Chick Fil Who the Hell Cares.

Mood: Calm

Listening to: Hindi music videos

Disclaimer: I am whipping out my soap box for this post.

So. Unless you pull ostrich moves for a living, you’ve probably been unable to get away from this entirely ridiculous chest thumping and grandstanding about Chick Fil A. I almost left this issue lie; but then again, sometimes I can’t help myself. Sigh. I do occasionally fall for troll issues. I hate jumping on moving trains of opinions that people have already gotten moving and jumped on en masse – it just seems…like you need attention. That’s not my motive here. I’m sick of hearing about Chick Fil A. What I’m even sicker of is hearing every god damned opinion on earth about whether Dan Cathy is a hero or a douche canoe.

You know what folks? It really doesn’t matter. He’s neither. He’s a man who happens to have an opinion on something. Just like every other Tom, Dick, Jessica, and Heather in the country. The fact that he runs a restaurant chain is also irrelevant. That doesn't make you a moral compass for anything. It's an economic choice a person made. The choice not to operate on Sunday is also not something to get in a lather about. If Chick Fil A see the loss of Sunday sales as a reasonable price for a principal they have, so be it. Since Mr. Cathy started the company, he can base it on whatever principals he deems to be correct. That’s his right as an American; he's not violating any laws with his opinion.

The genius of America (even if it is painful for those who don’t agree) is that you are free to think whatever you want. For the most part, you can say whatever you want. You are free to believe whatever religion/philosophy you want.  A bigger part of this genius is the capitalistic system. I know that some people say that it’s impersonal, soulless, and dangerous, but that’s simply not true.  Your dollars are the only true power you have to change anything in the US. Realistically, you can vote, but you will not change the system through voting.  If you so choose that you don’t like a business, just don’t go there. If enough people feel the same way, the business will go out of business. If not, you can use your dollars to support other things you do believe in or feel strongly about.

As much as it pains me to say it, Mayor of Boston, cut that shit out. I agree with your sentiment, but the answer to intolerance is not fascism. Boston is an amazing city full of people of all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. Let them vote. If people don’t want that kind of attitude and intolerance, they will vote and the restaurant won’t be able to stay open in Boston. If Chick Fil A feels that making a public stand on a religious/political issue is worth whatever economic backlash/support that comes from it, let economic voting take its course.

There’s absolutely no need to jump on the moral superiority wagon because you have an opinion or believe a certain way. I personally feel that intolerance for difference has no place in the world today, but more than that, I feel that the right to believe/stand up for what you believe in is an innate right. I would never think to tell someone like Dan Cathy that he can’t think that way or say things like that, even if I believe he’s dead wrong. It’s his innate right to have his opinion, no matter what I think of it.

Look folks, for me, the heart of this issue comes down to not being a dick to other people and letting them live life as they see fit. Ever action has a consequence, either good or bad. The misplaced desire to save people from these consequences is not beneficial for anyone. If I am going to go to hell because I believe that marrying someone from outside of my own race (just as an example) is alright, I really don’t need to be convinced I came to that decision wrongly and that I need to be saved. I’m a big enough person to think through my own decisions and take whatever consequences come along. I did not ask you to be a parent figure for my soul. It was not requested and definitely isn’t wanted.

For me, you are welcome to believe whatever you’d like, but that does not excuse you to be a dick to others. I have cousins on Facebook that make me wince every time I log on because they are so abusive in their comments about anyone who doesn’t believe the same that they do. I know that these remarks aren’t aimed personally at me (I’m not even sure if they realize this type thing may be offensive to me), but the vehemence in them bothers me. I respect their right to have a different opinion than mine, but I don’t think it’s ok to be condescending to people who don’t share the same religion/philosophy/political views/opinions on sweet potatoes as you. Everyone finds their own truth. Acting superior because you think yours is the best view or the only correct one isn’t going to convert anyone, it’s just going to make you look like an asshole.

At the risk of sounding like a hippy, live and let live people. If someone’s philosophy on something isn’t harming you, butt the hell out.

Becky

Asshat of the Week – Sean Harris

Listening to: Swing Swing – All American Rejects
Mood: Pissed.

If you don’t associate the name with the story/are an ostrich, this asshat is the pastor that advised punishing your effeminate sons and forcing your daughters to look pretty.  Yes, it’s an oversimplification of the situation, but it’s just so you get the gist of it.

Watch out ladies and gentlemen, I am whipping out the soap box again. I don’t want to be a blogger who just rants about stupid stuff I don’t agree with all the time, but I feel like this is one of those situations where you can’t just sit quietly and not say anything.

Pastor Harris (and I say that only out of years of it being drilled into me that the only proper way to address a minister is Pastor, even if you can’t stand them), may I ask you a question? Do you have an effeminate son? Do you have a tomboy daughter? If your answer is no, please shut the hell up right now. Even the very best parents among us wish for a training manual. Talking about a child rearing situation you have no personal experience in makes you a douche at best. Absolutely no one should listen to you spout off such damaging practices about things you don’t know about. Seriously.

If your answer is yes, you have my sympathy. Not because you have a sissy as a son or a boyish daughter, but because they will doubtlessly end up with a pretty deep seated disgust and anger at you not accepting them as they are. If I may remind you of a few small things: 1. You are a parent first and foremost in your life. Your job is to love and cherish your children. There are no guarantees that you will end up with the same life views as your child. Don’t waste a beautiful, natural relationship with your child over who they are. Your job is to love the hell out of that child and raise him or her to the best of your ability. 2. There is absolutely nothing in the bible about shaming your child for being different. I’m not even arguing the religious views on homosexuality. God specifically said love one another – this goes 6 fold for your family. Buck up and be the man your family needs you to be; a Godly one.

What this comes down to folks is religion. Now I’m not knocking religion – it definitely has a role to play for people with spirituality and human needs. What I really strongly object to is the sense of righteous morality that makes people judge others based on their singular view of the world and feel better about themselves. I’m not going to go into homosexuality in this post beyond a touch, because this issue could apply to almost any of the other Christian sins – homosexuality just seems to be a hot issue right now.

I am so tired of listening to people spout off a view that they know is ill informed or will stir up controversy for the sake of argument. You don’t talk to an atheist about how God requires us to pray in a church once a week unless you want an argument. Look, we’re all entitled to our own views on religion and existentiality. Everyone arrives at their own truth sooner or later. It is egotistical in the extreme to figure that you have thought more or arrived at a more correct conclusion than anyone else. You simply cannot make anyone else subscribe to your brand of religion.  Nor does your brand make you more righteous, spiritual, or moral.

I understand that labeling and sorting things into convenient parameters helps humans to deal with the world. It’s a scary, confusing, chaotic place. This is not an excuse to dehumanize those who are different than us. We need to call out this fear and start seeing things for what they are and start remembering that in spite of it all, we are all humans. If you feel the need, use religion to meet your spiritual needs, but do not for one minute think this makes you different or special in relation to the rest of the human race. Having a belief system does not in any way excuse you from respecting humanity. Belief systems and religion are a way for you to conduct yourself, not impose arbitrary rules on those around you.

Children are people too. Being children they need a lot of guidance, but they also need love, respect and acceptance too. It is criminal in my mind to tell a child that they are wrong in whom they are and that they should put on an act to be something else. How can you raise a secure, happy child if you can’t accept that they are who they are? It may work to subvert a child’s natural self when they are young, but it will come out with a vengeance when they get a little bit older and rightfully start thinking for themselves. They will then resent the fact that they never got acceptance from the only people in the world they have a right to expect it from and will think that there is something inherently bad with themselves that they had to be something else. The world is a brutal, nasty place. Helping your child to accept who they are and be proud of it is one of the best things that you can do for your child in order for them to be confident enough to navigate life – no matter whom or what they are.

What are your thoughts? Is it acceptable to do this for a lesser degree for other issues? For example, we use behavior modification to stop tantrums. Where do think the line is between changing who they are and helping them function in a society?

Becky