Back up a Step

I came back from leave today, and checked FB for the first time in a couple of weeks and I can't say I missed much. My news feed had a few items of interest on it: pictures of friends and family, news from the same, and a few requests for a helping hand. Unfortunately most of this was buried in a heap of ignorance, hatred, filth, knee-jerk screaming, and just plain stupidity so thick I quit looking.

A quick disclaimer: I am a soldier, a gun owner, a Mormon, an Eagle Scout, very fiscally conservative, opposed to government involvement in my marriage and my bedroom, against government run universal health care, a huge sports fan (Utes, Jazz, Broncos, Rockies, Avalanche, RSL, Team USA), a husband/father/son, an avid volunteer, voracious reader, and table top miniature war gamer. However, not one of these things defines who I am in my heart, or how I feel about you as an individual.

Unfortunately, because it is so easy to share information in this day and age we often don't put much thought into what we share or bother to check the "facts" behind what is presented to us. I am convinced that if I as an individual were to sit down with almost any person in the world (and an appropriate translator in many cases) one on one we could come to an agreement and live in harmony.  That is not to say I am some kind of paragon of virtue. That is to say people, individually, are generally reasonable, affable, and kind. It is when we get into groups and try to start defining one another with labels that the wheels come off.

Back off the hate people. Intolerance and stereotyping are running rampant on both sides of several issues. I am sick of it. I will be limiting contact with those who are especially potent in their vitriol. If you have nothing intelligent or useful to add to the conversation, I don't want to listen to your pointless shouting. Please have your opinions, please share them respectfully. Please do not assume because I disagree/agree, I hate/love you.

So that it isn't missed in all of my rambling, here is my central point today: intolerance, racism, bigotry in all its forms are BAD THINGS. Please don't think that because you are on one side or the other of an issue that your side is free of them and the other side is rife with them. Take a step back and look at what they are saying, "walk a mile in their shoes". Your opinion may not change, but your approach to another person may.

Also remember, free speech isn't without price. Someone pays for it. Many people wearing any of several different uniforms have given their lives so you can say rude, ignorant, hateful things to one another on topics where most people's opinions aren't going to change. The Bible taught me, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:3

This country could use a lot more cooperation, selflessness, and compassion.