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It's like ray-hee-aiin.

As I rode my bike away from my class, the first thing that caught my eye was the enormous colored display of fetuses in various stages of development/abortion. As I got closer I could make out the details of the smaller pictures and, eventually, the text that accompanied the images.

Then I saw the other sign. "Warning: graphic images ahead."

The display blocked most of the street, forcing people to mill around beneath it. I came by after my classes were done to read what people had written on the signs marked "Free Speech Board." Most of the text detailed how disgusted the authors were by the pictures of aborted fetuses and mentioned how the images encouraged them to advocate abortion even more. I sat on my bike and read through both sides of the board, following the succession of thoughts indicated by the myriad of arrows.

I was about to leave when a girl near me decided she was fed up with what she had been reading. She huffed and puffed and grabbed a marker, scribbling madly across the white paper. When she finished her rant she stepped back and admired her handiwork. Then she started talking. She grabbed the closest ears and started hissing and growling about how only idiots could hold such an opinion as the one she read. She listed off why "their" beliefs were stupid and why hers were superior. She mentioned that they were stupid a few times, too. She went on and on until someone else--with the opposite view--jumped in.

They tangled and exchanged words and I stayed and listened until I had trouble keeping a straight face. I pushed off and rode slowly into the crowd. It reminded me of an episode of Home Movies. "Everybody's Entitled To My Opinion."Sometimes I wish people would keep their opinions to themselves. It certainly is nice that people have beliefs that they are willing to fight for, but there are certain rules and etiquette inherent to holding them. At least, I think there are.

There are forums where discussions can be held in an orderly manner. People just choose not to use them, I guess. They'd rather run outside and pick fights with everyone who sees the world differently from them. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks this way, but if people just kept their thoughts to themselves they wouldn't make stupid decisions or say stupid things when people--with the opposite view--got them upset. They wouldn't get into fights. They wouldn't look stupid in front of everyone with enough sense to shut up. We'd be a lot more civilized that way, I think.

But if we didn't voice our opinions, then we'd never advance ourselves. We'd just sit there and stagnate because nobody would be brave enough--or stupid enough--to say what they thought. And nobody would be brave enough--or stupid enough--to fight them on it. So we'll just keep going along as we are. Like squabbling idiots.

That's okay, I guess.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Like you said, you can never make advancements until someone challenges the norm.

But there are better ways to go about it.
February 26, 2009 at 8:36 AM
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