The first is the always-fun “holiday” of May the Fourth. The close approximation to the well-known movie line “may the force be with you” from Star Wars provides an opportunity for many to have activities or get dressed up in costumes honoring the franchise.

The day after that is May 5, or Cinco de Mayo, which is another chance for people to celebrate. This date, however, is about Mexican history and heritage.

I’ve been thinking, though, about how both days are rooted in some similar concepts.

I still remember when I first saw the original Star Wars. In the 1980s, my family rented both the VHS cassette and the VCR to play it on from a local movie store.

The smash hit has become part of our culture, telling the story of Jedis and storm troopers and the good guys rebelling against the evil Empire in a galaxy far, far away.

Cinco de Mayo, on the other hand, commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over a much more powerful, veteran force of French troops in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

I remember reading a book as a child that described the battle and how the Mexican forces refused to be intimidated by the professional French force and their intimidating bayonet charge.

In each of these stories — both the fictional tale of Star Wars and the historical account of the Battle of Puebla — it feels like it’s pretty easy to differentiate between the heroes and the villains. You have. Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia or General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín (leader of the Mexican force) as the ones fighting for what’s right while the oppressors are Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader and Napoleon III.

There’s definitely something that resonates when we hear a story about when good defeats evil.

In real life, however, I see that as an overly simplistic view of the world which unfair and incomplete.

It’s an approach we see used all the time and political discussion. Whether you view things from a more conservative or more liberal viewpoint, it’s very easy to paint the other side as being the bad guys while your side is the good guys.

It’s often much easier if we take the humanity out of it. That’s been a tactic employed effectively throughout the world and throughout history.

It’s not people in the other political prep party; it’s “the Right” or “the Left.”

It’s much easier to view organizations like business or government as “evil” if we ignore the reality that they’re all made up of people who get up, go to work, do their jobs, come home, and do everything else just like we do.

I think we can and should be better than that.

One best parts of being a journalist who wants to do a good job is that you go through the effort of trying to see both sides.

I learned in 20 years of covering sports that teams are trying to win. Belittling the successes of one side in favor of credit or blamed to the other ignores the reality about the competition is all about.

I’ve met with many candidates for a variety of political offices, including those who are competing against each other to represent their constituents in various races. I have come to realize that they’re just trying to do the best they can.

I can’t think of a single one that I’ve met with that I’ve agreed with everything they’ve said — but I also can’t think of any who I’ve completely disagreed with either.

These races (and most issues) aren’t good versus bad or right versus wrong.

They are about people having different priorities and disagreements on what’s best.

I think if we stop vilifying those who see things differently and instead try to understand them, I think we’re much more likely to be able to reach our overall goals.

I’m going to keep enjoying stories about the good guys taking on the bad guys. It makes for great entertainment in books and movies.

But I invite us all to hold ourselves to a higher standard when it comes to real life.

Just because I disagree with you, doesn’t make you the bad guy (or make me the good guy). It just makes us different.

Jared Lloyd is the managing editor of the Standard-Examiner and can be reached at jlloyd@standard.net.