In my opinion, there is hardly anything that is a more unattractive quality in a person than intolerance. I mean, how arrogant! To be intolerant of a person, or group of people, simply because they don't conform with your individual set of ideals does not give you any right at all to consider yourself above said individual...what a narcissistic manner of thinking!!
I'm truly baffled as to how people come to think this way. In my mind, it must, at least in part, come back to the environment that people are raised in...I suppose, if you grow up hearing others talk down on people [or certain groups of people] or if you see/hear that this sort of attitude is acceptable [or even encouraged], then maybe you wouldn't know any better...but I don't think that's exactly true either...
Once a person gets a certain age [or maturity level], they can no longer blame their upbringing for their social shortcomings. Unless it's some sort of seriously atypical situation, a person simply cannot make it to functional adulthood without having to think for themselves! Now that you're thinking for yourself, how is it possible that you let words of spite and hatred spill from your lips without giving any thought to how your words will effect other people?! And what makes you think that your opinion is so much more important than anyone else's? So much more important, that you have the right to spew your venomous opinion all over the 'offending' individual and those in your wake?!
It is a very small, self-centered mentality that allows this sort of garbage to carry on.
To the kids that grow up in environments filled with this sort of emotional filth: I, for one, am truly sorry that you have to be exposed to hate. I know that children do not have the ability/luxury of choosing their families, neighborhoods, or social cohorts and it is unfortunate that they have to learn to live and thrive in such toxicity. However, please do not forget that the most important thing that any person can learn is to be kind. Kindness extends to all of the people around you...family, friends, and strangers, too. Unleashing judgement on those around you is not kindness...even if you, personally, do not agree with or like an aspect of another person...keep your unsolicited thoughts to yourself. Just because you had to grow-up around closed-minded, hateful people definitely does not mean that you have to grow to be one as well.
To the adults that perpetuate this unacceptable behavior: what the hell is the matter with you!? Take notes from one of your kid's movies...remember the scene in Bambi when Thumper, the rabbit, started to comment on Bambi's lack of coordination [he was just born, after all] when his mother promptly stopped him. Instead, she asked Thumper to remember what his father had told him earlier that morning [See the picture to the right]. Just because you're 'grown,' does not make you immune to this very basic social rule! And for the sake of future humanity, do not pass this hateful way of thinking and behaving on to your children.
As I'm sure you've already deduced, this is a topic that strikes a very deep, very personal nerve for me...but, I do feel better now that I've typed out some of my frustrations and put them out into the blogosphere for everyone [or no one] to see...here's to hoping that the next post is much more light-hearted!
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