A rant; sorry

[liabrown]

I will never, ever understand why a significant number of people feel free to say all sorts of hateful things, but when you call them out on it or tell them off, they scream "You're so intolerant! Look at how intolerant liberals are

Comments

[neonstilettos]

Time and time again I see Americans not understanding their own rights and freedoms. 'Free speech' does not mean "I get to say whatever I want and you all have to nod respectfully". It means people can tell you off and say their own piece if they don't like what you said.

Yes, this is very true. Republicans in particular think the whole concept of free speech applies only to them, and love to crow about how their god-given rights are being infringed upon if anyone should have the gall to disagree with them. It's extremely tiresome and makes any sort of actual discourse basically impossible; the moment you differ in opinion, they get butthurt and forget that their precious rights also apply to those who hold different views. This is part of the reason why the American political process is so often dysfunctional and worthless right now.

[dewline]

To be fair, it's sadly not confined to those specific schools of Republican/Dominionist thought in the United States. Other groups in other countries are prone to this way of thinking, too. :-(

[newnumber6]

Attitudes like this always remind me of, IMHO, the best scene in the novel Lest Darkness Fall (about a modern day (well, 1940s but it was modern when it was written) scholar who winds up in 6th century Rome and tries to hold off the Dark Ages):

"You don't like the Goths?"
"No! Not with the persecution we have to put up with!"
"Persecution?" Padway raised his eyebrows.
"Religious persecution. We won't stand for it forever."
"I thought the Goths let everybody worship as they pleased."
"That's just it! We Orthodox are forced to stand around and watch as Arians and Monophysites and Nestorians and Jews going about their business unmolested, as if they owned the country. If that isn't persecution, I'd like to know what is!"
"You mean that you're persecuted because the heretics and such are not?"
"Certainly, isn't that obvious? We won't stand- What's your religion, by the way?"

This is what some people actually believe. :(

[foenix]

Here here.

Free speech means you can say what you want. And so can I. It doesn't require agreement by all parties in what is being said.

[sailorrogue]

I just watched what Cameron said and I think he was actually spoke pretty eloquently and maturely about what he believed without being crazy (like so many other conservatives). He was kind of put on the spot by being asked those questions and he answered what he believed. I feel he didn't insult anyone, because he never said "gay people" but rather homosexuality; he spoke about the sin, not the sinner. He also said that we're all sinful (which I think was great, because so many people label homosexuality as the worst sin or that gay people are the worst people) and that he would have a heart-to-heart with his kid if s/he came out to him (which some people wouldn't even do; they'd disown their kids right away