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Thursday, November 8, 2012

My Biggest Concern

I have been going back and forth about writing this blog post. One reason is because I would never want others to think I had a negative view of the world. Also, it is more of an opinion, but I feel it is an opinion many people may share. I hope you like it...

A thought has been rummaging around my mind for a few years now, but recently it has been brought to the surface. The uproar over the NYC marathon was the first incident that made me think it was an issue that needed to be addressed. We all have different opinions and whether or not we agree or disagree about the marathon decision is unimportant. What is most important to me is the reaction that took place. There were reports of runners getting verbally harassed and even being threatened for planning on running the marathon before it was cancelled. As a runner I couldn't understand the logic behind taking any anger out on the runners. What did the runners do? They paid money and trained hard to run a race that (at the time) was still going on. What did the runners do? They were not in charge of making the decision to cancel or hold the marathon. So, my last question is, why would any anger be taken out on the runners.

Then the election came along. Anyone who knows me knows I HATE social media statuses during the election. I'm sure a lot of people do. Why is that? It isn't because people put statuses saying they voted or even because people publicly state who they voted for. The statuses that disappoint me are those that attempt to impose their opinion on other people. It is the status that says one candidate is stupid or voting for one candidate is stupid. It is the status that says whoever voted from someone is ignorant. It is the status that called someone a communist. It is the status that implies the world will be over if someone ends. The reason these statuses disappoint me is because somewhere in the course of history, we forgot that other opinions make the world work. Somewhere along the line we developed the notion that if someone did not agree with us then THEY were wrong, abnormal, or just stupid. Somewhere along the line we decided that because we disagreed with ideas we clearly have to hate the person who has these ideas. Somewhere along the line we forgot that multiple opinions help us see the truth, multiple opinions help us see from others perspective, multiple opinions help us learn.

I didn't want to write this blog post because I didn't want to give the impression I do not commit these acts. I am sure I do, but I am trying desperately to stop. We cannot live in a world where other opinions  are put down. We cannot live in a world where we are incapable of understanding that disagreeing with someones IDEAS does not mean we have to HATE the person. We cannot live in a world where we use social media to trash others opinions or choices.

I understand that standing up for our beliefs is a noble cause. There are times when such a cause is necessary. However, there is a difference between standing up for your beliefs and IMPOSING your beliefs.

All I ask is that we all try and see that.

All I ask is that we all try and understand that other opinions are not necessarily wrong, but just different from our own.

All I ask is that we lean to distinguish someones IDEA from their worth as a person.

The only we can get better is if we force ourselves to be better.

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