I guess I am kind of weird. I was kind of a nerd back in high school, and many of the kids said that I just was "not cool" so maybe I should have seen it coming. You see, the problem is that I just do not follow the trends and fads like most people do. Well, apparently the most popular fad today is to hate something or someone, and claim that you are doing it because the person or thing you hate is (*get this*) "hateful". I have to assume that these people have never had a class in critical thinking or basic logic (I suppose that may be my big problem--I expect people to do things that make sense--silly me!).
Watching all the protests over the election it feels like I am watching children throwing a temper tantrum. "I didn't get my way so I'm going to scream and yell so that I will get some attention". The hatred and selfishness that I hear spew out of the mouths of those who choose to respond in this manner is a clear demonstration of where their hearts are at. I guess that I just do not hate as well as they do, so I never get involved in protests and shouting matches. It does not appear to me to be very fun (am I missing something?) to run around like an undisciplined child demanding to get my way. So, as I said at the beginning, I guess I am kind of weird.
Hating others because you do not like people who are hateful is quite a common behavior these days. It seems as though most people want to be victimized (I guess if your life is empty, you feel better about yourself if others say "I feel so sorry for you"), so they seek for something to complain about; even if it runs contrary to basic common sense. Am I angry at the current state of affairs in our nation? Yes (although, I must admit I am NOT angry that we avoided having a criminal who hates the Catholic Church as our president). Am I going to march in a protest yelling like a hyena to make myself feel better? No. I choose less childish and more effective means to respond to things I do not like.
I honestly believe that if Clinton had won the election, and the republicans were the ones protesting in the streets they would be branded as "hatemongers", "racists", and "homophobes". The problem is, just because someone gathers a number of other people around them and calls their actions a "protest" does not make it any less childish to behave in this manner. It was a fair election (as far as we can tell) and it shocked almost everyone that Trump won. Many of us had to deal with having Obama as our president for the last 8 years, and we had to sit back and watch his continual stream of compromise, poor judgment, and incompetency. I do not recall anyone "marching in protest" back then--did I miss something?
It is time for us to begin to exemplify maturity; a long forgotten concept. Those who think that protests are the solution when they do not get their way in perfectly legal proceedings, need to realize that this does not help to heal the rifts that our nation is experiencing. Those (especially in Hollywood) who are calling for others to "fight" a legally carried out presidential election are not helping to make peace, but are instead fomenting hatred and division. We have enough of that already. Celebrities: are you really that foolish and selfish? I want to give you benefit of the doubt, but you do not give us much reason to do so.
Once again, I turn to parents. Undisciplined children who were spoiled and never taught the basic lessons of life (i.e. "there is a God, and you are not Him!") end up living completely undisciplined lives. This is what causes me fear at times: the future of a nation filled with selfish people who do not understand how to discipline themselves. Children need to see the right way to deal with disagreements and adversity. They need to be encouraged to seek a culture of life and not a culture of death. They need to know what godliness and peace really are (and also what it costs to achieve them).
One more thing in conclusion. I have been thinking about this "screaming protest" behavior compared to the behavior of those in past generations here in America (especially those who have been forgotten). Every Wednesday I say Mass at a Veteran's home. I go there and see these folks who were willing to put their lives on the line to protect us from evil tyrants, and I am humbled at the sight of it. Then I think about the current state of society; what a stark contrast. Those people who are reaching the end of their years, who were willing to sacrifice self for strangers, and then I see protests by those who are only willing to scream and yell to get their own way. We have lost something: the mature sense of honor and duty; it is time to find it once again.
