The Freedom To Not Be Offended

Speak out about immigration?
RACIST

Speak out about 9/11?
NUTJOB

Speak out about the banker bailout?
UNINFORMED

Speak out about mass-surveillance?
CRIMINAL

Speak out about the right-to-bear-arms?
MURDERER

Ever noticed how whenever somebody has something to say which challenges the activities of government, they're brushed off by one carefully-selected word or label? That label is always derogatory - the kind of label none of us want to be attached to, and so we avoid saying what we think. We fear social and professional ostracization, a bad reputation, and sometimes even the force of law. We do everything possible to avoid being labelled negatively and so we shut the hell up.

Just think about how easy it is for the government and state-controlled-media to silence us with one carefully-selected word. All dissidence and scrutinisation gone in the blink of an eye. What a perfect, magical tool this is for our corrupt leaders. It's little wonder that this has become one of their most effective and widely-used tools - particularly when our words of criticism cannot yet be punished by existing law.

Loud-mouthed ordinary members of society have followed suit. I notice more and more posters on ATS even, who will pull out a negative label and apply it to anyone who disagrees with their viewpoint or ideology. But remember - 9 times out of 10, the only thing that makes that person confident enough to use such oppressive tactics is the fact that they have the 'establishment' on their side.

BREAK FREE

Imagine what would happen if we stopped caring about those labels. More and more of us see through these lies and labels everyday and we're reaching a point where far from your colleague or neighbour spitting on you for being labelled a 'racist' or a 'nutjob' or a 'someone with something to hide', you may find they completely agree with you and despise the person who wrongly applied that label to you as much as you do. Imagine how empowering it would be, for us all as one force of liberty, to discover that your quiet neighbour is actually as awake to the realities of government as you are.

We all need to try it. Nothing would be as free or powerful as a population who simply do not care what they've been labelled. Actions speak louder than words.

REMEMBER:

We have the right to offend, and the freedom to not be offended

S&F for you my friend.

Wonderful thread. And I agree. These labels we carry around are only a detriment when trying to solve problems together.

Let's shed them here on ATS and everywhere else.

~Keeper

reply to post by Cythraul


The thing is all of those things are a two edged sword. Both sides of each of those debates call each other names.

If anyone feels they have the freedom to dish it out they must prepare for the freedom to take their medicine too. It really doesn't matter what position one has. I see too much ranting going on, sometimes against specific people or groups and then hypersensitivity over any contrary remark against the ranter as though they never asked for it.

The best way is kindness.

Speak out about hypocrisy in the administration?

RACIST

Gotta love it. Can't wait to see how they implement thought crime in the coming future.

[edit on 9/20/09 by Ferris.Bueller.II]

well i have a word to call all those people who call us that..."IDIOTS"
they just stick to what they think it "appropriate behavior and thinking"...foolish little sheep

Speak out about immigration?
RACIST

I can say with absolute certainty there is more than a fair share of those who conceal their bigotry with this issue. Their opinions really aren't about immigration, they're about having a white nation. It isn't rare at all. A fair proportion of the view of this having racist roots is completely justified. It isn't limited to what I've been told by any left-wing Liberal agenda or whatever some would like to use to discredit the notion. An unwillingness to acknowledge that is ignorace to the bone.

Star and flag!

It really brings to light how childish people can be when they start using schoolyard psychology to sway and influence.

reply to post by EnlightenUp


Reminds me of all the antiwar protesters during Bush's administration.

Where are they now? Was stopping the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan really their primary motivational factors in their protesting?

Just about everyone has ulterior motives in their actions.

reply to post by Cythraul


I don't care anymore. I broke free. Look at my forehead, it says "terrorist" because that is what I am labeled as since I support the constitution.

reply to post by Cythraul


S&F

Great post!

Of course, someone will read it and find it oppressive. Or they'll find it bigoted.

Keep it up though.

Originally posted by Ferris.Bueller.II
reply to post by EnlightenUp

 

Reminds me of all the antiwar protesters during Bush's administration.

Where are they now? Was stopping the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan really their primary motivational factors in their protesting?

Just about everyone has ulterior motives in their actions.

Obama won the war.

He's going to have everyone home.

He said so.

Originally posted by Ferris.Bueller.II
Reminds me of all the antiwar protesters during Bush's administration.

Where are they now? Was stopping the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan really their primary motivational factors in their protesting?

Just about everyone has ulterior motives in their actions.

I'm involved with someone who has at times been victimized in the name of this subject but comes from Puerto Rico and is indeed a citizen and has been since birth. In some cases when attempting to enlighten a person, the response was essentially, "I know PR is the US but I don't care. Go home."

Sure, everyone here should be here legally. She agrees as well. Given I have a loved one who receives threats and in one case physical minor action (he should be glad I happened to not be there) from merely being Hispanic, when the topic was a hot one, I have an ulterior motive to keep it swept under the rug for her safety's sake.

The media tends to drive it into an undirected, choatic frenzy where all the beasts come out to take advantage of heated sentiments.

As far as the wars go, it may very well have to do with the fact that now it's a Democrat or in fact it could just be that it isn't the fashionable political conflict any more, in other words, typical human fickleness and ratings.

reply to post by Cythraul


I don't care about being labeled anything, call me a racist, everyone is, call me opinionated, every is, call me whatever you like, but do it to my face like a man and accept what lies before you. You do not have the freedom from offense, so suck it up and shut it!

WELL SPOKEN!!! I was going to start a thread saying something similar
but I didn't want to be called names, so.....
Seriously, they have done a great job at pigeon-holing the opposition
with this tactic. It seems to work well in any society that is uninformed.

reply to post by Stinkhorn1


I could fairly say I have prejudices (therefore I am prejudiced) but without dehumanizing anyone for their ethnic background. It just goes with societal and cultural conditioning and I avoid acting on it by maintaining self-awareness and compassion.

Apologies for focusing on the first issue in that list too much but it has had the most tangible impact on me so far of any of them. A dying down of the fervor over it has made things go a bit more smoothly of late.

LOL!

A thread full of anti-Americans! I mean right-wing hacks! I mean lunatic fringe!



DISCLAIMER: The above statement was meant as humor. I am, in no way, implying that the responders in this thread, nor any member of ATS, it's affiliates, or anyone know to or related to ATS or their affiliates are anti-anything, right, left or center, or of below-average mental clarity. The purpose above was not to incite any negativity, or dark-thinking on the part of the reader, as I had happy thoughts, rainbows and sunshine locked firmly into my mind whilst typing it. There is no negative connotations to the above. I have had my Karma registered and inspected by a State-approved Karma Inspector and have been found Positive, though my emissions results were not good. I may need a new catalytic converter after this post.

I totally agree OP.

I've also noticed the same thing happen when someone is suspicious or skeptical of a popular conspiracy theory too, ironically. They are often immediately called debunkers or close minded, even if they aren't coming to any conclusion whatsoever and are merely asking questions.

Originally posted by Cythraul
Imagine what would happen if we stopped caring about those labels.

I don't have to imagine it as I stopped caring a long time ago. And I have been called many things that I'm not. And I lived - to voice my opinion once again!

Great thread!

Yeah I'm with you.

Honestly people are so weak nowdays. They are brought up without ever having to see real conflict. Most "normal" people are scared witless by confrontation or opposition. The logical reaction to these things is not to just shrug and let people get on with it, but to try and create laws or rules to prevent it. That to my understanding is just fascism.

ATS itself is a great example of the problems we face dealing with political correctness. People here just cant tolerate each other's beliefs and opinions, and so strict rules are needed to make sure this place doesn't just collapse.

The way us humans deal with problems like this isn't even rational. If you censor people or shut them up, it just annoys them. If radical or fringe voices aren't allowed to talk, they will just become more radical. Everybody no matter how foul you might think their opinion is deserves the right to have their voice heard. Because really that's all we all want. We know stuff in life is going to happen we dont like. We aren't irrational, we don't want to stamp out change or opposition. We just want the right to piss and moan about it.

Y'know perhaps even ATS could benefit from something like that. A place deep in the bowels of the website, where the foulest language could be used, the most hate filled bile could be encouraged. It could be cathartic, a little bit like fight club perhaps.