We have been living in a world where someone can abuse, ridicule and yell and scream; all under the guise of free speech. However, I have to question. What is the point of no return when some feel that free speech is an excuse for bad manners, a big mouth and an open cheque book for smart arse behaviour and disrespectful behaviour and words?
Some time ago, I recounted the story of a day when my granddaughters were visiting ( with their mother ) and we had gathered at Redhead's home. Now, Redhead is their great grandmother and in her prime. She is approaching her 90th birthday and is a thoroughly good and decent human being.
She had organised a lovely morning tea of all of their favourites: pavlova, fruits and cakes. There was tea, coffee, soda drinks, fruit juices and flowers on the table. All lovingly presented with her best dinner set and tea cups.
These two young " ladies " seemed rather amused that Mum had an Australian Firefighter's calendar on her kitchen wall. A picture of a rather handsome young man graced the image for the month. In his arms, against his bare ( and I might add, rather lovely ) bare chest was a cute little puppy that he was hugging.
Mum and I buy one every year to help raise funds for the Firefighters - who do such a fine job of protecting our communities.
One of the granddaughters pointed at the calendar and yelled " look! Granma is a dirty old woman! " and laughed and laughed.
I looked at her in shock. I replied. " steady on, that is not the way you speak to your Great Grandma. "
To which she replied " I can say what I want! Free speech! "
I explained that she was being - not only inaccurate,, but also offensive. In fact, I went on, she was a guest in her Great Grandmother's home and that she needed to be courteous and polite.
At this point, the other daughter came in and declared that she was a lesbian and that women ruled the world! ( not her words but not too far off in terms of accuracy. They yelled and shrieked and laughed and pointed fingers and put hands on hips and continued with their mockery of two women who loved them.
Redhead was rather taken aback, to say the least. She had heard of these people called lesbians, but only in recent years.
My daughter said nothing.
Suddenly, all the joy had gone out of the get-together.
We have not seen my daughter or my granddaughters since.
That was about 2 years ago.
Today, it seems that people confuse free speech with the right to express an opinion. Respectfully and with dignified debate. It is as if SHOCK value is of more value than reasoned thought processes. And certainly without regard to the place in which we are expressing those alternate opinions.
I do not deny my granddaughters their right to have an opinion. Whether it be on their sexuality or on such things as climate change or politics. I do not deny anyone the right to feel strongly for vaccinations against the Covid-19 debacle or for the debacle. If someone wishes to get vaccinated by all means, do so. Just don't ask me to.
If you want to be a transgender or a homosexual or a person who identifies as a mutant alien lizard from the planet Xiclox, good on you.
Quite frankly, I don't care.
Just don't bring your vitriol or venom into my home. Or that of those who share my views.
I believe that Ricky Gervais did a recent stand-up routine where he was abusive and abusive about transgenderism.
Personally, I don't agree with this latest fad of pronoun changes and men apparently competing in women's sports. I do not agree with men or boys in women's or girls' changing rooms or toilets.
I feel, however, that Ricky Gervais did something not dissimilar to my granddaughters: he used shock value to try and get a laugh.
That is not humour. That is shock value. And I don't believe in a cheap laugh in order to get a few upticks on twitter or instagram.
Sometimes, I have noticed that people feel that the censorship on patriotrealm.com is too rigid. It suppresses free speech.
It was decided to relax these rules and allow free speech.
Yet all that has happened is that certain posters feel that this gives them license to come into our home, our community and say things for shock value - all in the name of " free speech. "
Like a pair of young adolescent teenagers some think that this gives them the RIGHT to abuse others and ridicule others.
It makes me wonder if free speech is FREE speech or whether it comes at a COST?
In the two young " ladies ' case, it came at losing their grandmother and Great Grandmother's respect? Not their love, obviously, but certainly respect.
They were no longer welcome in our homes.
Just as people who believe that we unvaccinated are toxic, many of us who are unvaccinated have concerns about what has happened to those who are vaccinated.
I personally feel that FREE speech does come at a cost.
Nothing in this life is free.
I suppose I regard patriotrealm as my home. I like it here. I enjoy respectful DEBATE. Not arguments. Not abuse. Not words said for shock value. Not a stand-up comedy routine to get upticks from one " side " or another.
Life is complex enough these days without adding a further division to our already divided lives.
I believe in old fashioned conservative values. The preservation of life, dignity of life and the due respect paid to our older citizens. I believe that children are our hope for a productive and prosperous future. I believe in fair play. I believe in courtesy. I believe in patriotism to our countries when our countries deserve it.
And that is it in a nutshell.
Joe Biden is a senior citizen. Do I agree with him? No. Do I respect him? NO. Do I feel sorry for him? YES. Do I feel it is Elder Abuse. YES. That is MY opinion.
Greta Thunberg was a child when she mounted her campaign of fear. Do I agree with what she said? No. Do I respect her? NO. Do I feel it was Child Abuse? YES. That is my opinion.
We may criticise. We may " take the mickey " yes. But never use foul language and abuse in order to express our particular viewpoint.
Abuse and ridicule are abhorrent to me.
If we are fortunate enough to have communities like patriotrealm, then I believe we must respect the home that has been offered and not take advantage of the hospitality offered.
Or we will be asked to leave.
Today, it seems that too many people think that all they have to do is apologise and the magic words of " I am sorry " will make everything OK.
Well, it doesn't work that way.
The problem is that the views of the shrieking minority are expecting us to change the way we live our lives in order to accommodate their view of the world.
My answer is this:
If you want to be an alien lizard, a believer in a religion that worships a pedophile or a political narrative that approves of communism, stay away from my home.
It is MY home. NOT YOURS.
Stop advertising your beliefs and not advertising mine.
Stop pushing your beliefs and then telling me, in my home, that I am wrong.
If you don't like my views, go somewhere that agrees with you.
And let me buy my calendar, use my best china and eat my preferred food in my home.
Do what you bloody like in yours because MY home is NOT YOURS TO TAKE OVER.
Free Speech is a thing of the past. Unless we stop the abuse and the free for all of the left.
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