I am reminded of a conversation at the poker table several years ago (prior to Katrina . . and may have been prior to 9/11). Whatever news article was on the television, some fool at the table said he would never join the military because the only thing the military does is furthers someone political agenda. The patriot in me took great exception to that and I told him so. I reminded him that we were free to sit and have such a discussion without fear of reprisal (armed guards) because our military protects our freedoms. I eventually had to leave the table, I couldnt suffer the fool any longer. Travis, however, remained. (One of those rare occasions when we at the same table.). Travis, who is regularly more tolerant than I, continued to engage this fellow in conversation. Travis told about his visits to foreign lands and how he had seen first hand the freedoms we experience as Americans and how these freedoms are unique to the rest of the world. Finally, the jackass asked what it was that Travis did that allowed him to visit so many foreign lands. Travis said, Im one of the ones defending those political agendas. I tell this story, because we seem to be at a pinnacle of intolerance for anything different from ourselves. The internet has made it so much easier for people to be judgmental and downright ugly to people who arent just like them. Be it political differences, religious differences, or some other perceived difference. These cowards hide behind their computer screens and say all types of evil, nasty, terrible, despicable things about other people . . . their beliefs, the way they look or talk (in the instance of children bullying their classmates) and then never have to see the hurt they cause. We have got to stop being so intolerant. So what if someone has different beliefs or ideas than you? Or they look different than you. Theres no need to belittle them for it. We need to just accept people for who they are and what they believe or think. They are after all free to believe or think what they want. That is a basic freedom enjoyed by all Americans. And with those American freedoms come responsibility, responsibility to accept that people are different. Responsibility to move past our differences and still work together.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 22:26:53 +0000
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