I got wrapped up in a "conversation" with a misguided friend of a verysmart friend on Facebook this afternoon. Wrapped up meaning I stupidly kept my FB page open on my phone, docked by the radio as I drove home from errands and so pulled over TWICE to respond. I felt compelled to respond because it seemed the poster was so ill-informed that my well-informed input would reboot his brain and life could go on rationally. I was wrong.
My verysmart friend had posted a link to remarks made by Dr. Ben Carson about the supposed slippery slope of granting marriage rights to gay couples : the viewpoint that allowing same-sex marriage means potentially having to allow other 'lifestyles' the same. 'Lifestyles' such as pedophilia and bestiality. Okay. How ludicrous is this? Seemed an easy correction - homosexuality & marriage of consenting adults of age are legal; molestation & bestiality are not.
But things became wackier when I was directed to an article (by misguided) that assured me I was being a RACIST in disagreeing with Dr. Carson since he is black and I, as a white liberal, clearly could not accept his adverse opinion because of this situation. Huh?
I had to tap out before my head exploded and/or I drank myself into a place where the words that come out of my fingertips are ferociously mean, and while that can be satisfying for a minute, it is not particularly useful in ultimately persuading hearts & minds.
In the end, I just can't understand how some human beings get so defensive of their own ways that they lose basic compassion for other human beings. Especially other humans who JUST WANT TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE. Gay couples are not (please correct me if I'm wrong) asking to destroy anyone else's relationship or demand we watch them have sex or make everyone appreciate Adele - they are simply seeking their Constitutional right to pursue happiness via legally recognized marriage that affords them the same benefits as heterosexual unions.
Right?
