I am living through a historic presidential election. We all know it. The Democrats nominated the first female presidential candidate and even more importantly… Donald Trump.

This campaign is–for better or for worse–quite the spectacle. Mr. Trump can’t speak without causing public outrage– be it in support of or against him.

His complete disregard for consequences of his words speaks to me. It’s an endless source of entertainment.

When I was passing through a gift shop in Gulf Shores, Alabama, early in July, I saw a sticker with the saying “Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right.”

I knew I had to have it. Something about its message reminds me of society’s inability to talk about real issues in any way without name calling, stereotyping and just shutting down.

We all just can’t seem to have the hard conversations.

My parents have always told me that two things should never be talked about on a first date: politics and money: money because in the end it doesn’t matter who pays for what and politics because as children we are not groomed to have big-boy conversations about big-boy topics. (I am the oldest of four boys.)

While a first date may not necessarily be the best place to bring up income inequality or the death penalty, if our generation doesn’t discuss such issues then those problems may never be resolved.

I am fortunate to live in America; however, it’s a complex and complicated life.

Obviously it’s not complex and complicated in the way that living in a developing country is. I’m not out searching for my next meal every day or having to worry about my physical safety every minute.

America is complex and complicated because it’s constantly caught up in moral, political, and social disagreements that never seem to be settled.

Americans perceive the United States as the pinnacle of Western civilization. When outsiders look at our government, that’s not what they see what-so-ever. Talking to a friend from Norway, I am able to get the perspective of what this election may seem like to an overseas onlooker.

It’s a complete joke.

At this moment, there are two major presidential candidates running for office. Both think the other is bigoted, both have their fair share of scandals, and both can’t seem to agree on a single issue.

The personal attacks between the two have gotten so bad that they can barely be in the same room together.

I can’t wait to watch the debates. Seeing two people so far away on every issue sets it up to be one heck of a showdown.

Then again, it shouldn’t be a showdown. A debate should be a debate– a time for candidates to explain to the people their plan on fixing the nation’s problems.

No matter who wins, the other half of the country is going to be up in arms.

On one side, Republicans say that Hillary Clinton should be locked up. On the other, Mrs. Clinton calls half of Trump supporters “deplorable.” Deplorable… deserving strong condemnation.

Trump currently polls at around 44% depending on the source. This means that, according to Hillary Clinton, 22%, or ⅕ of Americans, deserve strong condemnation.

Harsh attacks such as this sum up everything that is wrong with politics today. Nobody is willing to put aside the insults to stand up and talk about the issues that truly matter.

I consider myself a conservative. Am I deplorable because I don’t want to vote for someone who has given political favors to charity donors, left soldiers without support in Benghazi, and lied to the American people on multiple occasions?

Meanwhile the other option Donald Trump stands up against the corrupt career politicians; he does it without integrity and in a way that drowns out the voices of those who want moderate, sensible reform.

I am pro-life until the day I die, but in no way do I believe that women who have had abortions should be punished.

While one candidate is sensitive to the feelings of anybody who may be in her constituency, the other candidate couldn’t care less about anyone’s feelings.

Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right, and just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should.

America will only be great again once partisan bickering is exchanged for real solutions to real problems. Until then, God help us all.