Quite recently, in HW: #TuesdayThoughts: Lies – Their effect on our lives., I told you that my parents always tried to foster honesty in me. That is not to say that I never told a lie. Sometimes, as life goes on, you learn things. Hopefully. And I, throughout my life so far, have learned that sometimes telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth can be challenging and inconvenient. In the comment section of that post, we talked about white lies and situations in which it is considered socially acceptable not to tell the truth.
As a byproduct of my honest upbringing, I had no filter. I did not see it that way, but others did. No matter what my intentions are, people insist on only hearing words. And if those words are anything but positive, they get offended. No, I do not say “I have no filter” like some do, to excuse themselves for being rude. But I do wish that people opened their ears and actually listened without jumping to conclusions. If you want to read more on this topic, feel free to check out: Listen to me, not the words., and/ or An apology.
No, I do not run around using racial slurs in the name of honesty and free speech. As you should know, I am very thankful for the ability to access the Internet, write whatever comes to mind, and to then read your views on the topic. That is free speech to which not every person on this planet has access. Some might say that their freedom of speech is restricted because they cannot write an inflammatory post without getting banned (here, on Twitter, Facebook, etc.). To a certain extent, I agree. “Terms of conduct” are written in such a way that things that should not be CAN be twisted into something “inciting hatred.”
You could say that I developed some sort of filter in the past decade. Is that something I was happy to do? No. Did I feel like I had to do it? Yes. Is that a violation of my free speech? Absolutely. There is a post I wrote a while ago that you could read to find out more -> Free speech can be expensive.
What is freedom of speech to me? It is about being able to express my thoughts and feelings on ANY subject, no matter how uncomfortable that might make the other human being. As someone who strives to be a good human being, I do not encourage you to spew hateful words 24/7/365. Opinions can be expressed deferentially. And if someone is not respectful by your standards, stop and think if it is intentional. Yes, feelings can get hurt, but are you going to outlaw heartbreak? How would you do that?
Recently, things went a little further than the usual racial slur. If you plan on traveling to New York, you need to educate yourself on what you can and cannot say. It just might cost you $250,000 if you utter the wrong word. If you live in NY, I hope you already know about this. Share an insider view with me on this in the comment section.
The USA is definitely a special sort of country. Even though smoking marijuana under federal law is illegal, some states say it is just fine.
The First Amendment of the US Consitution says: “Congress shall make no law (…) prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” What did New York just do? It made the phrase “illegal alien” illegal. If you use those words in a derogatory way (huuuuuuge opening for interpretation), you might be fined $0.25 million. Threatening someone with ICE can have the same consequence. It does not matter if the person you are referring to is in this country lawfully or unlawfully. You do not have the right to confront them or spread the word to others.
As you can see in the below Tweet from the NYC Human Rights, anything and everything CAN and WILL be used against you. I have nothing against other people per se, but shoving everything underneath the “discrimination” label is too much. Mainly because it goes against federal law in more ways than one. Saying “Go back to your country,” even in a joke, will also get you in trouble.
A couple of years ago, at my workplace, we were told that no language but English should be spoken. The reasoning? It might offend customers/ other people. If you want to get offended, anything will do the trick. However, have you ever been to a place of business where people speak a language you do not understand as they serve you? Did you not feel a tad bit suspicious that they were plotting against you? Especially when their facial expressions were less than friendly? I think it’s a matter of being courteous and respectful.
In New York, hotel owners cannot tell their maids not to speak their language (if it is other than English). That law also forbids landlords from threatening their tenants with ICE if the tenant complains about anything. On the surface, it is an excellent law, enabling free speech. But in reality, it is far from that.
Next time you go to a restaurant and do not understand the server, walk out. No. Do not. It might prove that you are discriminating against someone whose English is less than perfect (or nonexistent). Do not ask the person to repeat, either, because the same as above might happen. Do not point to the menu, because the same as above. Anyone has a solution that would not lead you to face a potential fine of up to $250,000?
Do not call people “illegals,” even if you know they are not here legally. Close your eyes to anything and everything around you, and do not speak. Or else…
Repeat after me: There is no legal immigration. There is just immigration.
Stay golden,
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All this Political correctness has gone WAY to far. We are killing our country and certainly our freedoms. What I love is that these very same people feel it is perfectly OK for them to call you anything they like, and to say anything, regardless of how it might offend us, all because we think differently. People need to grow up and grow thicker skins before we become robots and all our freedoms are gone.
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Ha! A great point I didn’t think about. Some targets are fairer than others.
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It’s really rude when people point this out, don’t they have some basic decency?
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You mean the immigration status or the language issues?
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Language issue
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Well, it depends. I will be the first one to defend someone with a tick accent. Some people really exaggerate when they say they cannot understand someone. But I also realize that it might be because I’ve been exposed to various accents, potentially more than the average Joe.
However, sometimes even I have a tough time. Imagine not being able to communicate with someone in a place of business in India because they don’t speak any of your dialects…
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I’m all for it, let’s see where this will take us. The sooner, the better. If certain people wish to ban certain speech, the I say, alright, let’s see how this plays out. The only way people ever learn is through experience.
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If you really think so then you are a bigger risk-taker than I. I don’t like it when others learn through MY experience.
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I hear ya Goldie. I’m just tired of running and trying to reason. I’m willing to step aside and let them do what they want.
If they ran into no resistance whenever they proposed this kind of stuff, I think they wouldn’t be as bold as they have become. They would have to face their own comeupins. The more we push back, the more they want to push us back.
Remove the resistance and I think that maybe this solves itself rather quickly.
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I, too am tired, and sometimes I take a break. However, soon enough, I realize that I’m giving in and allowing the evil to spread while I do nothing. And I’m right back where I started.
I see your point. They do push harder because of the resistance. However, if there will be no resistance, they will not go back home and relax. They will just plow straight through, steal our flag and claim our base.
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Hey, sometimes you gotta let people go, step aside and let them fall to their own demise.
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It’s definitely something I struggle with. I wish to save everyone.
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I hear ya Goldie.
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The day I realised that it’s quite wrong to call anyone fat in the US (and most other countries) was the day I started to look into this issue of ‘freedom of speech’. Over here, people hardly get offended when you call them fat. In fact, they’d even take it as a compliment.
‘Look at you, Cynthia! You’re so fat now!’
‘Awn, thanks, auntie. You’re too kind.’
Regardless of that, as is the case in basically every country today, the right to freedom of speech is an illusion at the side of the world. I say this as a citizen of a country where you might get arrested if you use the word ‘Revolution’ in your social media posts.
We’re fast heading to a time when staring at someone for longer than three seconds would be considered a grave offense. You just wait and see.
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Sadly, but I think you are right.
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We are all such negative Nancies.
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🙂 No, just realists.
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The glass is half full and half empty. That’s the truth.
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Yep.
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Thank you for sharing your “fat” example.
It’s very sad to hear about the restrictions put on freedom of speech. It seems to be a slippery slope. We are worried about other people’s feelings? Fine. But no one seems to stop and think where this will lead us? To a police state in which everything will be punishable by death. You are absolutely right.
Also, good to see you. You’ve been alright?
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Thank you, too, for creating awareness of the issue.
And, no, Goldie, I’ve been anything but fine. I’m in so much pain as I write, but not to worry. I know I’ll be fine.
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I’m really sorry to hear that, Obi. I hoped that you maxed out all your illnesses for the year. I wish you a speedy recovery! Drink some whiskey. It numbs the pain.
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Ah, I wish it were that. I wish it were some terrible illness that I’m experiencing. But no, this isn’t a physical or health related problem. It’s so much bigger than that. I don’t want to say that I’m depressed, but I am. Anyway, I’ll take you up on that idea of whiskey. It SHOULD numb the pain.
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You know you can always email me, if you want. Right?
I hope this darkness passes in no time and the sun rises once again.
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I do, I do. Thank you, Goldie. I really could use someone to talk to right now. I’ll email you ASAP.
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I gotcha.
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Heartbreak getting banned? That sounds likely. And then we’ll all ban death. Punishable by… Death. Yeah. Yeah, that’ll work. It’s right up there with trying to force people into your way of thinking by restricting their speech. Being sarcastic, obviously. Wait, actually no; nevermind. That last one is viable: It’s called brainwashing.
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You made me chuckle. Banning death sounds like a plan.
Yes, brainwashing at its finest. Under the cover of caring about people’s feelings and mental health.
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Lovely! Perhaps I’ll get into politics after all. I’ll throw people off by sounding perfectly sane, while promising to outlaw things like death, and stupidity. Race issues will obviously be sorted out by making everybody color blind. Bunnies will become public enemy number one, because unification requires a common enemy. And talking politics (or, anything) after midnight will be banned, because I really do tend to ramble…
I wonder how many votes I’d get. 😝 On second thought… Maybe I don’t want to know.
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Woah, woah! You just lost my vote. Bunnies? That’s taking it a step too far. Although, pate is good and gloves are nice.
But the color blind idea… hmm…
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My apologies: your vote is of the utmost importance to me. We’ll make it cats instead. 😝
Wait, no. No cats mean no cat videos, and then I’d have a revolution on my hands. Fine, fine: mosquitos it is. That’s something everyone can agree upon.
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Thank you for saving the bunnies. You have my vote back.
But… Hahahha. Yes, I was going to say that the Internet will collapse without cat videos. Poor mosquitoes.
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“Poor mosquitos”?! I’m aghast! I didn’t expect to have to do this, but I may have to come up with some conspiracy to turn public opinion against them. Perhaps I can attribute computer glitches to them? Bugs, you know… they’re such a nuisance.
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I think you nailed it out of the park. Computer glitches definitely are the common enemy. Only don’t call them “bugs”.
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Free speech has always come at a price. Nothing is free.
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A great reminder.
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Freedom of speech is acknowledged only if the speech is convenient. If it’s not, the speaker is rejected. Although, we’re allowed to express our thoughts, we have sometimes hard consequences.
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Very well said.
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We need to bring back the basic premise (which seems to have been lost) that free speech doesn’t mean everyone agrees it just means that everyone has the right to speak what’s on their mind. Sometimes that may irritate and aggravate but that’s ok – you don’t have to accept the other persons opinions you just have to accept they have a right to speak. Everyone is so being offended these days they forget – offence is a choice we make for ourselves.
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Well said. It seems like disagreements are feared more than anything else.
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Ugh. I also have an honesty/no filter problem, but I too don’t throw that around lightly or use it to make excuses for being rude or a shitty human being (though I certainly have my moments when I’m both). I generally just have a problem lying. It literally makes me feel sick. I feel hot and nauseated, my heart thumps uncomfortably, and I feel like I’ve been kicked in the guts. As a result, I avoid feeling that way by being honest. Honesty can also be uncomfortable, awkward, and sometimes painful. Those who know me understand that they can count on me to not sugar coat my responses to their questions with shades of the truth. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t greatly consider my replies, sometimes to the point of anguish, to deliver the truth without being unnecessarily hurtful. I don’t always succeed, but at least I maintain my integrity…and health.
As for all of the micromanaging of our conduct by the government, I’m annoyed by it all. Legislating our individual interactions between each other so it makes us “nicer” or “better” or “healthier” is stupid on a ton of levels. Not one damn person who is guilty of spewing rudeness will be truly changed—they’ll just hide their hateful selves behind closed doors. It’s an illusion—and, in my opinion, a dangerous one. If you don’t allow folks to reveal their true selves in mixed company, they will not likely have the opportunity to be schooled and truly corrected. In extreme examples, I fear like-minded a-holes will congregate and create new hate groups similar to the KKK and Nazis. No thank you.
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Wow. Really palpable reply. Thank you for bringing focus onto YOUR health. Not only mental but also physical. Isn’t it terrible that nowadays truth can also make us squirm in anguish due to the current climate?
Indeed. That’s why they are surprised when something bad happens. They didn’t want to listen…
Yes, yes, yes. You are spot on. The more I feel like my free speech (and other rights) is taken away, the more I want to rebel against it. The more passionate I become on the subject.
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Sanitizing society to shield us from people being people is asinine. Not only do the jerks need to be given the chance to be brought down a peg, everyone else needs to stop being such snowflakes. People suck. Nearly all of us do in one way, shape, or form. Why hide that? Why pretend that ugliness doesn’t exist or, worse, that we can banish it? I actually appreciate the jerks in society—they help me appreciate the lovely folks more. They make me more grateful for kindnesses great or small. I don’t want to make my world someone else’s version of perfect. I need to feel incensed about atrocities and unfairness—it helps me be more caring, kind, and human. The government needs to be very careful about what they hope (or strive) for…they just might get it.
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The light is so bright because of darkness. I don’t know how people can really think that we can just banish all evil and make everything perfect. Well, at least their version of perfect. It seems like too many people are short-sighted. People have mental issues because of bullying? Ban bulling. Is that a noble thing? Sure, but…
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But how many of us were formed as better and/or stronger people from the result of bullying? Or people calling us names? Or folks judging us for our gender/skin color/sexual preference? I’m not interested in “normalizing” verbal bullying or a lesser form of it, but I don’t believe the answer is to make it illegal to publicly state a discriminatory or unpopular opinion. It’s a slippery slope to let the government chip away at our free speech—even if that speech is unwanted or hateful. Let folks suffer whatever social consequences they will by letting them spew their BS in the first place.
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I firmly believe that what doesn’t kill me will make me stronger.
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I’m sure we’ll find out! LOL
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It is indeed insane that it has come down to this. So much is done for the wrong reasons instead of trying to promote communication and understanding.
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Well said.
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This made me laugh. What is ICE? It’s part of marginilising in the effort to demarginalise. However those words are spelt.
Love, light and glitter
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ICE is Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
WISE WORDS!!!
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