The debate on “Obamacare” has grown to the point of complete pandemonium. The issue has, and has always been, whether or not America is comfortable with the idea of a government health care provider. But recently, it seems to have become a competition for who can scream the loudest or scare citizens into submission fastest.

I am adamantly opposed to the idea of government run healthcare. I fully believe that Obama and his followers are taking advantage of a frightened public and never failing to “let a serious crisis go to waste.” But I am also opposed to what has become the popular way to demonstrate this opposition. When angry and obnoxious citizens gather in town hall meetings, yell over the speaker, cuss out the Obama administration and scream about death panels, waving guns in the air all the while, I feel that conservatives as a whole can no longer be viewed as rational parties by the rest of the country.

The Obama administration may have driven some anti big government fanatics to the point of hysterics, but that is still no excuse for their behavior. There are better ways to be heard than taking advantage of a meeting to be as intolerable as humanly possible.

The voices of these boisterous conservatives are drowning out the conservatives that have valid and rational concerns about government run health care and what it entails. And I fully believe that if these people continue with this charade, we will all pay the price.

It is difficult to take someone who is carrying a gun, waving around a flag and screaming about how Obama is not a naturalized citizen seriously. In fact, it’s difficult not to laugh at them. These protesters have driven past the point of relevance, and have ended up in territory that is completely unrelated to the topic at hand. They need to get back on point.

People are so scared right now that they will believe absolutely anything. Sarah Palin stands up and tells everyone that there will be death panels, and that her son who has Down’s Syndrome will be the first to go, and I cannot help but feel ashamed that my own party uses such misleading tactics. I’ve always felt that Democrats are guilty of fear mongering, but Republicans obviously aren’t so innocent either. Rush Limbaugh and the gang have been rallying, and the outcome doesn’t look good.

Those that believe that they can take this fear, expand it, and turn it into a screaming match at a town hall meeting are extremely misguided if they think that such tactics will be effective. The all-important independent voter that everyone is currently trying to win over will find those things unattractive and will gladly step over to the other side.

There is a better way to convince people that government run health care is a bad idea. So let’s pursue it. Let’s sit down and have rational conversations with independent voters on the downsides of a government-run health plan. Let’s make people realize that the government is simply taking advantage of a crisis to pass a bill that would not stand a chance in at any other time. Let’s make people realize that fiscal irresponsibility in the halls of Congress can effect them just as much as expensive health care. But let’s do so in a way that will be viewed as rational, well informed, and intelligent.

It is your responsibility as a citizen to have your voice heard. It is not your responsibility to yell it so loudly in someone’s face that they no longer wish to continue the dialogue. Rational discussion between parties is the climax of free speech. Let’s use it wisely.

Alex Ehmke is a sophomore political science, economics and public policy triple major. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].