harbarger theory: objects in the mirror really ARE closer than they appear!
In the past few months, we have been witnesses to some appalling behavior, haven't we? First, we have people coming to Town Hall Meetings and, in some cases, screaming hysterically at congressfolk. Now, granted, sometimes they NEED to be screamed at, but isn't that why we vote them into and out of office? Isn't the voting booth the most effective way to get our point across? I think so.
Adding fuel to the fire, we have Joe Wilson, an elected representative to the US Congress (albeit a guy who is a Son Of The Confederacy and fought hard to keep the Confederate Flag as a herald of his home state of South Carolina ... [note to self - find a way to convince these knuckleheads that the Civil War has ALREADY been fought!]), yelling out in the middle of a speech by a sitting president to a joint session of congress! Holy moly!
Finally, we have Kanye West, whose money and popularity has made him think that we care what he thinks! He crashes the stage to make a stupid statement about something that matters to a few, but completely sucks the joy out of a moment for the honoree. Some days, Beyonce gets the lauds and some days Taylor Swift gets them. That's the way the MP3 crumbles. Ya know?
But, more importantly, we have somehow opened the door for people to forget that we should be civil to each other. Should we disagree? Sure. Should we voice our disagreement? Of course. Should we be hateful, disrespectful and immature about it? I should hope not!!
Some have laid the blame at the feet of people like Jerry Springer, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity or the myriad Rant "Journalists" out there. I'm not willing to go there. They may encourage it and model it, but my behavior is MY responsibility, good, bad or ugly.
Therefore, let us covenant together that we will disagree openly, vigorously, but respectfully and in ways that are appropriate for adults. Like the Apostle Paul, let us put away childish things and ways and become adults. Let us learn new ways of discourse that produce more light than heat and more respect than self-righteousness.
It's time to grow up, America!!! There are big issues at stake. Put on your big girl panties and let's talk ... and listen.
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4 comments:
I don't know how I feel about that part about the big girl panties. Now I feel like only girls react irrationally when all those examples were men.
This is a stupid post.
Okay, now my real response.
I just SO MUCH agree with this. You and I have talked about this kind of behavior among pastors as well. And Molly, to be sure, women are guilty of this too.
First, I do think there needs to be an understanding that diversity of opinion is not uniformity of opinion. Where i don't believe all opinions are equally valid (and really, no one does if you push it) I do believe that people who disagree with me bring something to the table that will sharpen me. So I need to learn to respect other voices and learn from them.
But Kanye was just being a... nevermind.
BTW, did you read that no only is Joe Wilson's fundraising up, but so is his opponent's fund raising? Apparently, we like it when people act like jerks. I wonder if Kanye's album sales will soar?
Molly, my "big girl panties" line was just clever (?) wordsmithing!! I suspect that men are just as (or more likely to) be verbally stupid than women. It was just funnier to say "big girl panties."
Clever guy, eh??
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