Everyone has the right to an opinion. The freedom to think and express one’s opinion is core to our way of life, a freedom provided for us in the U.S. Constitution (free speech). Expressing opinions provides for differing perspectives, ideas and concepts and may, from time to time, persuade other people’s thoughts and opinions. 

Where we run amok is when we value opinions as fact or absolute truth. “Opinion” defined by the Google Dictionary is “a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.” We prove that every day on social media when those who have the right to express opinions do so with nothing factual or true. Worse, those ramblings are now accepted as equal to or greater value than the actual facts. A person’s opinion does not make his or her point factual.

Instead of having civil discourse and debate, today’s culture now encourages people who claim tolerance, diversity and inclusion to trash-talk and disrespect others’ views and opinions. We have lost our way as a society when we believe that one person’s opinion is somehow elevated above another opinion, even when absent of truth or facts. We no longer seek the truth or the facts; instead, we form an opinion and then try to find the ‘spin’ that proves our opinion as fact. 

This country was founded on the premise that all people are created equal and that government’s role is to protect everyone. We have become twisted to where we now say government’s role is to protect each person’s rights at the destruction of the greater population’s rights. That is a dangerous lie and false to the core because it is based on someone expressing an opinion – not truth, not fact, not to prove that current practices disrupt or destroy the greater population, but simply because, “I want my own way and you don’t matter.”

Politically active judges now make law instead of following it; one person who is offended by a 150-year-old statue can have it removed or destroyed; a person offended by a cross on a dead person’s grave can find a judge to agree and destroy a culture or way of life while destroying the rights of the greater population because of the so-called rights of one. These actions are not enlightenment, these actions are censorship and impeding the rights of far more people than the one individual.

Our country cannot continue down this path and expect to survive. Acceptance, tolerance, inclusion and diversity must be tempered with our country’s unique culture and way of life for the benefit of all. We must return to the U.S. Constitution, which states, “We the people of the United States...” The rights framed in the Constitution are for U.S. citizens, not everyone who legally or illegally reside within our borders. Your opinion is welcome but, remember, it is only your opinion. Thank you for allowing me to express mine. Until next time…