I really should not read comments on the internet. People love to hide behind the anonymity of a computer screen and spout off the most wretched things in the world. Even though I know this, I still read them, and I still get pissed off.
The following is a rant. It might get long and well...ranty, but that is what rants are for.
Over the last few days I have been linked to a number of interesting news stories and op ed pieces ranging in topics from teacher and parent relations to bullying to boycotting Lane Bryant and DWTS for homosexual overtones and support. With my group of friends and acquaintances getting these sorts of articles is not uncommon. I pretty much read anything a friend suggests unless it is purely political in nature. I just don't go there.
The articles themselves can get me fairly worked up. Reading about how people are treated and disrespected typically makes me cranky. I simply do not understand that sort of mindset. Call me crazy but I was raised that you give respect to people in authority, you are kind to others, and you do not judge them. Now I was raised partially by my grandmother and a fairly liberal mother so that might have something to do with it.
If you have ever bothered to read anything I have written you would know that I am an extremely open minded individual. Sure I judge people, and I think unkind things, and I have some pretty set in opinions; give me a break I am human. I however refrain from spouting off hateful words in public or on the web when at all possible. I just don't have that sort of hate living in me to be that cruel. I mean I can't even bring myself to tell these people who are making hateful comments that they are sick hateful bigots.
I understand that this mindset these people have is how they were raised. It is normally tied strictly to their religion and the region of the country/world they grew up in. I recognize that they have every right to believe in what they want to, and I am not going to stop them even if I disagree with them with every fiber of my being.
That being said I do not think anyone has the right to utter such hate. Freedom of speech is great and all, but I don't think it was intended to be used in such hateful ways. There is a reason that states have 'Fighting word' laws.
Some of these comments made me physically ill. I read a comment from a group that is supposed to be a Christian parents group out to protect their children, and the comment actually said that bullying of homosexual individuals was acceptable because they are willingly defying Gods law and have to be taught a lesson somehow. Even worse than the comment was people agreed with them.
Bullying is NEVER acceptable. Never!
These are parents. Christian parents.
It has been a very long time since I was Christian, and just as long since I read or studied the bible, but I have read and studied it. I might be rusty on my facts but I remember this whole love thy neighbor section, and something about not judging, and if I miss my mark Jesus' whole overlying message was of tolerance acceptance and forgiveness. What kind of Christians are these? Obviously they are old testament Christians working with the wrathful old school Yahweh who liked to smite folk with fire, brimstone, plagues, and floods. In which case they should stop saying the work for Jesus.
I am not trying to bash Christians here. I know that this is a small faction of an otherwise lovely religion even if it was not precisely my cup of tea. I know some of the most amazingly tolerant and supportive Christians in the world, my mother included. I am just horrified at what these people say.
These same Christina parents are currently boycotting Lane Bryant for the new cover of their catalog because it has topless women together. They pretty much come to the conclusion that naked women together are obviously gay or promoting the 'gay agenda'. Well hell if women being naked together makes us gay then I must be gay. I have been naked with other women on multiple occasions in my life. I am so glad they let me know. I had no idea. The husbeast might be disappointed, though if I let him watch he would probably be alright with it.
Seriously people this is just ridiculous. There is nothing pornographic about the picture. The women are not even showing any cleavage. They are all in profile and their arms cover all of their bits. You see more racy things in an underwear add. I wonder if these people boycott Victoria Secrets and well every other underwear company in the world. I mean honestly I can't think of one underwear company that does not have an add with same sex together in some state of undress. It is just silly.
Then I read the comments from this group and just got sick to my stomach. It was vile the things they were saying. The anti homosexual rants were appalling. They went on and on about how it was a sick lifestyle choice and that they were willful sinners and that they could not have been born gay that they had to want to be gay. Then there were more comments about homosexuals and the downfall of society. The only thing I see bringing about the downfall of society are hateful people like them.
People who say the most horrible hateful uneducated things under the guise of being a good parent/christian/person is just infuriating. How can you call yourself a good anything when you have that kind of hate? I am fairly certain that God or your grandmother would look down on you for hating like that, and if they don't I am glad they are not my God or grandmother.
I know I shouldn't get upset. This sort of bigotry runs rampant on the internet. I know better than to read comments on articles of any nature because as sure as the rain falls from the sky someone will say something stupid and hateful. It is just the way it is.
I can not help but to get upset and in the end sad. There are so many people out there who still are so full of hate and bigotry and they are teaching this hate to their children. It is becoming an almost acceptable commonplace for this sort of ignorance to run around and that quite honestly scares me.
We as a society need to think about the lessons we are teaching our children and the type of world we are creating by allowing this sort of hate to exist. The internet is supposed to bring more knowledge and wider understanding to the world. With all the good though it brings with it the bad. It is only fueling hatred by showing people that they are not alone in their hate and that they can continue with these thoughts and actions.
It makes me angry.
It makes me sick.
Mostly though, it makes me sad.
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