I love the buzz words we are throwing around in our society today. We come across something and then we label someone with it; usually because they don’t agree with us. Well, those who live in glass houses really shouldn’t throw stones.
Very rarely do I speak out about politics or religion. Do I have an opinion? Yes. Very much so and if you want to know what it is, you can ask. I have no problem discussing my view points–intelligently. The problem is that it seems some people forget we still have freedom of speech and everyone has a right to their opinion.
At least, last time I checked, they hadn’t yanked this out of the constitution. It is still a first amendment right. Although, it seems, much like when people quote the bible, things are often taken out of context. Which makes me think that people don’t have a clue what it means.
So, let me nutshell it for you: just because you don’t agree with me, that doesn’t make me wrong and you right. It doesn’t make my voice less important than yours. It doesn’t mean I don’t have a right to express what I think or feel because it goes against your view point.
If you want to give your opinion, and let me be VERY clear here, it is YOUR opinion; and I listen to it quietly and thoughtfully, then you should give me the same courtesy. Or has that definition changed too? When I give my opinion and I back it up with thoughts, facts, numbers, graphs and details and you have no response except for name calling–which, by the way, doesn’t make you automatically win-your agreement doesn’t change my opinion.
Name calling doesn’t do anything to change my opinion either. It only changes my opinion of you. Learn to agree to disagree and not resort to elementary school behavior (and I might have just done a dis-service to even some elementary school children by saying that.) Then, you might also want to consider what kind of witness have you just given?
I am not ashamed to be a Christian. I am, however, embarrassed by the behavior of some of those who use the same label and then resort to doing things that would make an individual want to question religion. Learn to use intelligent conversation and agree to disagree. There is nothing worse than being under a “banner” and everyone pulling in their own direction for their own agenda. Take one look at Washington D.C. and you can see how far that is getting us.
The definition of xenophobia, for those of you who don’t know, is (according to Merriam Webster) “fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign”. Now, I would like to point out that word ANYTHING – that is strange or foreign. Let it sink it for a moment.
So, to call a person xenophobic, because they are expressing a distrust of (as a lot of people are and with obvious good reason) radical Islamic individuals; is a misnomer. Also, if you are a Christian, “judge not lest you be judged” still applies. If you don’t like it when people are putting labels on you, then why are you putting labels on them. Two wrongs don’t make a right. (Which is not the same as two negatives.)
Just to clarify–you can call someone xenophobic if they do fall under that label. Or they label themselves. However, phobias are real issues and to use them to slander someone, well–maybe you should give it a thought as to its proper usage.
Oh, and for the record, I do realize that someone out there somewhere is going to feel the sting of these thoughts. You may even think they are written directly to you. Or for you. The truth is: they weren’t aimed at any one individual. Yet, if you took what I wrote personally, maybe you should consider a closer examination of yourself.
At some point, it might be good to recognize we can learn and grow from other people’s perspectives; without having to agree with them. They can expand our mind and the way we view things. Knowledge and education are good things when forming viewpoints.
Plus, there is nothing wrong with being willing to change your mind about something if you discover there is information that you find yourself agreeing with.