Flutterby
standard-issue human
I apologize if this is not to someone's particular tastes, but it is just a little rant and is not meant to become a pissing contest over anyone's beliefs.
Before we begin, I would like to establish that I am a white teenage girl that grew up in a upper-middle class family so you know who this is coming from, and I have left out any names because they seem unnecessary to the reason of the post, which is to get this off my chest.
In this country, we have this wonderful thing called Free Speech. I think it is magnificent, and love when I see people using it to express their views. What I hate to see, however, is when this fundamental value is twisted and used to hurt people, often times people who have never done a single thing wrong.
Everyone has the right to say what they want. But I draw the line when it begins to hurt individuals on a personal level.
I have a friend. She is one of the sweetest, nicest, most happy people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. It doesnt matter how tired, angry, sad, whatever, she will go out of her way to make you smile, even if you arent friends. She works at her family restaurant, which just opened in town, and has been getting a lot of good reviews. She has lived in our small town her whole life, and everyone knows her or her family.
Tonight, she posted a very emotionally charged message in our "Culture Club" group chat. Due to some recent comments by a political figure, she has been being treated like a trouble-maker, when she has only ever been helpful, cheerful, and a joy to be around. These comments, whether in context or not, have been widely publisized and talked about, especially in a town like mine, where we have a large population of the race/ethnic group they were partially directed toward. But, I digress, back to my friend. Workers at the dollar store she has been going to since she was a child have started following her as they "work," as if they think she needs to be watched around the merchandise. People come into her family's restaurant, her workplace, and make racial comments directed toward her race, behave rudely, and are all around jerks to a sweet teenage girl who grew up in this very town. No one her age should be treated this way by anyone, least of all people who are depending on her work, her family's work, and her race's work. Im not saying that they should get special treatment because they are a minority, or that they do more work than others, Im saying they should be treated just as anyone would be, just as I would be.
It breaks my heart to see my good friend, a person with such a wonderful heart, put to tears by the actions of people who, before these ridiculous comments were made and spread, were behaving like good neighbors. It makes me sick that their opinion can be swayed so easily, and they can so readily discount the fact that they actually know the people they are now speaking hateful words about.
I know there are so many people out there that dont behave this way, and Im very grateful for them. But right now, Im just so disappointed in the world. I know there are many people out there who go through much, much worse on a daily basis. But to see such a good friend and person so deeply affected by such behavior, coming from people that should be nothing but supportive of her and her family, just makes me so angry and sad.
In summary, Free Speech is great, but it goes too far when it hurts innocent people. And it breaks my heart to see such a wonderful person so deeply hurt.
Thats my bit, thanks for reading.
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