21 July, 2008

Stop Hiding Behind the Wrong Labels

I am going to say right up front that this entry is probably going to twist and turn because I am outraged and have nowhere else to spew my anger. I'm pretty sure I've blogged on labels before and I will again--labels and generalizations. Today I'm incensed that there are people who label themselves one thing only to hide what they really think. Don't call yourself a conservative when you're really an elitist racist. Those who know me know that I can float between liberal and conservative views-I don't "buy" one complete and total agenda and I do try to see both sides. But here's the thing--if you don't want illegals coming across the border because you think it's unfair to tax paying Americans, you don't want our government programs to support them (and you probably don't think our programs should support our own poverty), then call yourself a conservative. But if you don't want "tatoo covered illegal Mexicans" coming across our borders because you think they only want to steal from us and sponge off of us--well guess what? THAT'S GENERALIZATIONS AND RACIST!!! I'm so tired of people looking at someone else and labeling them as something. How the heck do any of us know what's in someone's heart and mind? By the way let's not forget there are several serial rapist and murderers in jail who were preppy college kids. (I'm too angry right now to remember there names but one is in Florida and one is in the NE known as the preppy rapist.)

I'm even going to go a step further--let's say someone is breaking into my house and stealing my things (not trying to hurt me). Am I angry? Absolutely. Do I feel violated? Absolutely. Do I think they should serve time? Again, absolutely. But do I think they should be killed? NO WAY!!! Do I think there is a possibility that they can be rehabilitated? Yes, I do because I believe there are people who are just rotten and want to steal--there are people who are supporting their drug habit, but I also believe there are some who are stealing because they are so desperate they see no other way out. Maybe they have children at home starving, they've lost their job, and they see no other way out. Yes, it's still wrong and yes they should pay back to society, but also yes, they are and can still be valuable contributing members of society.

Why do I hate labels? Because we all mean different things by them and trust me, I don't want to be classified with yours.

1 comment:

Friend said...

What's the cause of your blast-off?
I agree - labels are awful, and one of the noticeable things about our post-modern times is how we resist labels. I don't want to be labelled by somebody else, and I sdon't want to label myself so that others can pigeon hole me. But, we seem to love wearing fashion labels.
I heard of a woman in a local prison - caught stealing to suypport her son through medical school. Youy are right. Things are more compicated than they seem.