Today while skimming through my Facebook timeline, I noticed someone sharing information about a petition to cancel TLC’s “reality” show 19 Kids and Counting. Why? Because they have made antigay and anti-transgender comments. I’m sure you all remember the Duck Dynasty controversy.
There are just so many things to say about this, but I’ll try to narrow my comments down.
First off, what is this bullshit that people think they have a right to not be offended? It’s totally absurd! We proclaim to want free speech, yet because someone doesn’t agree with us we’re ready to shut theirs down?
Do people not realize that when they move to squelch someone else’s right they could also be limiting their own?
This is the part of the politically correct (PC) movement that drives me insane. The oversensitivity that has become part of our culture is damaging. When we try to cut off communication, we feed an environment of ignorance and that can lead to many problems.
Why can we not learn to value a difference of opinion?
Recently, a school district that had been placing religious holidays on their calendar was asked to include some of the Muslim holidays. Fair enough. The district’s response? They removed all religious holidays from the calendar.
Rather than promote education they just whitewashed everything. This does not promote a greater understanding or “tolerance.”
I often get really frustrated with my fellow members of the queer community for their overreactions and downright, to me, ridiculous response to things. Just because someone doesn’t agree with homosexuality and/or marriage equality, does not make them a hater.
I don’t agree with people drinking merlot. Does that make me a hater? Actually, I am a merlot hater. Bad example.
I am also saddened when I read of lawsuits against bakers, photographers, florists, etc., because that business didn’t want to participate in a same-sex wedding. If a baker doesn’t want to make me a cake, guess what—I don’t want them to either. I don’t need their negativity. Will I file a lawsuit? Hell no!
Sure, I won’t do any other business with them, and I may make sure to let my friends know and encourage people to avoid doing business with them, but a lawsuit? Really?
I have many friends, some of whom I consider to be family members, who do not agree with me on the whole “gay thing.” They don’t believe I was born this way. They also do not believe marriage equality is right and feel it violates God’s laws. We also don’t agree about religion, abortion, nationalized health care, and some other topics.
I still love them, and they love me. Isn’t that the important part? Can’t we love people even if we don’t agree with them?
Over the years I have learned to value differences of opinion. In many cases, those debates have strengthened my stance on something, and many times I’ve ended up seeing something valuable from a different viewpoint and even *gasp* changed my opinion.
This is what we call growth and maturity. We could use some more of that in this world.
Why do we have to all think and be alike? Does anyone truly believe that conformity is a healthy, beneficial thing? “Variety is the spice of life.”
I personally would rather see us spending more time celebrating our diversity and supporting each other. If you don’t agree with same-sex marriage, then don’t marry someone of the same gender. If a TV program offends you, stop watching it.
See how easy that is? What are your thoughts?
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