So I went to my best mate's house today; had a good time. Went home, found out my family will be filing for bankruptcy sometime early next year. I knew it had been coming for a while now, some of my BZP friends had heard me talk about it. Still hit good and hard though. Then I read the news and see the merciless slaughter of children. So I might not be in the greatest mood for this ****.
The blogosphere has been overrun with a merciless battle between two factions; I thought of myself on the side of equality, on the side of those who would protect the innocent and remove discrimination. I still am. But I am so very dissapointed. Dissapointed in how what should be a civilized debate is in fact more akin to a flame war. Dissapointed in myself for ultimately finding myself in the middle, trying desperately to justify both sides in my head.
I think some of today's salvos really pushed me over the edge on this discussion. I'm a bisexual equalist; I believe in a god and I believe in love and respect. I believe all should be equal; I don't, however, flame those who disagree. I try to understand their reasoning and I discuss it civilly.
Both sides are equally guilty of disrespecting the other side. I don't really care who thinks they have the moral highground here; hatred is so very much present here in amble supply. It's clouding everyone's thoughts, and it's even starting to get its hold on me. I don't particularly think I can serve as the comic relief here anymore. So I'll put my thoughts on the matter in a concise, not-so-rambly manner.
It makes me sick to think of what people think here. It makes me sick to think about the hate that we throw at each other. It makes me sick to think that people have, in their minds, a moral high hill that they stand upon and cannot be removed from. It's dogmatism, plain and simple. I don't care if you support my right to marry another man or if you don't, dogmatism never helped anyone in the long run.
All in all, I can still remember a BZPower where people didn't insult each other over politics. I can remember a more friendlier blog atmosphere, a place where you could talk about your issues and people would actually respect your opinions and discuss it with a manner of civility. It'd drive me to leave if it weren't for the fact that I believe that, if we actually try, that can come back.
Am I making a value judgment on anyone? No, because that's fuel for the fire. Everyone, including myself, has committed some degree of harm in this debate. So I ask the readers and makers of the blogs to look at what they're doing. Look long and hard. And ask yourself, is it really worth it?
If you think it is, I'm not going be able to change your opinion. I just ask you to consider that hatred is not a one way street; insulting those who would discriminate is no more noble than their own discrimination. Consider for a moment that you might actually have some effect... but rather than for good, they're verbally assaulted, and it doesn't do wonders for their mind. Abusing the abuser may be poetic justice; it's no less sickening though.
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