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Prince · 04-09-2004, 02:05 PM

This is a bit off the subject, but I thought I could throw it in anyway. It's something I've been thinking about as of late.

Let's say there's a man enjoying his beer on his porch, and a young dude in a car drives by, music playing semi-loud. The man on the porch says "I am offended by that ruckus. Take your car elsewhere. I have the right to sit here on my porch and enjoy this cold beer without being offended with being subjected to that noise". The young man in the car replies, "This is America. You don't own this road. I have every right to drive here and listen to whatever music I like. Your attempt at oppressing that right of mine offends me".

Obviously, this is over-simplifying the situation a bit. But my question is, who decides who is being offended more? Sure the man has the right to sit there and enjoy the peace and quiet, but the young man has the right to drive on the road and listen to his music. Who gets to decide whether he's playing it too loud? Is there a legal definition of what is too loud?

The whole concept of being offended is unfamiliar to me. I guess because of the culture I am from - I am used to the mentality, "do what you like, and if others don't want to see it or hear it they can go somewhere else". And they would, too.

Living here in the States, I've come across two words particularly - "offend" and "right". People are very quick to argue in favour of their rights - but mostly just their own rights. This gay marriage thing being a fine example... I believe, without statistics to back me up, that the majority of people who are opposed to improving gay rights aren't gay themselves. Stepping on the rights of others is easier than the rights of your own.

Which brings me to the question, what is really "being offended". If someone can say that gay people should not be allowed to marry because it offends them, then where is my right to not have to deal with Christians or JW's knocking on my door, selling me Jesus? Christianity offends me, what about my rights? Changing "yippee-ki-yea, motherfucker" into "yippee-ki-yea, friend" offends me as well. A lot of things offend me, if we go down the road of trying to put an end to everything we do not happen to agree with.

I didn't understand why people were offended by seeing Janet Jackson's nipple. Seriously, it's a nipple. Of all things, why does that offend you? People who were offended by that, offended me by being offended. So what? My right to not be offended by morons is not as important as said morons' right to not be offended by a nipple?

People don't need pampering, they don't need the government to think for them and tell them what they can and can't watch or listen to. All they need is to get over themselves.

04-09-2004, 02:05 PM	#44 (permalink)
Prince /nɑndəsˈkrɪpt/ Location: LV-426	This is a bit off the subject, but I thought I could throw it in anyway. It's something I've been thinking about as of late. Let's say there's a man enjoying his beer on his porch, and a young dude in a car drives by, music playing semi-loud. The man on the porch says "I am offended by that ruckus. Take your car elsewhere. I have the right to sit here on my porch and enjoy this cold beer without being offended with being subjected to that noise". The young man in the car replies, "This is America. You don't own this road. I have every right to drive here and listen to whatever music I like. Your attempt at oppressing that right of mine offends me". Obviously, this is over-simplifying the situation a bit. But my question is, who decides who is being offended more? Sure the man has the right to sit there and enjoy the peace and quiet, but the young man has the right to drive on the road and listen to his music. Who gets to decide whether he's playing it too loud? Is there a legal definition of what is too loud? The whole concept of being offended is unfamiliar to me. I guess because of the culture I am from - I am used to the mentality, "do what you like, and if others don't want to see it or hear it they can go somewhere else". And they would, too. Living here in the States, I've come across two words particularly - "offend" and "right". People are very quick to argue in favour of their rights - but mostly just their own rights. This gay marriage thing being a fine example... I believe, without statistics to back me up, that the majority of people who are opposed to improving gay rights aren't gay themselves. Stepping on the rights of others is easier than the rights of your own. Which brings me to the question, what is really "being offended". If someone can say that gay people should not be allowed to marry because it offends them, then where is my right to not have to deal with Christians or JW's knocking on my door, selling me Jesus? Christianity offends me, what about my rights? Changing "yippee-ki-yea, motherfucker" into "yippee-ki-yea, friend" offends me as well. A lot of things offend me, if we go down the road of trying to put an end to everything we do not happen to agree with. I didn't understand why people were offended by seeing Janet Jackson's nipple. Seriously, it's a nipple. Of all things, why does that offend you? People who were offended by that, offended me by being offended. So what? My right to not be offended by morons is not as important as said morons' right to not be offended by a nipple? People don't need pampering, they don't need the government to think for them and tell them what they can and can't watch or listen to. All they need is to get over themselves. __________________ Who is John Galt?