words of futility...
Wednesday 5-30-2001
10:35am
it's been a long day already, it's not even eleven yet. sheesh. so yeah. we went to the airport. it was fun. we had some real excitement when we were on 99south in downtown and my mom realized she didn't have her ID & wouldn't be able to get onto the plane. Yes that would've been bad. So we had to RUSH home and grab it. I think my dad averaged about 70 the whole way. ;)
anyway, I have a thing that i'm becoming more and more pissed off about. Let me explain.
I've always been a little more conservative than everyone else. My parents have always given me things to read, explained current events and told me to figure it out. I suppose i come by it honestly. Anyway.
Around here in seattle, it's a liberal town; enough so to where meeting another conservative is actually a suprising event. (much like so-cal is)... anyway.
around here, and seemingly many other places, if you don't go towards the liberal bent you are obviously close minded. Now, the definition of me or someone who agrees with me being closed minded, is to not immediately change to a liberal mindset. You see, If i was to immediately recant, change core ideologies, and the such, I would be an "open minded" person. Frankly i think it's bullshit. Honestly? I listen to people, I think about what they say and i come to my own conclusion. Unfortunately here, if you don't come to the same conclusion as the rest of the lemmings (yes i know there are lemmings the other direction in other areas, but this is how it is here. don't be mean) you're labeled "close minded," "bigot," "racist" (about taxes? wtf?) and other fun things.
Now i want to know where these "open minded" people get off telling the rest of us how to think, how to live our lives. Does this make sense? Does the hatred of people who don't agree with you make you any better than the people on the other side who are dumb enough to hate back? I'd venture to say that no, it doesn't.
In my observation, if you're not going to make even a chance to understand the other person, and try to at least consider their statements, *that* is close mindedness. Open mindedness is not blindly accepting everything that comes along. It can even come from disagreement, provided it's done in a civil and kind manner. I have no problem with disagreeing with people. People know where i stand, and i know where they stand. That's not a problem for me. I can respect someone for a belief that they have. I respect beliefs that are come by honestly much more though.
I swear. around here people don't even bother to think.
This is one of the nice things about living somewhere where you don't agree on much at all. It makes you think. If you have to come up with a reasonable, logical and well thought out explanation for what you believe, it makes you learn a lot more. If you take the time to do that you either find out things you didn't know, realize you're off on some things, and change others.
frankly, who gives a rip. I doubt anyone even cares at all... I'm calousing my fingers for no reason. It's just plain insane. bah
