Stupid Should Hurt

This picture was attached in an email I received - one of those Pray for our Troops type email. I'm all for the troops, but I am so against the people in this photograph.

Does anyone realize that this kind of thinking is exactly why our world is in the state it's in? Honestly, the entire country was being punished by God for homosexuality? Somehow, I don't think so.

That's not the God I believe in. In fact, I'd wager that's not the God most people believe in. He isn't going to mete out disaster to the entire population for the wrongdoing of one. That's like casting us all into Hell, when every Christian will tell you that's not what's going to happen. And, for the record, 9/11 was not an action of God; it was an action of MAN.

It makes me beyond angry to know that there are people in the world like these women pictured. Recently, at Concord Mills Mall in North Carolina, a kiosk owner lost his lease, ostensibly for selling offensive conservative materials. What sticks in my mind is a news image of a protester screaming that the mall found opinions "offensive."

I just wanted to shake her and say, "Guess what, lady! Some opinions are offensive." It's why the general population of the world eschews racism and misogyny, hate speech and the burning of crosses on front lawns.

We've all probably heard the idiom, "I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defend your right to say it." Actually, um, no, I won't. I will not defend your right to label people. I will not defend your right to provoke intolerance. I will not defend your right to verbally attack individuals who do not proscribe to your way of thinking. Why? Because these are not rights. None of the above is outlined in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. The idea of Free Speech has been perverted into an idea that the world is a free-for-all, where any idiot can spout off at the mouth without consequence!

Don't believe me? Just look at the picture again.