Why, yes, I am a Liberal. Bring it, Punk.
There is a general code of conduct, I believe, that says you should not discuss politics in the workplace. When you discuss politics, people disagree, and some of the issues are very sensitive to some people, which causes people to get seriously offended-- and you have to work with these people. Regardless of whether you want to invite them over for tea, you still have to work with them, and it's best for you to get along. I was under the impression that people generally understood and abided by this code of conduct, but it so happens that I work in a rather conservative environment. My co-workers are nice people. Conservative nice people. And maybe a little naive, due to the environment of a Presbyterian Pre-School. When they say, "I don't consider myself a Republican, but I would vote for Bush over Kerry," I don't think it really occurs to them that someone working alongside them might have voted for Kerry for very specific reasons that might, if they're not careful, result in that person getting somewhat volatile.
No one was throttled. But the dialogue went something like this...
(previously, we were talking about old tv shows)
Coworker #1 (who I generally don't like, but tolerate, cause you know, coworker): I wasn't allowed to watch the Brady Bunch growing up.
Jill and Coworker #2 (who I generally do like): WHAT? Why The Brady Bunch?
Coworker #1: It was a combination of my parents being annoyed by it and thinking it was sexist.
Jill: Wow. That's actually kind of cool.
Coworker #2 (to Coworker #1): So, you must have come from a pretty liberal family, huh?
Coworker #1: Yes. Very liberal.
Coworker #2: Are you as liberal as they are?
Coworker #1: *scoff* God, No.
Jill's inner monologue: Maybe I should get out of this conversation NOW.
Coworker #1 (continuing): I don't consider myself a Republican, but I would vote for Bush over Kerry.
Coworker #2: Yeah, me too, I am pro-Bush.
Jill's inner monologue: They have no idea I marched on Washington. They have no idea I own anti-Bush underwear. However, if they're at all observant, they must have noticed my anti-Bush bumper stickers.
Coworker #2 (continuing): At first I was pro-Kerry, but there are certain things I can't get around, like legalizing gay marriage.
Jill's inner monologue: Oh, SHIT.
Coworker #2 (continuing): I don't have a problem with people being gay, and they should be able to go to the courthouse, sign papers, whatever, but they shouldn't be able to call it marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman. That would be changing the definition of marriage.
Jill's inner monologue: I can't keep my mouth shut any longer!
Jill: So? What would be so bad about changing the definition of marriage?
Coworker #2: Because... that's just the way it is!
Jill: Things can change.
Coworker #2: Things can change, sure, and I don't have a problem with people being gay, but...
Jill's inner monologue: "I don't have a problem with people being gay, but." is the new "I'm not a feminist, but."
Coworker #2 (continuing): I know it's not right in God's eyes.
Coworker #1: Yup. That's right.
Jill's inner monologue: Wow, those three, nonchalant, affirmative words just pissed me off more than any three words ever.
Coworker #2 (continuing): And I worry that they might go to hell. And I also worry that if we give some amount of sexual freedom, people will run with it.
Jill: *stares*
Coworker #2: (twitching a bit) Okay, so say gay marriage is legalized...
Jill's inner monologue: Here it comes. Prepare for exit. *Jill finishes her drink and closes the window on the computer she was using*
Coworker #2 (continuing): Then, the pedophiles could show up and say, "we love little boys, and we can't help who we love!"
Jill's inner monologue: AAAAAND, SCENE! Try not to be too brutal with the closing line. Down, girl.
Jill: That's ridiculous. It's not the same thing.
*Jill throws her cup in the trash and leaves the office*
Later, to her credit, Coworker #2 found me and apologized, which went something like this.
Coworker: I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to offend you. I was just, you know, making conversation.
Jill: You really shouldn't talk about politics at work. It tends to offend people. Some of my best friends in the world are gay.
Coworker: Oh, I have friends who are gay too, I don't have a problem with being gay, I just...
Jill's inner monologue: How can you call yourself someone's friend and say that they are not right in God's eyes?
Jill: Well, when you start comparing them to pedophiles, it's offensive.
Coworker: I wasn't really trying to compare, I just... I was trying to make a point. I used the wrong words or something. I'm sorry.
Jill: Thank you.
I do like her, not to invite to tea, necessarily, but if she invited me for tea, I'd probably go. And that makes it worse. Coworker #1 matters less, because he always pisses me off. I'm sure he would demand the keys to my uterus if he had the opportunity, which would be terribly ironic, since I'm quite sure he's never had access to a vagina. But HOW CAN PEOPLE THINK THIS WAY? It truly sickens me. You can not tell people whom you call your friends that they are not right in God's eyes. No. You can not. It does not work that way. Guess what? Newsflash: YOU ARE NOT GOD!!!
You are not his spokesperson, either. All you refer to is what the Bible says, but it's not even what the Bible ACTUALLY says, it's what everyone told you it meant. Have you ever sat down and READ the story of Sodom and Gomorrah? The actual text, as it appears in the actual Bible? If you did that, and removed what you had been TOLD about it from your mind, you would see that it says NOTHING about homosexuality. Zip, nada, zilch.
You do not get to choose what is right in God's eyes. You do not get to choose what gay people do or do not do, or whether or not gay people exist. It's not up to you. You're not God. And you know what? Not everybody believes in God. I do, and that colors my argument somewhat, but many people do not. I am Liberal, and I believe in God, and I do not believe that gay people go to hell. I have discussed this at length with a priest who agrees with me. Even if you believe that homosexuality is a sin, sin alone is not grounds for damnation. No, really, it's not. If you read the Bible, you would know this. And guess what? According to the Bible, cutting your hair is a sin. Eating shellfish is a sin. Pre-marital sex is a sin. Adultery is a sin; it even made the Big 10, which homosexuality so DID NOT. Why did homosexuality become everybody's pet peeve, everybody's "OH, THIS IS THE WORST SIN"? I'm positive that many homophobic people have sex outside of marriage, and the ones that don't have been known to get haircuts and shaves on numerous occasions.
But back to the point I was making-- not everyone believes in God. I have two friends who are very much in love and will be married in October. Their marriage will not be legal, because neither of them possesses a Y chromosome. And if you tell them that they are not right in God's eyes? They will not care. Because they are Agnostic. They're not sure if God exists, nor do they particularly care. I don't know about you, but if I'm indifferent to someone's existence-- I'm not too worried about what he or she thinks of me. You there, the stranger who just wandered over to my livejournal? I don't care if I'm right in your eyes or not. Okay? Good.
Since I've made it clear that I am NOT worried that my friends will go to hell for being gay, should I worry that they are going to hell because of their Agnosticism? No. Because IT'S NOT UP TO ME. Yes, I believe in God. BUT I AM NOT GOD. There is a huge fucking difference between believing in a deity and believing that I have access to all of that deity's inner workings and decisions.
And WHY do people constantly make the leap of logic from homosexuality to pedophilia? And then, if that doesn't work, to bestiality? Listen up, world, and listen up GOOD.
THERE IS AN ENORMOUS, INCOMPARABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING SEX WITH ANOTHER CONSENTING ADULT WHO HAPPENS TO HAVE THE SAME TWO CHROMOSOMES THAT YOU HAVE AND HAVING SEX WITH A NONCONSENTING, PRESEXUAL BEING.
If you can't just accept that, then you know what? You're an asshole. Sure, you have the right to your own opinions, and you can vote for Bush if you want to, because that's what democracy is all about and it's not up to me who's president--but you're still an asshole.
And, yeah, you still shouldn't talk about politics at work.
No one was throttled. But the dialogue went something like this...
(previously, we were talking about old tv shows)
Coworker #1 (who I generally don't like, but tolerate, cause you know, coworker): I wasn't allowed to watch the Brady Bunch growing up.
Jill and Coworker #2 (who I generally do like): WHAT? Why The Brady Bunch?
Coworker #1: It was a combination of my parents being annoyed by it and thinking it was sexist.
Jill: Wow. That's actually kind of cool.
Coworker #2 (to Coworker #1): So, you must have come from a pretty liberal family, huh?
Coworker #1: Yes. Very liberal.
Coworker #2: Are you as liberal as they are?
Coworker #1: *scoff* God, No.
Jill's inner monologue: Maybe I should get out of this conversation NOW.
Coworker #1 (continuing): I don't consider myself a Republican, but I would vote for Bush over Kerry.
Coworker #2: Yeah, me too, I am pro-Bush.
Jill's inner monologue: They have no idea I marched on Washington. They have no idea I own anti-Bush underwear. However, if they're at all observant, they must have noticed my anti-Bush bumper stickers.
Coworker #2 (continuing): At first I was pro-Kerry, but there are certain things I can't get around, like legalizing gay marriage.
Jill's inner monologue: Oh, SHIT.
Coworker #2 (continuing): I don't have a problem with people being gay, and they should be able to go to the courthouse, sign papers, whatever, but they shouldn't be able to call it marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman. That would be changing the definition of marriage.
Jill's inner monologue: I can't keep my mouth shut any longer!
Jill: So? What would be so bad about changing the definition of marriage?
Coworker #2: Because... that's just the way it is!
Jill: Things can change.
Coworker #2: Things can change, sure, and I don't have a problem with people being gay, but...
Jill's inner monologue: "I don't have a problem with people being gay, but." is the new "I'm not a feminist, but."
Coworker #2 (continuing): I know it's not right in God's eyes.
Coworker #1: Yup. That's right.
Jill's inner monologue: Wow, those three, nonchalant, affirmative words just pissed me off more than any three words ever.
Coworker #2 (continuing): And I worry that they might go to hell. And I also worry that if we give some amount of sexual freedom, people will run with it.
Jill: *stares*
Coworker #2: (twitching a bit) Okay, so say gay marriage is legalized...
Jill's inner monologue: Here it comes. Prepare for exit. *Jill finishes her drink and closes the window on the computer she was using*
Coworker #2 (continuing): Then, the pedophiles could show up and say, "we love little boys, and we can't help who we love!"
Jill's inner monologue: AAAAAND, SCENE! Try not to be too brutal with the closing line. Down, girl.
Jill: That's ridiculous. It's not the same thing.
*Jill throws her cup in the trash and leaves the office*
Later, to her credit, Coworker #2 found me and apologized, which went something like this.
Coworker: I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to offend you. I was just, you know, making conversation.
Jill: You really shouldn't talk about politics at work. It tends to offend people. Some of my best friends in the world are gay.
Coworker: Oh, I have friends who are gay too, I don't have a problem with being gay, I just...
Jill's inner monologue: How can you call yourself someone's friend and say that they are not right in God's eyes?
Jill: Well, when you start comparing them to pedophiles, it's offensive.
Coworker: I wasn't really trying to compare, I just... I was trying to make a point. I used the wrong words or something. I'm sorry.
Jill: Thank you.
I do like her, not to invite to tea, necessarily, but if she invited me for tea, I'd probably go. And that makes it worse. Coworker #1 matters less, because he always pisses me off. I'm sure he would demand the keys to my uterus if he had the opportunity, which would be terribly ironic, since I'm quite sure he's never had access to a vagina. But HOW CAN PEOPLE THINK THIS WAY? It truly sickens me. You can not tell people whom you call your friends that they are not right in God's eyes. No. You can not. It does not work that way. Guess what? Newsflash: YOU ARE NOT GOD!!!
You are not his spokesperson, either. All you refer to is what the Bible says, but it's not even what the Bible ACTUALLY says, it's what everyone told you it meant. Have you ever sat down and READ the story of Sodom and Gomorrah? The actual text, as it appears in the actual Bible? If you did that, and removed what you had been TOLD about it from your mind, you would see that it says NOTHING about homosexuality. Zip, nada, zilch.
You do not get to choose what is right in God's eyes. You do not get to choose what gay people do or do not do, or whether or not gay people exist. It's not up to you. You're not God. And you know what? Not everybody believes in God. I do, and that colors my argument somewhat, but many people do not. I am Liberal, and I believe in God, and I do not believe that gay people go to hell. I have discussed this at length with a priest who agrees with me. Even if you believe that homosexuality is a sin, sin alone is not grounds for damnation. No, really, it's not. If you read the Bible, you would know this. And guess what? According to the Bible, cutting your hair is a sin. Eating shellfish is a sin. Pre-marital sex is a sin. Adultery is a sin; it even made the Big 10, which homosexuality so DID NOT. Why did homosexuality become everybody's pet peeve, everybody's "OH, THIS IS THE WORST SIN"? I'm positive that many homophobic people have sex outside of marriage, and the ones that don't have been known to get haircuts and shaves on numerous occasions.
But back to the point I was making-- not everyone believes in God. I have two friends who are very much in love and will be married in October. Their marriage will not be legal, because neither of them possesses a Y chromosome. And if you tell them that they are not right in God's eyes? They will not care. Because they are Agnostic. They're not sure if God exists, nor do they particularly care. I don't know about you, but if I'm indifferent to someone's existence-- I'm not too worried about what he or she thinks of me. You there, the stranger who just wandered over to my livejournal? I don't care if I'm right in your eyes or not. Okay? Good.
Since I've made it clear that I am NOT worried that my friends will go to hell for being gay, should I worry that they are going to hell because of their Agnosticism? No. Because IT'S NOT UP TO ME. Yes, I believe in God. BUT I AM NOT GOD. There is a huge fucking difference between believing in a deity and believing that I have access to all of that deity's inner workings and decisions.
And WHY do people constantly make the leap of logic from homosexuality to pedophilia? And then, if that doesn't work, to bestiality? Listen up, world, and listen up GOOD.
THERE IS AN ENORMOUS, INCOMPARABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING SEX WITH ANOTHER CONSENTING ADULT WHO HAPPENS TO HAVE THE SAME TWO CHROMOSOMES THAT YOU HAVE AND HAVING SEX WITH A NONCONSENTING, PRESEXUAL BEING.
If you can't just accept that, then you know what? You're an asshole. Sure, you have the right to your own opinions, and you can vote for Bush if you want to, because that's what democracy is all about and it's not up to me who's president--but you're still an asshole.
And, yeah, you still shouldn't talk about politics at work.