I get it. Many of us are terrified that we’re witnessing the final days of the American experiment. We fear another four years of Donald Trump will result in the end of the Republic and the slide into autocracy… or worse. So those of us who frequent the inter-webs, and play around with social media have set aside the cute cat videos, and kids doing adorable things, and are talking politics.

A lot.

But we’re not doing it very well. Or at least a subset of us aren’t. Because this feels like the most important election of our lives (News Flash — it is) we’re all pretty passionate about our preferred candidate running for the democratic nomination. And that’s good. An engaged citizenry can be a bulwark against tyranny.

While I have a preferred candidate I tend to keep my Tweets focused on more general issues — corruption of the DOJ, Republican cowardice, the rightwing assault on voting rights, etc. But I do dip into various candidates Twitter feeds to get a sense of their positions on various issues. And what I have seen there is ugly.

Often silly or baseless memes or emojis or gifs that offer nothing beyond an insult. And yes, the candidates are big boys and girls. They put themselves in the public arena so they can endure the slings and arrows though to be sure it does not reflect well on the intellect of that particular person who left the post. Aren’t we supposed to be the pro-science, pro-reading, pro-maps, pro-math party. We’re not able to marshal a cogent debate regarding policies, and are reduced to pictures?

But oft times these attacks are personal, vicious, and threatening and when they are directed at that particular candidate’s supporters, that’s when it’s no longer okay, and it is making me despair for our civilization.

You don’t like candidate A or C or Z? Great, don’t vote for them in your state’s primary, but to simply fling feces at other people is not going to help your candidate nor will you come off well in the marketplace of ideas.

So here’s a suggestion. On our own Twitter feeds or Facebook pages by all means advocate for the candidate of our choice. Tell me in clear, unequivocal language their positions on the issues. Why you approve of these stances. You can compare and contrast with other candidate’s position if it’s done with honesty and integrity.

What none of us should do is go onto another person’s personal wall or feed and verbally assault them for their choice. I welcome honest debate and discussion where you can say, “I understand you like F’s position on money in politics, but have you considered this other alternative that my candidate, Y, is offering?” It’s also damn rude to go onto a candidate’s feed and behalf like ill-bred monsters. Trust me it’s not going to incline the people hanging out there to suddenly switch to your candidate, and it also forces people to retreat into silence.

And right now we don’t need more silence. We need to be calling out the corruption, illegal actions, authoritarian actions of the Trump administration, giving each other strength and encouragement for the fight. Because the fight cannot be, must not be between ourselves.

We know the threat. It’s Donald Trump and his Republican enablers. Taking liberties with Caesar Rodney’s speech from the play 1776 after a brawl has broken out in the Continental Congress —

Caesar Rodney: Stop it! Stop it! This is America! Stop it! The enemy is out there.

John Dickinson: No, Mr. Rodney, the enemy is here!

Caesar Rodney: No, I say he’s out there! Trump! Trump closing in! Cutting off our air! There’s no time!

And there is no time. Remember that other people working to defeat Trump are not your enemies even if they don’t support your candidate. Advocate for your choice. Canvass and donate. Vote on primary day. But then by god, let us come together. For if we don’t “[ ]most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” Benjamin Franklin.