Monday, November 30, 2009

Racism

Racism is a word that it seems most everybody hates. It's a horrible thing, it shouldn't be tolerated, and it must be done away with. Ask anyone they'll tell you it's got to go. My question is why?

In a world of political correctness and anti-ethnocentrism we often times jump on the bandwagon of the majority and neglect the feelings and beliefs of the minority. I really don't have very much to say on this topic because I don't have an answer to my question. However what I do have is a question.

Where do we stop, and why do we stop where we do?

Ethnocentrism, by my definition, is the belief that your own beliefs are fundamentally right, and any beliefs to the contrary are wrong, odd, or immoral. I feel that definition communicates the concept well enough for the purpose of this blog.

So ethnocentrism is when you feel that your life, your society, your values and your beliefs are the right and only way. There may be other ways to do things but because you've grown up wherever you did you see those other ways as strange. So when Americans go to the UK and see cars on the other side of the road the common response is "wow that's weird". However if the British come here they will undoubtedly say the same thing. Now you may ask well why does it matter? Who cares? Well in situations like that it doesn't matter and nobody cares but lets broaden the scope to envelope our government and law system. Government has the power to imprison and in some cases execute people based off of their perception of right and wrong. Now do you see the issue?

So let's take an issues for which there is no punishment. Gay marriage. Some of us agree with it, some of us don't, and still others of us couldn't care less. Gay marriage is illegal in a lot of places, which means if you think that gay marriage is ok then you are being punished by a government that says it is not. Now gay marriage is on the rises primarily because the number of people in favor of it is growing and it is quickly becoming taboo to speak out against it. So as themajority shifts, so too do the lawmakers, and thus the laws.

Now let's take a dramatic example. My favorite one. Murder. Its horrible right? Killing a person is never acceptable, right? Especially if it is pre-meditated and the there was considerable pain and suffering. Murder is illegal almost everywhere in the world and most everyone is ok with that, but what about the people that aren't? They just like the supporters of gay marriage are punished for believing in something that goes against the majority. I mean who decided that murder was wrong? Especially if we are not going to bring GOD into the room (because our laws aren't supposed to reflect religion). So really who decides what's right and wrong? What if I'm a serial killer and I don't see anything wrong with killing people? Why is the law right and I'm wrong? Is it simply because there are more people on your side than mine? Are we that primitive that it comes down to who's on your team? Really?

So normally when I make that example people always say "well that's different" or "that's just not the same." Why is that any different? You see hypocrisy really irks me to my core, and this is hypocrisy at it's worst. You want me to open my mind and see that gay marriage is ok but you won't take it one step further. So I mean is bestiality ok? I mean if men sleeping with men is okay then why is it so hard to consider men sleeping with goats? You laugh but I'm serious. What is the difference. So don't tell me to open my mind. If I have to then we all have to. And if we all start opening our minds, really opening our minds where should stop? Don't stop at gay marriage, bestiality, or murder. What about rape, incest, and theft? If I don't see a problem with it why should I have to not do it just because someone else has a problem with it?

And here is where we come full circle. Racism why is it wrong? If I'm a racist why should I have to stop being racist because you have a problem with it. Not that I am racist, but if I was I wouldn't be willing to change my whole outlook just because some people didn't like my attitude.

Just something to think about.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Introduction

A very close friend of mine just started a blog and is using it to help express her emotions. I thought about it and I feel as though a blog would do me some good as well.

This blog is in no way meant to be offensive but with that being said I have a lot of things to say and seeing how this is my space I may not always take the time to be politically correct.

Moving on. The blog is called is called The Rejected Stone after the verse in Psalms which states that "the stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner." The verse refers to Jesus but I like to extend the verse into my own life. I like to think of myself as a rebel, one that has been rejected, refused, and the rest. However, I wouldn't have it any other way because to be rejected is to have complete freedom from the status quo. I don't care what the world thinks. I'm not here to impress you, I'm here to live my life in the way I see fit. And like the verse says the one the world rejected later became the chief cornerstone. Interpret that however you want to.

Basically I'm going to use this space to pour out my thoughts. I am a socially conscious brother and I often struggle with caring too much and not caring at all. I find it hard to land anywhere but the extremes. So I'm either giving my all or not giving anything. As I conscious brother I see my own hypocrisy and am eager to address the issues in a way that won't frustrate me. This blog will be a tool for me to incorporate others' opinions with my own so that we might all grow together.