Whatever happened to respect?
Everyone has the right to think for him or herself. It doesn’t matter if you identify as Liberal, Democrat, Republican, Tea Party, Constitution Party, Green Party, or any others I missed. You must choose what you believe to be the truths and ideas that fit with your vision for your own life. But when you bully me with words or threats of violence because I don’t agree and don’t believe that your ideas are best for my life, then you are denying my right to think for myself.
Everyone has the right to the pursuit of happiness, to love and be loved. It doesn’t matter if you are homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, or one gender identifying as the other. You have the right to be happy and loved. But when you tell me that it isn’t enough that I am glad you found happiness and try to force me to set my feelings aside to embrace, and promote your choices, then you are denying my right to the pursuit of my own happiness.
Everyone has the right to try to elevate themselves above their present circumstances, and as neighbors sharing a nation we should try to raise up others. That doesn’t mean for one sex to be superior to the other. I believe feminism has strayed from the mark and is no longer about equality but focuses on making women superior by destroying men. Feminists have the right to choose to love and support only women. I believe in equality and fairness for everyone, not just my sex. When they tell me to hate men and turn my back on my husband, son, grandsons because men are somehow inherently evil, then they are removing my right to choose to love whomever I want.
Everyone has the right to live by their own moral code. The abortion issue is very dividing. I believe abortion is morally wrong, notice I said I believe, not that everyone must believe. I would never attack with harsh words or condemn a woman who chose an abortion. I have not lived her life and am not privy to her reasoning. I simply pray that God blesses her, and she doesn’t suffer from the effects of her choice. But when I am forced to pay for the abortions with my tax dollars, I am denied the right to live my life by my moral dictates.
Everyone has the right to their own faith. If you are Jewish, a believer in a Christian religion, a Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist, share your beliefs with me. Tell me what it is that brings you peace and comfort. But when you try to prevent me from living out my faith and sharing it with others, you are denying my right to live by my faith.
There are many periods in history where one race or nationality suffered at the hands of another. Study history. Learn from the mistakes of the past but don’t search for reasons to continue living the past. Don’t tell me I own you for something my ancestors may have done several hundred years ago to your ancestors. You alone are responsible for the choices you make now, as am I. If I wrong you here and now, then I owe you an apology or reparations.
Whether people want to acknowledge it or not, we are all related. We are all members of the Human race. Everything else is just shading and shadows, points of divisiveness. It is time we remember how to love our neighbors, brothers and sisters, love ourselves. Instead of looking at what other people have that you want, look at what they are lacking that you can give.
