I Am Amused

I Am Amused

Tonight, I defended the concept of Freedom of Speech. I don't have to agree with what people say, hell, I don't even have to subject myself to reading it. But I do defend their right to say it.

Now my regular readers will know exactly how I feel about racism, homophobia, and any other form of prejudice or hatred. See that title up there? Poetic ACCEPTANCE. That is my philosophy, acceptance. And I whole heartedly disagree with those frames of mind that alienate any group of people based on color, race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, etc...

BUT, I stand by my opinion that, despite my disagreement, racists, homophobes and whatever other groups of ridiculously hate-filled ignorant people have the right to express their beliefs and opinions.

Because you see, I like expressing my own opinions, and to say that people I disagree with don't have the right to speak, well... How long do you figure it would take them to say they disagree with me and say that I have no right to speak, based on their disagreement with my views?

So, here I am, trying to explain this. Trying to explain that I don't agree with racist views expressed on racist websites, but that I defend freedom. Well let me tell you, they were mightily offended! They went from zero to self-righteous in .03 seconds and immediately clamped down, refused to hear what I was saying, and... get this... forbade me to visit their blog ever again because she wanted nothing to do with a person with "these views."

OK, so... You don't agree with my views so I'm not welcome to read your blog? Well, haha, ok. So be it. Guess I'll stink up the place or something, I don't know. Struck me as pretty absurd, but hey, different strokes. I can accept that.

The part that really made me laugh? She A) questioned what I teach my children (you see, she's suddenly lumped me in with the racists now, without so much as making any attempt to learn what my views really are, and assumes, apparently, that when I tuck them in at night, I must surely tell them stories from the KKK's Nursery Rhyme pamphlets) and B) told me that the banner at the bottom of the page for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep was 'disturbing.' Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is a network of professional photographers who does charity work by offering their services to bereaved parents, and those who have found out that their child is terminal. That too, somehow, is offensive? That one I don't get.

Want to take bets? Gee, I'll betcha a nickle to a doughnut she had no idea what Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep was, and JUMPED TO CONCLUSIONS!

I feel a bit sorry for this person. I cannot imagine how difficult, miserable, and draining, life must be when you expend so much energy on anger and self-righteous indignation! But the good news is, she has the right to say everything she said, and I have the right to blog about it.

It's a thing of beauty indeed.