Even though we all act outraged whenever there is some type of bigotry aimed at people who we identify with and or care about, we are all guilty of bigotry at some point in our life. You cannot legislate to make people think a certain way.
Throughout history there has been hatred, racism, sexual discrimination, slavery, and every other type of discrimination you can think of.
It hasn’t changed in these thousands of years of recorded history. What has changed is the way it is reported. We now have “news” being reported twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. Does anyone remember when news was an hour of local news and an hour of national news twice a day? There was limited time to report what people needed to know about. Stories were vetted and edited based on importance and audience awareness. Now if somebody who is even remotely considered of importance eats a French fry, it has become news. I wish that last statement was an exaggeration, but unfortunately, it isn’t.
Go onto a public blog site. Or Reddit. Or Facebook. Or any news source’s web site. Read the comments. Seriously, I’ll wait. Go read the comments on an article that looks completely sweet and innocent. I’ve seen articles reported or repeated on Fox News about something like a kitten rescued from a ditch and given a loving home by the rescuer and then looked at the comments to see raging, hatred filled rants about politics. Seriously, can we not just enjoy a heartwarming story for a minute without the anger and hatred and bigotry?
I dislike the contentious society we find ourselves in today. Everywhere you look, you can find somebody angry about something that not long ago we would have shrugged and walked away. That horrible person said something about you that hurt your feelings and now you want something done about it. Seriously? You want people prosecuted, fined and jailed for saying something stupid like “All blondes are dumb”? Or is that still okay? I haven’t checked the hate meter today. If you want “hate speech” prosecuted, who gets to decide what is and isn’t hate speech? What if that authoritative person or group of people decides what you think is hate speech doesn’t qualify, but something you said is actually hate speech? Still want it prosecuted?
What ever happened to “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me”? I learned this as a kid. I also learned to say it to anyone who called me a name. Whatever that name was.
And what about if somebody grew up referring to a race or religious group or ethnic group by a certain name. And then the rules got changed when those people were in their 50s or 60s or 70s. Should we arrest and prosecute people in their 70s for referring to someone in the way they have all their lives, but the rules have now changed? Most times, these people mean no disrespect and are confused when they are told that what they said is hurtful.
I have problems with different rules for different people. I always have felt this way. For instance, today it is okay to hate certain groups because certain politicians and performers such as singers, actors and sports figures tell us it is okay. It is very difficult to listen to multi-millionaires lecture us on paying our fair share, or limiting our rights, or what we should or shouldn’t say while they go on living their deceitful lives full of extravagance and debauchery. What was it that Jesus said? “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
I have eliminated people from my social circle because of anger and hatred and hypocrisy. I had a friend who was transgender and would literally become suicidal if a passing stranger commented on their physical appearance. But felt perfectly justified calling politicians and others that they did not agree with insulting names aimed at their appearance. Sorry, but you cannot have it both ways. It either is wrong to say insulting things about someone’s appearance or it isn’t. There are not exceptions to the rule based on who you are or what group you belong to.
I appreciate living in the United States where we have so many freedoms. But every time a freedom is taken away, we become more and more like other countries where none of us want to live. I appreciate that someone can criticize anyone that we want to up through the president of this country and not fear being arrested, tortured and/or executed.
For the past 40 years, I have heard people continuously saying “There ought to be a law” about everything that they disagree with. There are now thousands of laws between local, state and federal agencies. It is almost impossible not to run afoul of the myriad of laws out there. Not all are enforced. Or not enforced equally. But they could be. At any time. Without warning. It isn’t getting better, it’s getting worse. Be very careful what you wish for