Mean to Me: Freedom from Being Offended?

There are a lot of things that offend me. For example, abortion is truly offensive. The idea that we as a nation accept the ideal of Woman's Choice as somehow more important than the inalienable right of life speaks volumes to the mentality of the American mind. The attack on the institutions of marriage and family is offensive, tearing at the very fabric of our society. Politicians are always offensive, self-serving, and power mongering.

I find classical liberalism the best hope of creating a society and state that will protect the freedoms of all individuals.  Yet, even when offended by others, I still value such things as friendship above my own classical liberal ideology. If confronted by something that I find offensive, especially from one of my friends, I don't take offense. That seems to be the natural thing to do but may have more to do with my personality than with my ideology. And as with anyone who stands in the political arena, I've grown fairly thick skin and take insults and personal attacks from strangers with a grain of salt. Yet, with my friends, I will be the first to apologize if offense is given.

That said, I simply do not understand the modern leftist mindset of taking offense at anything they disagree with. I do not understand people, which I was proud to call friends, taking umbrage with my political views and ending our friendship over them instead of ignoring them. This is the saddest part of modern leftist thought - one that says that anyone who disagrees must be a (take your pick) hate monger, H8R, racists, bigot, fear monger, crazed, Bible thumping, wingnut, Tea Bagging, gun toting, ignorant, whack.

It simply wouldn't occur to me to end a friendship over a difference of political ideals. Yet it is my leftist friends, good friends, who abandon the ship of friendship in order to not be offended. Mind you, I don't talk about politics with my friends. I don't push my ideals on anyone. I don't get into arguments with my friends unless they come to me first. But I do write a blog.

Apparently, writing a political blog against leftist thought is enough to break up long-time friendships. Apparently, the only way to get along with leftists is to "shut up" or agree with their political views.

Here are three "responses" from long-time friends, who unfriended me on Facebook because of my blog. 

I find your "self evident truths" to be less than self evident. Since I just really disagree with you and find no place to not be insulted by your presentation of your blog, I find it kind of upsetting to find it on my facebook page all the time.... I find it just makes me sad and frustrated to see your blog entry which insults me and what i stand for as a person.

After unfriending me, this note now appears on the Facebook page of one of my best (ex) friends:

IN THE INTERESTS OF FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a political liberal. I cannot stand the likes of Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. Conservative political propaganda is not welcome here.

I don't listen to the likes of Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc., myself, but apparently perceived association is enough.

That being said, everyone has their right to their own opinion. That is why we are the greatest country in the world, in my opinion. We have the right to live and believe what we want to. But, we also have the right to choose whether we want to expose ourselves to viewpoints that we strongly disagree with. That is why I took you off my friend list.

It is indeed a Brave New World we live in where friendship hinges on taking offense instead of merely ignoring those words from whom we disagree.