This was written by my friend Johna Moody. With her permission I am posting this here, thank you Johna for both your generosity and your infinite wisdom.
I Have been around for a very long time. I have experienced some very strange behavior from people regarding politics, personal behavior and spiritual things especially. I had taken it seriously. People said to me don't let it bug you, consider the source, they are just that way. But some of those using that strange behavior was doing so in the name of Debate, some called me names I don't use in privacy still others ridiculed me and spoke of my lack of whatever they were peddling that day: education, travel, sophistication. Who cares they used it.
I have been studying war talk lately. I hear those who have no clue going off on those who do. I find those who want no part of any war, just peace and freedom; these appear to be completely unaware of the cost of freedom and oh so brief peace. I like people. I like myself. I like varied writing, discussion and disagreement. I do not like it when people decide to deride decency to make a point that has no point. I want to share my points of view on this. In my opinion freedom has been ours for a long time and was purchased with the lives, limbs and dedication of those fighting for it every time it was in question. To me every member of a free society owes it to the Military and their families a debt of gratitude in thank you, and governmental monetary aid to meet all their needs including medical, housing and places to talk, worship or just be with people who care. I am not open for any debate, discussion, or fight over this.
Debate has rules, strict rules. The point of debate is to prove your point of view or stance to be the correct one. Thus the other person has to be wrong. There are judges in the proof. That can not go on under bias conditions such as bias media with any level of fairness and justice. So NO DEBATE CAN BE PROVED PUBLICLY WITH ACCURACY, FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE. Debate is a forum. Debate is not a amateur sport.
Discussion has rules, rules that stop discussion short of a fight. These rules are civil rules known by civilized man. Discussion is to increase the knowledge base of a subject, to lead a participant to a higher level not to tear them or their subject matter down. Discussion must carry with it respect. It can not ride on the backs of a 'know it all attitude' and use various critical verbiage to belittle the person who disagrees with you. Civilized people can disagree and never offend one another.
Disrespect is the art of demanding your way right or wrong. It is the act of using illegal tools to beat the other person into shame, shape or submission. This is gained by calling others names when they have simply told you they don't see an issue like you see it. It is calling others names and doing an all out campaign of disrespect against them when they call you one back in the same area, be it political, religious, military or racial.
The First Amendment was not created so you could call anybody anything you wanted to. It is not there to cover the disrespectful. It is there to allow people freedom of expression in discussion or a civil manner of resistance to political, religious or racial acts. It is not to cover hate language. Any derogatory shaming and evil name calling is disrespectful and not your right under the First Amendment.
Some of the Judgments that float even in public media are not covered by the First Amendment:
Your faith in God does not make you a Bible Thumping Fundie; however, that name is not taken by those of faith as derogatory, it is meant to be.
Education is never to be ashamed of, but what is it? It can be a college certified completion of a study or course. It can be an experience learned by hard knocks. It can be a lesson learned by someone's show of love and understanding. Then it can be the joys of Wisdom learned through humility, strength and courage to say what is needed and only that. It can be a man or woman's stint in the military fighting for your First Amendment's right.
If you can control your need to always be right; to always speak your piece and others be damned you are behaving a way we are fighting in the Middle East to break. To have here and give them the right to speak without retribution. Are we coming under retribution in this country for demanding civility, respect and freedom from vile disrespect which is violent behavior.
© Johna Moody 2006
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