I was surprised today when I scanned some other blogs on agoraphoia and found so much combative language about the election results. A lot of hate speech towards Sarah Palin. As someone who finds her a great change to the national political pool, it hurts a little, even on a personal level, to see people say such cruel things about someone I Respect and even admire.

Now, you might expect such things coming from the keyboards of pundits and politicians, journalists and political bloggers. But why such mean things said by people who hide in holes? I don't get that. I'll never get that. I'll never understand, and I hope I never do understand how someone like me, who hides behind walls, and typically relies on other people to largely get by, can be so judgmental of anyone else. Especially publically. But I suppose that's not really fair though. I can't understand how anyone can enjoy seeing someone humiliated or debased. I don't get that all.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for free speech and saying it like you feel it, and all those lovely american shout outs we are so proud of. But why be mean? Why is it that the people who are most pleased by seeing someone belittled are people that claim to be "misunderstood"? Ever notice that it's usually the people who claim to be "open-minded" who are the most closed. These are typically the people throwing trash at other people. Yelling things about people who disagree with them at the top of thier lungs and then they stand around corners pointing and saying, "those people are so mean".

Why do people delight in pushing down opinions opposed to their own, then say everyone else is trampling on their rights? I don't get that. Am I that stupid? Vapid, even? Perhaps. I suppose. I can take it.

I'm opposed to abortion. That's it, that's all, nothing more. I don't hate those that are all for abortion. I don't think thier stupid, or daft or uninformed or closed-minded or hate mongers. I see it as the murder of a person unable to even give a dissenting voice. They see it as a right and decision that should be left to the carrier of a cell that could someday, if left in place become another person. I've read the literature, I've heard the arguments and debates, I've seen the images and heard the speeches. Both sides have legitimate points, and both sides have strong feelings on the matter. Very very few on either side are even close to open minded about it. But even here, on such sacred ground, no one ought to be casting stones.

I'm a christian. I believe in God, the Christian God. I don't think athiests or muslims or hindus are less than me. I don't think they are right. They don't think I'm right. Woopdi Fippin Doo! Big Deal! Leave me be, I'll leave you be. So why do all these "tolerant" people keep taking shots at my religion. Sure, okay, the church, christians, muslims, religions in general have done terrible things in the past. Horrible things. But where are the tolerant people when christians are being bashed. It's ok on network television to show pictures of my Savior in all kinds of awful setting, but because someone elses religious icon might evoke violence we won't doing anything "dis-tasteful" there. Why not leave them all alone. Why not just respect each other's beliefs. There is a line that shouldn't be crossed, it's called respect.

Now I understand! I just got it! Duh... tolerance is about being tolerant about things I agree with, but has very little to do with things I disagree with. I am within my "tolerant margin" as long as I'm only intolerant of people who are different from me. I have an open mind as long as I agree with mainstream media, hollywood, and my buddies. I am closed minded if I feel everyone has a right to be different without being painted as an idiot, a robot or brain washed.

Man, I have been such an idiot. To think that I was raised to never, ever bash someone's religion. To think that my parents raised me to respect all walks of faith, even while clinging to my own. To think that my father taught me to respect the political views of others, while always allowing mine to evolve with the age and the relevance of issues. To imagine that my mother taught me to be gentle when approaching differences in opinions, always checking my conscience for comments that might hurt rather than inform. She was so closed minded when she insisted that I remember other's had a right to differing opinions. If only I had known that kindness and respect was a dead end road years ago, perhaps I would be a more open minded and tolerant person today.

To think that today I could be shouting hateful mean things about democrats and waiting impatiently for Obama to fall on his face. I could be organizing a hate speech rally right now to gather all my republican friends for the day the presidential honey moon is over and Obama has to answer questions as a president representing everyone, not just the swooners. Oh I could be having so much fun. There could be invitatins to the party and I could order orderves and party favors...

I voted for McCain and Palin, if you can't taste irony. Before that I voted for Huckabee. Obviously the majority of American's voted for the other guy. And that's just fine. In January of 2009 I will have a new president. His name will be Obama. I will respect him and pray for him and support him as a citizen of this country. I will disagree with him and dissent when I oppose. But I will never say he's not my president. I will never attack him personally. I will never delight when he fails to meet his goals. I will never clack in glee when he makes mistakes or takes our country in a direction I don't agree with. I will NEVER enjoy seeing him, his party, or his supporters get hurt, bashed, attacked or insulted. I will giggle when Jay Leno picks on him and I will probably disagree when he pulls us further away from capitalism. I will also enjoy his success, say a prayer of thanks when he does something that makes me proud to be an american and shout-out in glee if he finds a way to end the war with grace. But to disagree is not to tear down. To debate is not to debase.

I'm going back to my hole now. Carry on...