What Is Wrong with US?
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.-- C.S. Lewis
What is so wrong with progressive thinking? What is wrong with opening our minds? Why can't we as a US culture get past the narrow view of our traditionalist past and see the bigger picture of tomorrow?
Frank Rich's NY Times column addresses the decency issue which exploded one year and two days ago by a brief glance at Janet Jackson's tit. I hope none of those zealots watched Project Runway last night when Robert showed his cute little backside and it was no malfunction -- thank you Bravo. He also questions the "moral values" that are being forced on us for the sake of the children in our society. I am sick and tired of people saying shit like "I don't want my child to see that" or "Kids could get the wrong idea." Please, please, please give that shit up. How about this you over-breeding, overfed, bible-thumper? How about you stop shielding your child from the world and teach them about the joys and dangers of it? How about you take some time to explain to your child all the different choices there are in this life? Let them know that everything has a benefit and a consequence, even a titty. You say that we liberals are forcing our lifestyle on you? How about you stop forcing me to live my life based on your teachings to your children? Teachings that make children believe that world is a completely antiseptic place where there is no sexuality and everybody loves Jesus. That may be ideal for you but this still is America isn't it?
I believe people moral values are personal. Who is to say what is good and bad. I think it should be a more of ethics... whats right and wrong... If people dont' want their children to see or hears something they feel is indecent they need to monitor what their child sees or hears.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. Ethics certainly are important and moral values are as well. But, as you said, moral values are personal. They should be used to guide you in your own journey not forced upon others especially when your motives are lacking in compassion and love.
ReplyDeleteUgh. I totally agree. There's technology now for the parents who want to shield their kids from every damn thing, but of course my argument would be yours: why not expose them to REAL LIFE and then segue from that into some meaningful discussions? I'm not saying young children should be exposed to a lot of sex and violence right off the bat, of course not. But for example, my parents were very strict about what I was able to watch on TV, etc., and in the meantime they talked to me about the things I did see and experience to help me develop my own sense of morals/ethics AND, just as importantly, my critical thinking skills. Oh, I could go on and on but I'll put it on my own damn blog!
ReplyDeleteAnd P.S. of course I agree with you, where does all that crap leave the rest of us who don't have kids and would like to watch our sexy, violent shows thank-you-very-much? What, I can't feed my Nip/Tuck addiction just because you don't know how to raise your brats??
Final thought (I promise!): I love when your posts about some outrageous homophobic action are titled "We Still Matter." Ain't that the truth? Frustrating and awful as it is, I think it should make gays feel extremely powerful. If you weren't scaring the shit out of these right-wing nutjobs, one assumes they would just ignore you...right? Even though I hate how much they seem to be controlling this country at the moment, in truth I find them pathetic. Their lives seem totally run by fear, and therefore pretty worthless.
--LL Cool P
LL Cool P - You so rock my world. Cheers!
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