Chik-fil-A, gay rights, Democrat, Republican, Health care, election, Obama, Christianity, Islam. All in our current environment are hot button words that get people fired up, especially if there is a difference of opinion. I love a good discussion and I admire and respect differences of opinions.
I think that freedom is great, and no matter if I agree or disagree with a person or groups of people, I have and won't ever feel the need to take things to a personal attack. I am fairly certain it is because my parents raised me with the common sense that God gave Billy Goat, and they taught me that just because I may disagree with someone doesn't mean I have to hate them or that they hate me.
I know that the whole Chick-fil-A thing has everyone and their knickers all up in a twist and everyone thinks they are right and the others are wrong. But I ask when did we stop teaching young people that "I disagree with you" does not mean "I hate you?" What I mean is that there is so much discourse and disagreement in the political arena right now, and stuff is being made to be political that so doesn't belong there, why is agreeing to disagree not even out there for discussion? If you disagree you're a hater? Seriously?! Is that how immature we are as adults?
Where does the hate of someone that is different than you start? For my kids it's not in preschool. I see a lot of jacked up artwork from our kids, yet none of them are telling each other their projects sucked. They are happy they got to get dirty and paint, and bring their "art" home.
If you disagree, agree you disagree, and move the Hell on! You don't need to make it a personal attack on someone because they were raised differently or think that a different way of doing things will work better than your way. If you cannot agree to disagree - then stay the hell away from the nut jobs that can only dislike and attack a difference of thought or opinion. For the love of God, if you don't like someone because of their opinion and the way they express themselves, just stay the Hell away from them. Why seek out people that are mean in their delivery of their opinion? Just let them revel in their own vileness.
I had a disagreement with a woman several months ago and it was over political B.S. She's a liberal and I'm conservative, so there is little to agree on there. However, she took this disagreement to a full on fight, called me a racist (because when she was given facts of the record of Barack Obama, that was all she had in her bag of tricks). I am mature enough to know that I am not a racist, you would just have to know me for more than five minutes to make that statement. I am also smart enough to know that my facts were a serious threat to her, and all she had was a personal attack to make herself feel superior. She took the attack via email to threaten me and my child if I was to run into her in a parking lot—just completely psycho. There were several minions that follow her like the Pied Piper and sided with the woman. So rather than attack, I moved on. I don't need to fight crazy people. I need to keep fighting strength for my kids. I need to fight bureaucracy, I need to fight insurance, I need to fight the school district and make sure that my kids get all the help they can.
I do not need to fight crackpots that hate me because I won't agree with them. I have a lot of friends that think differently from me, and those are the people that I can hang with. I know and love some people who voted Obama. One of my best friends is Jewish and Gay and my matron of honor in my wedding was African American. There isn't a one of them that lacks the brain cells and goes on an attack because I have a different view from theirs. If I don't agree with someone's politics or they don't agree with mine, that gives me no right to personally attack them. I listen to their point of view, sometimes it influences me, sometimes not. But there is not a reason for a personal vendetta against someone because I think someone should take a drug test before they get welfare. If you don't agree with that, well that's your prerogative, but calling me a racist because I believe that is 1) hateful and 2) ignorant. It's my opinion and belief, right, wrong or indifferent. I have that right in this free country as do you.
Teach your kids, do not follow the example of the crap on TV via reality shows and cable news. Don't follow the example of the ridiculous reality shows, and Sunday morning political analysis shows. Diversity is awesome. Freedom of speech is amazing, it all deserves respect and kindness. Just the rant of a mom wanting a peaceful place for her kids.
