By Kelly Cacciolfi | Assistant Editor
Doctor John Fielding, who teaches History and Human Resources Management at Mount Wachusett Community College, said his advice for Millennials would be basically the same advice he gave in the Observer last year right after the Presidential election. Fielding said, “in some situations, it has gotten worse, a year after the election.”
Last year Fielding was quoted saying, “You should not attack a man (or woman), but attack the content of their argument: understand your opponent’s argument, as by doing so you will be better able to counter that argument. Bottom line to everyone, whether a young Democrat or Republican, don’t despair. There’s another election in four years. Stick by your principles and hone your argument and stay away from personal attacks. Live to fight another day. The country won’t disappear despite who is elected”.
A year after the election, Fielding said, “the group starting trouble now is the Antifa movement”. Regarding our colleges Fielding said, “when you look around the nation it’s especially disheartening on college campuses with what is going on…even some professors have suggested that Trump should be assassinated. The disturbing thing is that the professors are role models for students and know it. Then, expect their students to emulate their points of view, which means one cannot accept another’s point of view. You can have a valid point but be wrong and still have a valid perspective”. We must make an effort to hear those that have different opinions. Fielding said “today, Politics are based simply on personality and we should steer clear of this. And in an academic setting, we must be cautious with what we say to our students”.
Fielding quoted Socrates “how do you know, what you know?” Then asked “Have you examined the issues?” We should be making decisions that are best for our country no matter what and Fielding said “Trump’s instincts are fairly accurate for example we couldn’t have asked for a better choice than Neil Gorsuch Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, who received the highest rating from the American Bar Association and fellow judges praised him but when he went to Washington DC a lot of people opposed him because they think they are part of the Resistance movement so without studying the man, his character, or his decisions they automatically decide because he was nominated by Donald Trump that he must be evil. Latin phrase: People should not engage in argumentum ad hominem which means arguing against the man (or woman) but against his/her ideas”.
Fielding asks, “as we talk with one another, shouldn’t we listen with open minds?” Fielding said “For me, the perspective of either the right wing or left-wing present should allow one review all the facts and make their own judgments”.
With how the Presidency is going to date Fielding said “If I was to grade Trump as if he were a student, I would say Trump would earn a B or B minus. Anyone who goes into the oval office if they have not had experience in politics before the learning curve is exceedingly steep and like I said Trump’s beliefs or instincts are fairly mainstream conservative. Every once in awhile, he seems to jump off the rails with his tweets”.
With regards to what is happening in the United States a year after the election with some forms of protest and how the President is responding, Fielding said “Many Americans are frustrated with the athletes that are kneeling down during our National Anthem and even though his instincts are right that they should stand, Trump, should not stand in front of a crowd and say if I was in charge I would fire the sons of a bitches. That is not what we should expect or demand from our President and his behavior in public”.
Fielding’s thoughts on the 2020 election are that “Obviously, Donald Trump will run again. The problem is who will oppose him? The leadership for the Democrats are all in their 70’s. Their ideas are coming from the 1940’s and they don’t realize that the demographics and ideas have changed. What might have been valid 20 years ago no longer may be valid”. Fielding said “I will always vote for the person that adheres to the constitution”.
Fielding’s last thoughts to our millennial students is this: “When it comes to the political realm, don’t look at what people say but examine what do they really believe in”.
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