"Phobia's" and "ism's" and Labels...Oh, my!

     

You call it racism, I call it a game that we're all  getting really sick and tired of.

You say our irrational fears have been played on and call it Islamophobia, I call it Boston, London,San     Bernardino,Paris, Orlando, Belgium, Chattanooga, Istanbul, Ohio State, Ft. Sam (to name a few).

You call it xenophobia, I call it respecting the law.

You call it sexism, I call it...never mind, I just laugh.

You call it homophobia, wait...what?  Do you mean Rainbowphobia or unicornphobia? Im                 confused.... what am I afraid of again?

      

       Racism implies hatred of an entire race of people simply because of their ethnicity and is completely wrong and childish! It is not racist to disagree with someone or to state "white girls and their coffee" or "Mexicans love tortillas".  In fact, everyone has made statements or thought something about a particular race that was a generalization,stereotype, or mere fact. Right or wrong,  that does not make you a hateful, spiteful person or a racist. It's a game, and quite frankly...it's a joke.  And let me tell you, I would be the first to speak out against anyone/anything racist! 

       You say immigrants are being deported, well, I suppose we should all start packing our bags! And where did you say your family was from again?  There gonna have a hell of a time trying to figure out whether to send me to Germany, Scotland, Japan, or Ireland,etc but hey, I'm also Native American so I guess that's one thing I have going for me! I for one am not against immigration or anyone who comes here legally! However, I'm also not afraid to use the term "illegal" although apparently even that's not politically correct now!  

        As for "sexism" and "homophobia", I'm a woman and I also know/have friends who are gay. I also didn't walk the streets in a display that actually embarrassed and degraded my sex and I support traditional roles and institutions  You will never find me a pro-gay rally but you won't find me at an anti-gay rally either! Just because I do not agree does not mean I push my own moral code down your throat. I am able to see both sides of an argument and treat everyone with the respect they deserve as human beings. Try putting the "sorting hat"on my head and it will prove problematic.  Because I can be pro equality but not a feminist, I can hate terrorism but not Muslims, and I can be for immigration and welcome diversity while supporting a temporary 90 day travel ban (which doesn't include the other 43 Muslim majority countries, but I digress), and I can be pro-life and pro-traditional marriage and still love people! 

     
          You see, slapping a "phobia" or "ism" doesn't change the reality that there will never be a grand "utopia" due to human nature.  Sunshine, love, and rainbows, may sound good and all but as long as there are humans on this earth there will be humans messing it up. We will always have to deal with real "phobias" and real "isms".  However, just slapping the title on anyone who disagrees with you doesn't count and simply takes away from the real displays of hate and injustice.    

Right Twix? Left Twix?

       You can protest, protest, protest, and perhaps you will bring about some change. You can scream to your hearts content because after all "squeaky wheel gets the grease" right? So stomp your foot, raise some hell, and know that you are having an impact. But before you crawl into bed at night, before you allow your heart to become all warm and fuzzy, and sure as heck, before you degrade others and cast their opinions to the dirt, I want you to ask yourself one question...when all is said and done...when you are read about in the history books 100 years from now, when they speak about you in schools, and study the society you were a part of...how will history remember you? What side of history will you be on? When "they were the best of times, they were the worst of times" is challenged and dissected, when these new ideas and Utopian notions are no longer raw and new (on trial, not yet judged by future result and implications, unprotected by a failure to see characteristic mistakes and errors), when these days are judged in the future and all her mistakes, failures, and yes, achievements, are plainly seen in 20/20 hindsight...what side of history will you be on?
               
       We will not be judged by our emotions. Future generations will not feel the same waves of passion or political partisan. They will simply see the results of it; be it good or bad.  History reveals to us the mistakes of the past and gives to the future a personal "diary" full of all the rights and all the wrongs. We do not feel the feelings and face the same struggles as our founders, we did not live through the ideological warfare and persuasions of Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia
, nor has our generation taken up arms in a civil war.  Each and every generation is presented with a unique set of challenges and incredible responsibility. History continues and you simply become part of the narrative. So, while you're helping to write it's pages...what side of history will you  be on? Rise up!

I'm Just Saying...

       Thought I'd take a couple minutes to share my thoughts on an issue that has weighed heavily on my mind lately. No, it's not global warming, animal rights, or even pizza! It's the "controversial" pro-life/pro-choice debacle which has been at the forefront of issues as of late. I'm going to go ahead a skip the "it's a fetus" "it's a human being" aspect of it since science has already cleared that up for us (shout out to science for actually being practical in this instance). OK, maybe not...I lied. First of all, it's not your body. DNA, will attest to that fact as well as the incredible fact that never again in the history of the universe will there be another one like it. A unique existence whether you believe it's a human-being or not. Like I said, this is already largely understood and so "who cares, it's legal and convenient" and "well, it's my/their right" are the fall back arguments. But that's just it...you don't have the right to do whatever you want. You give up rights ever single day: your "right" to drive 90 in a 70, your "right" to walk down the street naked or smoke whatever the heck you want...among other things. Society collectively  decides to give up certain "rights" for the good whole. But the wheels on the bus go round and round and we'll simply exhaust ourselves while getting nowhere. It is largely because of this fact, that I came to a difficult conclusion...you can't make abortion illegal.
       
         Oh, I suppose you could but let's think about this. Human nature people. Human nature. Women have known how to terminate unwanted pregnancies since ancient times! If you want to take a life, you're going to do it. Now, I am against forcing me to use my money to pay for others abortions. I feel that clinics should be forced to use their own and not government funds. But, if you make abortion illegal what would happen? The rise of abortion horror studies would make a clinic seem like a day at Disney World. We've already seen the effects of government banning what the human heart desires with prohibition. So no, I don't want to see abortion made illegal (although I must admit, it kinda makes me cringe to say it). No, I want to see people choosing not to have one, and living their lives in such a way that they're not even in that kind of "predicament". (Most abortions are had by unmarried girls under the age of 25).
       
        We want to scream "it's my body, it's my choice, it's my right" without addressing the real problem. Why are a majority of people going to the clinic in the first place? Not all of course, but the majority? Instead of screaming "it's my right" why don't we teach young people the dangers of promiscuous living? There are young teenage girls getting pregnant left and right but the issue is still whether or not it's her right to have an abortion?! You have young adults who have no problem sleeping around or living with a partner but can't be bothered with a child because  "it's not financially wise"  or "not convenient" and yet the question is still whether or not it's her right to terminate her pregnancy?! The problem is not abortion, but the hearts of the people. It's not just a basic matter of birth control either. Teach young girls to respect themselves! They shouldn't even be having sex! This applies to guys too. Teach them the real life dangers. Bring back moral principle, a call to a higher standard, and the value and sanctity of life.  Teach the young adults about responsibility and living for something greater than just yourself. All before getting pregnant, not just after! You see, the problem isn't abortion at all. It's people that choose. And what about saving the mother from the psychological and physiological effects of having an abortion? The reality is...she is also a victim!