Opinion

The same way that some people shouldn't handle guns is the same way some people can't handle free speech.

I've been following another blog storm recently, something to do with some facilities for disabled persons, how some bloggers don't feel that it should be an exclusive right and how people who disagreee with the said blogger(s) are "attacking" and are "jealous" of said blogger and/or the blogger's country.(???)

It's amazing how skewed and troll like logic becomes when one gets pushed into the defensive eh? Nonetheless, it's all very entertaining in a rather exasperating way.

Anyway, in this case, how are firearms and free speech similar? In this instance, they are similar because they require responsibilty.

You say you pay. Free speech is not free, as in without cost. Like a firearm, freedom of speech and the right to opinion carries a certain amount of responsibility considering how dangerous it can be if used wrongly.

As a blogger, I am responsible for what I say. If I am being a prick in a public place like the Internet, what right do I have to expect people to shut up and put up? None whatsoever. To expect people who disagree not to voice their disagreement is too much to ask. The argument where it's my opinion is hollow. People who disagree with me have opinions too right? So if I have a right to my opinion but others don't have the same right, isn't that a double standard?

Unfortunately, lots of people don't see it that way.

If one's opinion is WRONG then people are bound to disagree. Of course, some may say that we should tolerate people's opinions.

This is where relativism goes awry. Of course some things that are wrong to some, are not wrong to others. That's a given fact and is an important fact that breeds tolerance and allows different people to get along with one another.

However, some things are just plain WRONG, pure and simple. Some things SHOULD NOT be tolerated. Racism is wrong. Repression is wrong. Wanton senseless hate and violence is wrong. Denying the rights and priviledges of less capable members of society is wrong.

There are lots of gray areas in life, but I say there are some absolutes that are still valid. Certain things we simply should not tolerate.

There is one last thing. The certain blogger in the eye of the latest storm is well known enough to have been asked to endorse certain products.

In view of some of the questionable things that this certain blogger has said, some of the other bloggers who disagree with her have written in to those companies with products that are being endorsed.

As much as I disagree with this certain bloggers opinions, I think trying to interfere with her financial and business dealings is going a little too far. I may not like this certain blogger, but I'm not going to touch the pot of rice. To me, this kind of response is excessively vengeful.

I believe people will make up their own minds once they read and know what happened and what this certain blogger's been saying and that they will do the right thing for them.

That's my opinion.