But you have to respect their views...NOT!

I'm constantly trying to understand people.  I'm infinitely curious as to why people act and think the way they do.  I could sit at the mall for hours and just watch passersby and try to figure out their stories.  I'm especially interested in understanding people who are different than me in some way - this topic has been using a lot of my daily energy as of late.

Most people are aware of my political leaning.  If you are not, it's to the left.  But because of my new obsession with trying to understand those who are different than me, I have been spending a lot of time reading conservative blogs and even the walls of conservative Facebook groups.  This has been an often frightening experience and can keep me up at night as I lay in bed with my laptop, my comforter shielding the heat from my legs.  My mind starts to spiral out of control, almost as if I'm in an alternate universe as I read some of the comments and ideas these people post for the world to see.

Gay marriage is obviously one of the topics that interests me most.  On a daily basis (that's not an exaggeration) I try to understand the thoughts of those who oppose giving this right to gay people.  I go through the basic arguments and try to see things from their point of view.  Each time I come up with the same result:  I don't get it.  

I've generally always thought that I should be the "bigger person" in such discussions.  I should stay calm and be respectful of the views of others.  I thought it necessary to go out of my way to show these people that their views, although different from mine, were theirs and I respected them.  I wanted to prove that gay people could have a rational conversation about the issue and perhaps this would help the opposing view to see that gay people are in fact perfectly normal.  I would say, "Well, I disagree, but I respect their views."

Today, I've changed my mind.  If I am to be completely honest I must say that I don't respect the views of people who oppose gay marriage.  An overwhelming number of people who hold this view think that homosexuality is "wrong" and "immoral."  By saying that I respect this point of view, it suggests that it's okay to make such a statement.  It is not okay.  These hateful, bigoted views must not be respected.  It is time that the discourse on gay marriage move away from the question of homosexuality's legitimacy.  

I'm tired.

I'm tired of accepting that certain people think who I am is "wrong."  I'm not going to do it anymore and I ask you to do the same.  

I'm tired of having to walk on egg shells around people who just might not "agree" with my "lifestyle"  that I have no control over, and I'm not going to do it anymore.  

I'm tired of putting on a gleeful face just to show that their hate doesn't affect me.  It does affect me and I'm not going to stand for it anymore.  They are wrong and I shouldn't have to deal with their hate anymore.

I'm tired of living in a country that speaks of the value of freedom for all people and yet these same people fight to deny me the same freedoms they hold so dear.  It's wrong and they need to know it.

We live in the United States of America.  The year is 2009.  There are still people who get away with preaching hateful, inaccurate views to the world.  These people need to be silenced.  Now.  

So, today I resolve to do what I can to not allow hate to be respected.  Please join me, won't you?