If you have a problem with pro-choice, gay rights, health care, use of the military, fiscal responsibility , or whatever it may be, well fine, nobody agrees on everything. That liberty to speak your mind and be heard is a cornerstone to this country. Majority rule is another. That's the way most want it, then so be it. To get that majority by threats of death however, or carrying that threat out, therefore eliminating an opposing view, is sick, extreme and wrong. To fuel that ignorant idea from a position of power, and or influence, is sadistic, irresponsible, and id driven.
I hope this idea about stating your mind, and opening a discussion, or debate, will stay with man for as long as he thinks. However, when someone imposes their philosophies on another person with violence of any kind, the idea of free speech, and individualism dies a little. I don't want to think like someone else. It is what makes me who I am. Conversely, I do not want anyone thinking exactly like me, it would be creepy.
I can tell you this, one thought I have never had was to thin the herd of my intellectual opposition while waving an m-16. I am not a politician or lawmaker, so in my opinion, it is conversation on personal philosophy only. Nothing more.
It is beyond that for some though. Some people really believe that people who disagree with them, can only be detrimental to them somehow, and must be eliminated. Kind of like the witch trials, or the inquisition, or that German guy..... Yes, it is the same. That is not at all to imply all conservatives(on either side mind you) are this extreme, however, using violence and threats to get your point made, is just like hanging a black person because they drank from a white fountain and poisoned it with cooties or something. It is based on fear, malevolence, and ignorance. One example is Rush Limbaugh asking for segregation. A stupid idea for any reason.
Allow me to connect the dots.....
It begins with name calling. Even kids do that, so what. Then more blatant disrespect, possibly during a speech. Now it's a spoiled kid who wants attention. Placards naming the president Hitler, and equating him to a chimp come next. They did that with Bush jr., so fair is fair. Then a bottle gets thrown into a rally by a guy who also brought a gun. okay, maybe it's just one bad apple. Then comes the bullet. Now what do you say? You may not think it progresses like that, but some dumb fringe maniac will follow through. I find it concerning that with the first black president, also comes the first time that I know of, that guns started showing up outside of buildings the president is in with so much regularity. It's a nice cover for some radical fool to act out.
You encourage this ignorance when you condone this uncivil action. It is too sensitive out there these days, with too much tension, for so many reasons, we can not afford this kind of ignorance to flourish. Believing half truths, and spreading lies about where Obama was born, or that he is a socialist, condones this radical ideology. Turning the president's image into a monstrous one, because you think he is a gateway-socialist dictator, a Muslim praying terrorist in hiding who is going to take your country away in the middle of the night, fuels militant ideas, not intelligent change. Accusing the president of violating the 14th amendment condones this thinking, and helps spread the disease. Making your discontent for his plans for the country into a personal issue against him, like we would be much better off without him, condones this.
He is the president of your country!!!
There are better ways of saying it, without setting off the twitching guy in the corner. If you feel you need to spout off on how lousy of a job he is doing, then so be it. Make sure your spouting truth, not just some crap rhetoric you repeated from joe wilson or john boehner. Values are one thing, but not letting the president talk to your kids, because you think he is going to twist their little minds, condones this ignorance, because seemingly, your parental influence far surpasses one Internet speech. Believe your kids are going to ask questions you can answer, have a little faith in your kids and your abilities. Guns at a town hall meeting, condones this and leads to more severe action; often deadly action. It has happened, many times in my lifetime.....
Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Harvey Milk, Indira Ghandi, Robert Kennedy, Steven Biko, Farida Azizi, just to name a few. Do we need one more?
Please, disagree, stand your ground, be heard and have conviction. Please, do not fuel the crazy vitriolic flames. Please be civil in your debates, but be passionate. Balance the scales of patriotism. Use your mind. Kill ignorance, not individuality.
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