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I believe we should be free to argue, explain, clarify, debate, rage, sing, dramatize, and deny. I do not believe that shooting people, bombing, murdering, burning, shaming, judging, drowning, threatening, bullying, or name-calling will work to contain ideologies or opinions that you do not like.
On Facebook, I have been called warped, stupid, crazy, weird, disgusting, ignorant, scary, silly, idiot, ridiculous, and have been labeled a demon, heretic, apostate, hypocrite, adulterer, sinner, alcoholic, pervert, and blasphemer. And ironically when I traced down the profile page of the name-callers and bullies—every one of the above words were used by someone who calls themselves a christian—Bible verses spread all over their page beside Fox News and Trump quotes and memes.
Sadly, many people who call themselves evangelicals and Christians have made abortion the unpardonable sin and Trump an idol. And they use these false beliefs to justify shaming, judging and condemning.
To quote Neil Gaiman, “I believe that repressing ideas spreads ideas.”
I believe that responsible media and journalism are containers for ideas, and that calling them the “enemy of the people” will be as unsuccessful as bombing the media offices. It is too late. The ideas are already out, hiding in people’s hearts, formulating in their thoughts. In today’s society, they can be blogged, YouTubed, tweeted, and networked.
I believe America is no longer a white male dominated country, and can no longer harbor a Nationalist agenda. The world has changed. The Trump base, Fox News watchers, and entitled, privileged, spoiled elitists like Kavanaugh, belong to an America that is dying a speedy death—it could start tomorrow. And it will be an ugly demise.
I believe that ideologies and beliefs do not have to be correct to exist.
I believe you have every right to sincerely believe that images and books of gods, prophets, or humans you idolize are sacred, just as I have the right to be certain of the freedom of the press, and of the sanctity to debate, dialogue, to argue, and to be disruptive.
Again I quote Neil Gaiman, “I believe I have the right to think and say the wrong things. I believe your remedy for that should be to argue with me or to ignore me, and that I should have the same remedy for the wrong things that I believe you think.
I believe you have the absolute right to think things that I find offensive, stupid, absurd or dangerous. And that you have the right to speak, write, or distribute these things, and that I do not have the right to kill you, maim you, hurt you, or take away your liberty and property because I find your ideas threatening or insulting or downright disgusting. You probably think some of my beliefs are pretty vile too.
I believe that in the battle of ideas and weapons, ideas will eventually win. Because the ideas are invisible, and they linger, and they spread, and sometimes, they can even be true.”
