Last night was a good night .. until. I'm going to copy/paste my Facebook rant:
QuoteAnger. At least it would be if only I could still get mad.
I opted to go to Gilchrist park tonight and play music. It was a very good night .. until the end. I was rusty, still played ok. Those that spoke to me tried real hard to call me by my name, my real name .. until the end.
I approached Fred to discuss the name since I'd know he had heard it, his response? Nope, John, just can't do it brother. Then professed to 'love me but can't' ... seriously? This is MY name, who I CHOSE TO BE - BY NAME; WHAT I CHOOSE TO BE CALLED. You don't have the right to deny me who I am. To do so shows blatant disregard and disrespect FOR ME.
I will not be going back there so long as Fred is there. We've already been avoiding their play dates. I don't get to see/hear my own brother sing and play because it's Fred's band and 'he' doesn't approve.
If anyone knows those that go to Gilchrist park on Tuesdays, tell them I am sorry. I won't be back. I have no way to tell them myself. I wish to thank them for showing me kindness and acceptance and for their willingness to try, even if they didn't understand.
Faith <<-- that's me, you can't take it away!!!!!!!!!
I have no words, no actually I have lots of words, for people so arrogant in their own opinions and beliefs that nothing else matters. No one .. NO ONE .. has the right to judge how you live your life, how you perceive yourself, what you wish to be called. The only time that you in the wrong when in pursuit of 'self' is if that pursuit interferes with another person's right to do the same.
as an extreme example:
Murder. Sure, you can claim to have the right to be yourself by killing other people because "
it's who you are". Except!! doing so interferes with their right to live their life .. by living. That makes you wrong.
Another example:
Impaired/distracted Driving. You can claim to have the right to drive no matter what, well you don't. Driving impaired, leading to a crash with possible injuries or death,
is not within anyone's right. You stole their right for (reasonably) safe travels from them with your selfish disregard for the risks and consequences.
How does using my chosen name and gender interfere with your right to be yourself, to use your name and gender?
It doesn't.
How does the way I dress interfere with your right to how to dress?
It doesn't
If what you are doing interferes with another person ability to do the same .. YOU ARE WRONG.
I could keep going, I'm not. Even though the thoughts are screaming through my head I simply cannot type them all and have them make sense. The gray zone of ethics and morality and decency is hard to define and impossible for some (since they have none).