Am I a liberal or conservative? I'm neither. Like most
Am I a liberal or conservative? I'm neither. Like most Americans, I find politics very frustrating. Like most Americans, I'd like to hear from politicians the facts. That is what drives me.
The words of Soledad O’Brien — “Am I a liberal or conservative? I’m neither… Like most Americans, I’d like to hear from politicians the facts. That is what drives me.” — are a cry from the heart of a weary people. She speaks for the multitude who find little solace in the banners of liberal or conservative, for these labels often divide more than they reveal. Instead, she calls upon the timeless hunger for truth, for the simple clarity of facts, stripped of the poison of partisanship.
The meaning here is profound: politics, when bound to faction alone, becomes a theater of noise where the voice of truth is drowned. Yet O’Brien declares that beyond these camps stands a greater duty — to pursue what is real, what is proven, what is just. This longing is not weakness, but strength, for it seeks to pierce the fog of ideology and reach the bedrock upon which nations may stand. The soul that clings to facts is like the sailor who trusts the stars: unchanging, guiding, a compass amidst tempests.
History gives us many who shared this longing. Recall George Washington, who in his farewell address warned his people against the corrosive spirit of faction. He knew that to be chained to party above principle was to endanger the republic itself. Like Soledad O’Brien, he placed greater trust in truth and reason than in the banners of division. His warning, often ignored, returns in her words as both lament and exhortation: seek the truth above the quarrels of ideology.
The frustration she names is not the frustration of apathy, but of deep yearning. For when people are starved of honesty, their spirits grow restless; they feel betrayed by those who claim to serve them. Yet in this frustration lies hope, for it is the sign that the hunger for truth still lives. To cease desiring facts is to surrender; to demand them is to fight for the dignity of democracy itself.
Therefore, O children of the future, remember this: do not bind yourselves too quickly with the names of parties or tribes. Seek instead the truth, wherever it may lead. For the world does not endure by the clamor of factions, but by the steadfast pursuit of reality. As O’Brien reminds us, it is the love of truth — more than any party or creed — that must drive those who wish to see their people flourish.
BTPham Bao Trinh
This quote makes me reflect on how hard it is to trust politicians these days. It’s almost as if facts are secondary to maintaining power or promoting a certain agenda. But what would politics look like if the facts were truly the driving force behind decisions? Would that change how people engage with politics, or would it just lead to more frustration because everyone interprets the facts differently?
TTTien Tran
I wonder how many Americans feel the same way as Soledad O’Brien. Is the desire for factual clarity something that transcends political divides? Maybe what we really want is a more honest, fact-driven approach to politics. If politicians focused on delivering clear, truthful information, would we finally see more productive discussions? Or is this just an idealistic view of how politics could work, given how much polarization there is today?
PTDinh Phuong Thoai
It’s interesting that she says she’s neither liberal nor conservative. It almost feels like there’s pressure to choose a side, but people are getting tired of the labels. Can’t we all just focus on the issues that matter? I think the frustration she’s talking about comes from the fact that, in the end, it’s not about finding common ground—it’s about which side wins. How do we move beyond that if both sides refuse to engage with the facts?
NHNgoc Han
I agree with Soledad O'Brien. It seems like politics today is more about rhetoric and less about substance. Politicians are so focused on towing the party line that they rarely get down to the facts. Is it possible for a politician to be transparent, or is that too idealistic? Maybe the real frustration comes from feeling like we’re constantly being fed narratives instead of information we can actually use to make informed decisions.
CNChi Nguyen
This quote captures what so many people are feeling right now. Politics feels like a constant tug-of-war between extremes, and sometimes it’s exhausting. But are facts even enough? I mean, how do we decide what the 'facts' are when everyone has a different interpretation? Maybe the problem is that we don't just need facts, but a better understanding of how those facts affect people’s lives in real ways.