...Though few people miss it by much. September 30 came and went with barely a prohibited swear word around here, minced oaths being the order of the day. Still, any laws that would condemn the work of Twain and Mencken to the fire need looked at with a critical eye and perhaps we could all stand a reminder that there is no right to not be offended.*
At least not on the topic of religion, in (most of) the United States. Elsewhere, as the Washington Post reminded readers this past May, things can be very different.
Things must be different indeed in WaPoLand, which chirpily informs readers, "Apostasy laws remain on the books of a minority of countries [...] most of which happen to be predominantly Muslim." [Emphasis mine.] "Happen to be?" Gee, what're the odds it just "happened" that way, y'think?
C'mon, WaPo, step on some corns. September 30 only comes once a year but spinelessness lingers.
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* Nor is there usually any need to go out of your way to offend, something
the more raucous defenders of liberty would do well to remember --
there is a difference between not bowing to the other fellow's
lares and penates and deliberately kicking them over. Come to think of it, some of the nosier supporters of anti-blasphemy laws could stand a good strong dose of the very same physic.
The funny thing is that "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a teaching common to pretty much all religions, and the most commonly ignored teaching.
ReplyDeleteBut few ask themselves if they're about to hand the government the club that will be used later on their own heads.
The same reasoning might well be applied to so many things such as carrying a weapon, smoking, etc. Having the right to do a thing carries with it a responsibility to do it with discretion, it seems to me. In short, there's no need to be a d!ck about anything.
ReplyDeleteJoe in PNG hits the nail on the head with both his points. Well done, sir!
You mean the Washington fish wrap? No way they would EVER stomp toes of anyone that is friends with the administration. That only happens if the 'Pubs are in charge...
ReplyDeleteI never understood fellow workers that would apologize to me for saying things like "Jesus F'ing Christ", because they knew I went to church.
ReplyDeleteMy answer was always, "You don't owe me an apology. But one day you'll say that and He'll answer." :-)
Such a waste. I had an entire day to enjoy drinking, cursing, making blasphemous statements and never realized my ignorance prevented me from my free pass to celebrate liberty.
ReplyDeleteI know, right?
ReplyDeleteBlasphemy Day?
ReplyDeleteOnce again, the atheists are left out in the cold while the rest of the world celebrates merrily away.