear and exclusion. The moment you stop feeling uneasy or questioning what’s happening—it means you’ve started to internalize and accept this divisive ideology.

We must continue to push back against this cultural conditioning. Here’s how:

1. Ask questions and consult multiple sources – Critical thinking is our strongest defense.

2. Change the narrative – Use facts and compassion to counter disinformation.

3. Share personal experiences – These stories can humanize and challenge prejudice.

4. Find common ground – Division is the weapon; Unity is our resistance.

5. Stay engaged – Attend school board, city council, and county council meetings. Coordinate attendance with friends or parent groups to avoid fatigue and stay informed.

This is not just a political fight—it’s a social and moral one. We must stay alert, stay involved, and continue to question the narratives that are designed to divide us.

Source: Sensoy, Ö., & DiAngelo, R. (2017). Is everyone really equal?: An introduction to key concepts in social justice education (2nd ed.). Teachers College Press.