It all comes down to choice.

I've recently come to the realization that it really is all about choice. Everything in life, it all comes down to choice. When that is inhibited by external forces like people (i.e. other beings with choices, who are in turn choosing to inhibit others' choices), I feel extremely assaulted. To clarify from the beginning, I do believe in a God, at least I think so. I can't quite explain who exactly that is for me, but I do believe that we are left with choices because of "him." Michael Phillips explained it better than I could ever hope to:

God’s not going to help or hurt me, God’s just watching. God’s not going to make my life work, that is up to me. People make choices and our choices have consequences that create other choices and outcomes. Fate, God, whatever you want to call it, it doesn’t rule us. Leaving everything to someone or something else is just a form of inaction. ... I don’t think we should leave anything to God, because I think God leaves everything to us.

Within the past month or so, I've been feeling extra assaulted by people who don't think anyone but them should have choice. Of course, these have all been about big issues, about which I care deeply. The saddest thing I have had to come to terms with is that (until today) all the assholes who have been refusing my right to choose have been liberals.

Time for a lesson.

The OED gives these definitions for the word "liberal," amongst others:

• Free in bestowing; bountiful, generous, open-hearted
• Free from restraint; free in speech or action
• Freely permitted, not interfered with
• Free from narrow prejudice; open-minded, candid
• Free from bigotry or unreasonable prejudice in favour of traditional opinions or established institutions; open to the reception of new ideas or proposals of reform

We should all know that, but I just wanted to reiterate.

I have to accept that people who consider themselves liberal can be just as closed-minded and conservative in their "liberal" beliefs as those who are conservative in their "conservative" beliefs. It's all a part of growing up, I suppose. Maybe I am becoming more and more of a social libertarian, that is libertarian in my social beliefs. Hands off, people!

What makes us all human is that we all have choices and are able to judge for ourselves which choice we believe is the correct one to make at the time. I know, there are various caveats to that statement, but in general, I believe it to be true. You don't have to agree, that's what this is all about.

So let us all be human. Let us make choices for ourselves. We're all adults now.

I'll step down off my soap box and get back to my story about my right to choose being assaulted by these so-called "liberals." The first time this happened in the last couple of weeks was when I went to see "Religulous." It just felt like Bill Maher was trying to convert everyone to atheism. He came across so extremist that it made me really uncomfortable. Just as uncomfortable as I would have been had I gone to see "The Passion of the Christ" with a baptismal font next to the exit. So WHAT if people want to be religious? Really! Don't get me wrong, I see where he's coming from with some of his logical arguments. For example, a big issue I agree with Bill Maher about is when people use their religiousness as an excuse for inethical things, like killing people.

The next time I felt affronted was at one of the Smithsonian libraries we visited on our DC libraries trip. The first thing out of her mouth was offensive and rude, but, like, I don't feel like going into it, like on my blog, like. The second thing out of the librarian's mouth was that librarians should be non-partisan and not judge their patrons or try to sway them in any manner. The third thing out of her mouth was that she didn't agree with that. The fourth thing out of her mouth was that the upcoming election is so important, we should all vote, and (I quote) "There better not be one Republican amongst you." Now, I'm not a Republican, and I'm not voting for John McCain, but that sentiment made me so angry. It is just SO unprofessional to say to a group of people in a professional context that you don't even know!!!

The third time I noticed someone not thinking I should have a choice in my own actions, I started to notice the trend... James Taylor came to Chapel Hill for a free concert at an Obama Rally. The Early Voting folks of course used it as a place to promote early voting. Of course, why not, right? Well, they were handing out tickets at the early voting polling place and I went by to get some. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't early vote, because I LIKE voting on Election Day. If everyone voted early, we wouldn't need an Election Day, now would we? But I do like that we have early voting because it is convenient for many people and I like how there aren't any lines when I go to vote on Election Day. Plus, November 4th is my 3 year anniversary with Matt and we want to go vote together. Anyway, I went to go get free tickets (I was informed there were no strings attached) from the early voting polling place. I didn't know who had them, so I walked up to the first friendly-looking Obama promoter I saw. Bad idea. This is how our conversation went:

Me: Hi, where can I get tickets for James Taylor?
Ugly vest lady: Have you early voted?
Me: No, I want to vote on Election Day.
Ugly vest lady: Well, James Taylor is really holding this rally for people who have early voted, because he wants everyone to early vote.
Me: Well, it's a free concert and it's not like I'm not going to vote at all, and isn't he really promoting Obama anyway? I want to vote on Election Day and I'm a fan of James Taylor and really want to see him.
Ugly vest lady: Well, I'm not saying I'm in charge or anything, and it's your choice and all, but you really shouldn't go to the concert unless you've early voted.
Me: I really don't see what the big deal is. I am a citizen and it's my perogative when I vote, so long as I vote. I find it patriotic to vote on Election Day and that's what I'm going to do. But what does that have to do with an Obama rally that James Taylor is playing for free at?

UGH! Later, Matt pointed out if what she said was in fact true, the people that have already early voted SHOULDN'T be allowed to go to the concert because then James Taylor wouldn't have anyone to convince to early vote for Obama. Anyway, the woman wouldn't tell me where to go to get tickets, but she would tell people who voted, so I followed someone else that she told and got some. But really, shouldn't it be my choice WHEN I vote? I'm an ADULT! I know I don't look it sometimes, but I swear, I've been a legal-aged adult for 6 years now. I legally have the right to choose my own choices.

Yesterday was the last straw. I lollygagged around the apartment for a while in the morning and got some homework done. Then I headed off to campus to go to work at the UL and get some work-work done. That's when I noticed this giant BLOODY display in front of Wilson Library. I swear, it has to be 20 feet tall. And the pictures on it have to be at least 6 feet tall. Oh, here's an article published by the Daily Tar Heel:
http://www.dailytarheel.com/news/university/exhibit_draws_heated_response
I especially like the phrase "sidewalk counseling." That lady must be delusional. But, I digress.
I understand there are 2 sides (and sometimes more) to every issue, but when it comes to abortion, choice really does cover both sides. Some people CHOOSE not to have abortions and other CHOOSE to have abortions. I don't think it's ever an easy decision. For anyone. Ever. But people should have a choice. Sometimes, it really is the best decision. Regardless. So when people resort to scare tactics like these to try to inhibit other people's right to choose, it just really pisses me off. This is a great example of people with choices choosing to not let people have choices. Not only do they believe nobody should have a choice about whether or not to have a baby or an abortion, but they apparently don't believe people should have a choice about whether or not to look at EXTREMELY graphic images. If those pictures were of people being tortured, or beheaded corpses, or really - bloody, dead adult human bodies, they probably wouldn't be allowed to be displayed in public. It's ironic that they "believe" that fetuses should have the same rights as the rest of us living humans, but they don't consider dignity important? I believe the war we are in is wrong, but I'm not going around posting pictures of their mutilated dead bodies in public places (or at all). And I sure as hell wouldn't want to look at those pictures every day, like these people look at pictures of aborted fetuses.

It all comes down to choice. Movies that depict violence are rated accordingly. Television shows that have graphic content are blurred out. I have a choice about whether or not I want to see those violent movies or bloody surgery shows. I should have a choice about whether or not I want to see larger-than-life aborted fetuses when I'm walking across campus. I didn't yesterday, and I won't today.

To wrap up the abortion-rights issue, I just want to say that pro-choice is not anti-life. It is not anti-abortion. It is not pro-abortion. It is PRO-CHOICE.

That carries over to all these issues. I am PRO-CHOICE, whether it comes to religion, politics, voting, abortion, gay marriage, omnivorism/vegetarianism, social groups, automobile buying, pet owning, tooth brushing, showering, reading, you name it.

We are all adults. We all should have a choice about the way we lead our lives, so long as it doesn't inhibit other's choices about the way they lead their lives.