Meditation for April 22nd, 2016 July 8th, 2016
The Art of Offense (A Spiritual Rerun)
People can be easily offended. There has been a blowback where people say that other people are too easily offended, that they are softer and weaker than people used to be or even making up being offended just for attention. Some people find pride in offending others while others seemed angry that they don’t get to say whatever they want without someone correcting them.
If you find yourself proud of offending others than you might be a selfish piece of shit. Humans are pack animals and part of being in a pack is getting along. Saying things just for the case of ire is unproductive and what makes it offensive is that it isn’t even that funny. Don Rickles already did it fifty years ago, you’re a bore.
The frustrated one who feels like his or her, but let’s be honest: his, freedom of speech is being muzzled by the vast army of PC police people are just going to have to realize that freedom of speech means you can say whatever you want, but that people get to be offended. You are saying antiquated privileged phrases and the rest of the world is trying to evolve. Grow up. Consider maybe, could you stop fighting for assholes and start fighting for love? Or are you a fucking caveman?
Is the world a softer weaker place? No. You are hearing people’s voices that had been shut for far too long. The offended easily crowd are actually courageous and strong by saying enough is enough. Do you know how much guts it takes a person to let another person know it hurts when a person used certain hurtful words? If you are a marganalized minority with a history of being enslaved and silent due to strong arm tactics, then it is the hardest thing in the world.
People of color, the queer community, and women have had only fifty years or less to even have a big enough of an audience to raise their voice. Racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are very active and very real in today’s society.
People who feel like people are too easily offended are people who have never been scared for their life or marganalized by society as a whole.
Prayer
God,
Thank you for being an awesome God.
I have enjoyed the power bestowed upon me for my maleness.
I have never been scared to just be out past sundown.
I have enjoyed the courtesy of my whiteness.
I have never worried about what intentions other people think I have when I’m shopping.
Thank you for the gender I was born and identified with.
I will never worry about violence from confused angry men. Or cries of sin from self righteous people
Thank you for the sexual preference I was born with.
I get to enjoy a whole society marketing to my idea of sex and commitment.
Thank you for the leg up due to my class.
I could have been born in poverty with no hope or chance.
Thank you for the all the privilage I enjoy because of who I am.
I have to dress weird or scar my own body to make society slightly uncomfortable around me, but since my fashion is middle age normal core, I am invisible in the eyes of the Judges.
I get so much from doing so little. I get the whole world by just being born with all the right classifications.
Amen, amen indeed.
Craft
How do you know if you’re privileged?
Easy!
Are you ever scared of the police just because you are you?
Does an entire gender scare you because of their possible intentions?
Do law makers try and stir up fear about you just to focus scared people on that instead of the real issues?
Do you walk through a store and all eyes are on you waiting for you to break a law?
Do people want to build a wall between here and your country of origin?
Do you wake up and everyday is a reminder that at one time this was your land, but through violence, disease and ignoring treaties you were moved to a new plot of shitty land?
Is your entire means of finding respect through the way you look or by being one of the boys?
Are people confused by the things you need to do to be you?
Could you be murdered by just being you?
Is the high school you go to not a bridge to a higher education that will help you get a high paying career?
Are people buying houses around you and making them cute but never aknowledging your existence?
Are you not Christian?
If you’ve answered no to all of these questions, you are privileged, and therefore have no right to be offended by others who are offended.
Goal
In a lot of ways, the world with humans is very young. People found ways to getting and maintaining power and that meant creating an us versus them society. Slavery is still practiced in our world by societies we respect.
If you are offended by people who are easily offended, you have never had to fear for your life.
“They” are getting louder and you are getting worried about losing your privilage.
Namaste, whitey!