patrick.net

In some of my conservative brethren.

To me, terrorism is designed just as much to destroy freedom and create reticence and second thinking on the part of the group the terrorist act is perpetrated as it is to simply kill.

I'm no fan of the LGBT lifestyle and particularly its politics. However I do believe that in a free nation, such individuals(and any really) ought to be able to advocate and promote their beliefs as they see fit, provided they do not physically harm others. I see the SB killings and the Orlando killings(as well as those in France and elsewhere in the world) as efforts to silence and bully others.

I was sad today in discussing this with some of my very conservative friends. They all agreed everyone has the right to live. But when I mentioned my ideas about their rights to advocate on their own behalf, I was met with silence. That's wrong. Free speech protections exist for everyone. I didn't even know people thought in such a way. I wouldn't want to silence anyone, though I reserve the right to mock those that make rampant abuse of their free speech rights. But were all Americans, all retaining the same freedom of speech, freedom to pursue religion, freedom really to live our lives. To me it hurt that other Americans were killed. Worse yet, the LGBT community has suffered unfairness, injustice, and persecution, for a long time. I thought the tide had mostly turned. Guess I was wrong. So unfortunate.