Americans like to throw around their “freedom” a lot. Especially when it comes to defending their opinions. Say something someone else doesn’t like? You’re entitled to your opinion. Or are you?
Today I called someone out on Twitter.
That person was Nichole Smith of The Guilty Parent. And what she said was this:
“I don’t like the Amish. I’m fed up with my Amish neighbors. Completely fed up. They have way overstepped their welcome with me.”
Now, let me first say, I’m a get-along kind of girl for the most part, I really am. But there are a few things I will not sit quietly by and allow. Racial, ethnic and cultural prejudices are high on the list of those things I do not tolerate. At all.
And I really would have left it at the Twitter if Nichole’s final response after my tweets to her (which you can read here, here, here, here, and here) hadn’t been the following:
“I’m not going to get into a debate with you. Seriously. You’re entitled to your opinion & so am I. Have a great night!”
I’d have left it at Twitter if this hadn’t been something everyone needed to read. This isn’t just about Nichole, though she inspired the post, yes. This is about everyone. Every last person in this nation, in this world. I’m here to tell you today, every last one of you, you are NOT entitled to your opinion. You are not entitled to be a bigot. You are not entitled to make sweeping, generalized judgements on an entire population of people whom you have very little knowledge of. You are not entitled to spout your garbage into the public airways. You are not entitled to the freedom to incite hatred. Hatred leads to killing, cleansing, wars, genocides. Hatred is a dirty, nasty, disgusting thing and you are not entitled to spread it. Your freedom ends when you begin using it for evil.
And, as far as I’m concerned, it’s about time society took note of that and more people stood against the exercise of one’s “freedom” when that freedom is exercised in a way that infringes on another. I never should have been the only person on Twitter to take note of Nichole’s tweets today. Taking note of — and standing up to — those opinions people hold that are wrong is the first step in change!
The slave holders of the south thought they were entitled to their opinion that black people were a lesser population, that they were entitled to own them as property, to work them to their death. The Nazis though they were entitled to their opinion that Jews should be cleansed from the planet.
Had, instead, her tweet read:
“I don’t like the blacks. I’m fed up with my black neighbors. Completely fed up. They have way overstepped their welcome with me.”
or:
“I don’t like the Jewish. I’m fed up with my Jewish neighbors. Completely fed up. They have way overstepped their welcome with me.”
I have a feeling not nearly as many people would be sitting idly by, listening passively.
If her tweet had read:
“I don’t like women. I’m fed up with my female neighbors. Completely fed up. They have way overstepped their welcome with me.”
The entire twitterverse would have been up in arms. Because the fight for civil rights has long since been fought and (well, largely) won, WWII is over, the twitterverse is full of women. But don’t you ever forget fighting only for those things that directly affect us leads to a complacent society.
Waging war on the atrocious ideas flung at those who are not our own, who have not already been defended by the masses, those still at the mercy of the closed-minded who have never been challenged? That is the cornerstone of progress.
Hog Farmer. Goose Wrangler. Sustenance Cultivator. Hobby Photographer. Women's Progress Advocator. Wife. Teacher. Mother. Freelance Writer. Unsophisticated Wine Connoisseur. Sister. Speaker. Friend. Butcher. Ruminator. Student. Reluctant Artist. Wannabe Quilter. Chocolate Addict. Gun Enthusiast. 
{ 3 comments }
You weren’t the only one to question her thoughts….I carried a conversation on with her through inbox. My claim was that they were not there to defend themselves. After I carried on the conversation with her I realized that she is one person that is having a really hard time with how an Amish family is representing themself. Is it right that she past judgement on all because of one family…..no? But…….as a Christian or any type of group that family(just like you and I) need to realize we represent more then one person. In this specific instance that one family is not being “Christ like” and although judging all because of one family may be wrong-if you are a woman….act like one….if you are a human being…..act like one….and if -in the name of FAITH-you are Amish and calling yourself a family “of God”…..then act like one. Although the statement may have been irresponsible take note that I am convienved that those that she speaks, I believe,
of are being irresponsible in the name of a Christian faith. With both responsibilities of being hateless, those that claim to be “of God” need to be true to who they claim to be representing.
Elizabeth — I’m glad others took note of what had been said.
I have no doubt Nichole’s neighbors are being difficult. I have dealt with difficult people myself — of various faiths, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds — it is not an excuse to cast such judgements into the wind. If you’re frustrated you say, I do not like difficult people. I do not like people who are disrespectful of other peoples’ property. I do not like people who continually act irresponsibly. I do not like people who represent themselves one way and then act in an entirely opposite manner. All acceptable statements to make. All applicable to the situation.
And you know, we all make statements in the heat of the moment that may not have been our shining glory. I’m okay with that, but when we make excuses for those statements and defend prejudice to save face, that I’m not okay with. Which is why I posted this about the habit of so many people, not just about Nichole and acknowledged that. Rise above it, don’t make excuses, don’t hide behind some perceived entitlement. Own your wrongs, and if you see someone else making them — speak up! I will continue to do so and I should hope others will as well.
I feel that your point is exactly what she is doing to her neighbors. She is holding them accountable to being decent neighbors just as you are holding her accountable to what she says. I did not read Twitter-nor do I care to…..but I do disagree everyone has the right to state their opinion-no matter what platform you use-you can claim hate just be prepared to get what you dish out. When we start monitoring what each other says that is fine-but when we start to say one person does not have the right to say something you are taking our freedom of speech away. We may have freedom but with every choice comes good and bad consequences-they are not free but you do have the right to voice them.
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