How to censor yourself and not others....yes you epic FAILED!

So along comes another censorship issue, which I seem to butt heads with at least quarterly, if not more often. I post at a discussion site now and then and I really try to avoid the religious topics because it is SO easy to fall right into the trap of arguing with people who have already made up their minds to judge you because they disagree and refuse to see outside of their little 'box'.

I happened upon a discussion about a guy who was given a JAIL SENTENCE because he dressed up as a religious figure. My first thought was really... WHAT?! My second thought was mostly irritation toward whoever would consider giving a jail sentence to another person because they dressed up in a costume. A costume is a costume, folks. Do you think you'd have an issue if I dressed up as something or somebody? Why? What if I told you I just felt like it? Is it the INTENT that gets people's blood boiling? What if there is NO malicious intent? And how likely do you think it is that a person you don't even know that doesn't know you is PURPOSELY TRYING TO OFFEND YOU? Slim to none? Then why be offended? I don't understand.

So.. what follows is my response to one of the answers somebody gave:

I agree with this. People have GOT to start SELF censoring. If YOU personally don't like something, don't look at it. Don't listen to it. Don't read it. Don't get involved with it. Don't shop there. ETC ETC ETC! It's quite simple. Don't get the arrogant idea that just because YOU dislike or hate something or are against it that the person in FAVOR of it is purposely TRYING TO OFFEND YOU. This is not true, and it likely isn't about you at all. There are things I don't like. Doesn't mean I am personally offended and think that someone who LOVES it HATES me or is trying to hurt me or make me feel bad or get me upset or angry, etc. They probably have no idea I even exist plus my opinion shouldn't matter to them nor theirs to me. The only time I would actually think someone was purposely trying to offend me is if they SAID they were or indicated they were, and they were somebody I knew! Most of the backlash and issues are between people who are virtual strangers!

What I see instead is someone hates something they try to get it banned, which interferes with OTHER PEOPLES' enjoyment of (insert thing here). I think THIS is not fair which is why I am against censorship and banning of pretty much anything. Several examples - I don't smoke and I wouldn't personally have an abortion, but I am completely in support of smokers' rights and the rights of women to have final say over their own bodies. If I don't support free choices I am in essence cutting off my own foot down the road. I've seen it said that your personal freedom ends where mine begins, and that is true in a way. Believe what you want but don't impose your feelings on me. Take what you want, leave what you don't, but don't TAKE from me because you don't like what I like!

I mean just because someone else hates a book I love or hates a tv show I watch or hates a video game or a musician or whatever, I don't believe in any way, shape, or form that THEIR OPINION OR DISLIKE should translate into anything that affects ME, so they should take their hate and keep it to themselves! I want to read my book, not have it banned by someone hateful, I want to watch my tv show, not have it pulled by someone hateful, I might want to play my video game or watch my kids enjoy it, not have to beat someone's door down for getting it removed from stores, and as far as the musician, different strokes for different folks. Tell me, what is so hard about looking at it that way? Creative control lies with each individual, nobody should have the right to choose for anybody else on this planet.

Men are crabbier when hungry... and the post office doesn't tape boxes...

This is the secret of life! Ok, I'm kidding. I had two revelations today. First that men are crabbier when they are hungry, and this theory has been proven over time. I'm actually cooking right now while I'm typing this, err... well I'm letting the oil heat up again. We have a wild windstorm raging outside, I am too close to a window so I swear I feel the draft coming through it! Back to the hungry issue. I am fairly domestic and I usually like to cook. I have two 'boys' that live with me, the big one and the small one. Of course the small one is now bigger than me but I call him the small one because he's younger than me. When they are hungry, they are more likely to get snippy about things or ask me about food.

Now I don't get this. When I'm hungry, I go to my kitchen and I fix myself something, OR if I don't feel like cooking, sometimes I will go out and GET myself something. I don't grumble at people that I'm hungry! If you're a man, please advise me why it seems to be this way. This is NOT to say I do not take advantage! I truly do take advantage because it kills two birds with one stone.

On to the post office issue. I found out today that the post office does not tape boxes. They also do not add any packing stuff to your box for you. The guy went as far to say he would sell me a roll of tape but I said - excuse me, do I look like I have a tape dispenser or a pair of scissors in my purse? If you cannot tape the box, it's not going to matter. After that, I asked him if I could just buy my postage label because then I could leave and take my box somewhere else. He refused to sell me a postage label. You know what? I am done with the postal service. I have a mail center a mile from my house. THEY pack boxes. They TAPE boxes. They add extra cushioning or packing material so the stuff I'm sending doesn't break, fall out, etc. They are very nice. They just cost me about five bucks more than USPS. I also have a UPS store close to me and they are just as helpful. I am really just shaking my head about the whole thing.

Coffee. Finally coffee. I love coffee. Especially Starbucks coffee. I grew up where Starbucks started, in the Pacific northwest, near Seattle. However I have noticed something that really bothers me. It's super good coffee - but is it worth almost $4 a cup?? Can we say economic meltdown? I'd sacrifice two Starbucks locations in my town if they'd cut the cost by 50 cents lol. Yes you got it, I think there are 5 Starbucks within a 5 mile radius of my house.