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Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Just Try Hard Not To Be An Asshole



The above meme was posted in my Facebook timeline by a gay man. I've long followed my idol George Carlin's ideology about comedy: it's ok to joke about anything so long as the joke lands. I'd prefer a joke not to hurt people by being racist or sexist or whatever. But as with free speech, we might not always like what someone says while utilizing their right to it. I do not find this joke funny as it pertains to Caitlyn Jenner. I do, however, find it mildly amusing as it pertains to dogs. There is no denying that this is anti-trans and plays into most of America's disdain and misunderstanding about trans people. So I wouldn't argue against someone's right to make the joke or post it, but I wouldn't let them deny that it is anti-LGBT. I've seen people confuse freedom of speech with the right to berate people that are different from them. One is a right afforded to us all. The other is something only assholes partake in. I try to call bullshit every time. At least if you're going to make a joke or a criticism be honest about where it is coming from. Now, the fact that this was posted by a gay man who has countless straight homophobes following him, is particularly troubling to me. Although I'm always spouting self-deprecating humor against myself or my community, I would never tell a joke like this which can only serve to divide the LGBT community amongst ourselves and from everybody else. We have enough division and conflict out there. I'd much rather bring us together. That's just me. Needless to say, I gave my friend major stick for posting it where people who follow him that are already anti-trans based on their timelines, can see it. He complained that I was being too PC. I hear this a lot. Along with the same old tired free speech arguments everytime someone is asked to be a little more sensitive. Why do people have such a hard time with this practice? Simply put, we have a lot of hateful assholes in this country.

Let me put it in a very simple example. Bubba is speaking at a Christian prayer meeting hosted by the local NRA chapter where he plans to give a rallying cry to other gun nuts against gun control, assured that God will always be on the side of a carbine rifle (yes I ticked every 1 of my boxes with that one folks). In his speech, Bubba plans to call anti-gun folks "retards". When his friend Slim informs him that his nephew Big Bill, who is developmentally challenged, will be in the room, Bubba decides to forego the use of "retard", opting for asshole instead . (Yes, this joke could be construed as anti-Southern on my part, but in my mind it's more like anti-asshole but I realize there is always room for interpretation). Now, let's say instead of this exact scenario, Bubba is speaking at a town hall meeting where lots of new people to the community with names featuring more than 2 syllables and skin not quite as white as his, will be attending. One of these, a Muslim woman in a hajib, asks very respectfully if, along with the Christian prayer, she can recite a Muslim prayer. Holy dog shit the absolute gall I imagine Bubba would think. When this would be flatly denied, she then asks for no prayers to be spoken. Bubba immediately starts spouting that she is trying to take away his freedom of speech and religion. Why was the instance of Slim's nephew so much different from Timkah and her hajib? Answer: It isn't. They both rely heavily on Bubba's ability to be respectful and a decent human being, something a lot of Americans seem incapable of being when it concerns: religion, guns, abortion, LGBT rights, race relations, etc. etc..

This is not to say that all bastions of political correctness are simply seeking the respect that they deserve. On the contrary, there are plenty of assholes on that side as well. Hardcore feminists, for example. And I'm not talking Gloria Steinem burning her bra, I'm talking a group of women who hold meetings where they decry every female superhero is mysogynistic and that every female pop star who poses nude for Rolling Stone is a disgrace to women and that put forth rhetoric calling to put men in chains. Let's face it, those women are assholes. Or better yet, cunts just cuz it pisses them off more. The same goes for Muslim refugees who flee to America to escape a hateful regime and then, once here, begin harassing gays/women/etc. who don't follow Sharia Law. Fuck off with those people especially. If Sharia Law was so special back home you should have stayed there. While you're here, stop being a dickbag. There is a very fine line between seeking respect for your group or community and seeking to bring other groups down to bring yours up. Writing about how I love the LGBT community and how I want the inequality we suffer daily to stop hopefully makes me a conscientious person. Writing about how I will not be satisfied until everyone who is not LGBT is in chains and subservient to me makes me an asshole. I guess the takeaway from this whole thing is that respecting other human's rights and desires doesn't automatically mean you are losing your right to free speech. You can feel free to post an anti-trans joke like the one above, and I will feel free to call you out as an asshole. The bottom line is there are assholes on all sides. Let's just all try very hard not to be one.

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