#auntcathy

Rant ensuing so that I don't physically harm someone (and also because arguing with stupid and hateful people is technically a waste of energy) : The phrase "well I have a right to my opinion" is fucking exhausting and, honestly, unacceptable. This is especially true because people normally use this phrase to defend bigoted and harmful opinions. Its true in the sense that, sure, the government can't come and lock you up because you expressed an opinion. However, it does not mean that you get to express your opinion with impunity. See, technically, under the second amendment I have the right to own a gun, but if I shoot someone I'm going to jail. I can't use "well I have the right to bare arms" as an excuse for harming someone and I certainly can't claim that, because I was "within my rights", it is not my fault that someone was injured. I can't say "well it's my right officer it's not my fault they're bleeding". Now, lets take into account the fact that homophobic, trans phobic, misogynistic, and racist opinions result in real physical violence every single day. Given that, its only natural that I'm going to tell you your opinion is wrong and harmful. That you have a legal right to it doesn't bar me from correcting you or saying that you must lack basic human compassion to believe such horrible things. If you point a gun at me I'm not going to just stand there and wait for you to kill me because "oh well, you have the right to bear arms". In the same way, I'm not just gonna stand there and let you say awful shit about me, people within a community that I belong to, or people in general. I'm going to stand and protect myself and others. In short, fuck your opinion and fuck you. Stop abdicating responsibility for your hateful bullshit by claiming you have a "right" to spew it.