Got Ignorance?

I am so tired of ignorance.  Saying that, I realize that there are of course situations where I myself am ignorant and act accordingly.  

I think it's that I've had more time lately to think, and what I see when I look around honestly scares me.

Take people who are against homosexuality, who claim it is fake, who believe it can be cured.  

I mean, who would choose to walk such a hard road? Who would opt for harassment, discrimination, and the probability of physical violence?  Who would want to live a life where marriage to the person you love, like, and are sexually compatible with is not possible? 

Those against homosexuality throw Leviticus 18:22 ("You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination") or even the mighty 20:13 ("If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them") around, but the truth is that most of these people have never read the Bible.  They hear someone fling two random quotes around, and suddenly the Bible is this giant tome decrying homosexuality.  

I can fling quotes, too (and I've read the Bible).  The one I try to keep in mind when this comes up (because I know an alarming number of anti-gay people) came, according to the Bible, from the lips of Jesus Christ himself: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same." (Luke 6:32)

Judging someone by their sexuality (unless it involves children or animals) is just ignorant.  Michael Sam's sexual orientation will always be just a little bit bigger than his football career, and that's sad (I do have to confess that I've heard a few Rams jokes that made me laugh, and I am ashamed to admit that).

Live and let live.

Then, of course, there's the abortion debate.  This one gets people pretty fired up, and with good reason.  I  mean, who doesn't love a baby? 

(Sorry, any chance to add a picture of Miss Gabrielle is taken)

Speaking of visuals, though, this cartoon has been floating around Facebook and the like for awhile.  

 No matter which side of the "choice" debate you land on, the fact is that there is some truth to this.  

By and large, the people that identify as "pro-life" are the same people that are all angry about welfare (or they are on welfare, which is, I suppose a whole new level of ignorance).

I think we can all agree that gallivanting through life aborting fetuses willy nilly is morally reprehensible.  However, that is not how it usually goes.

What about the seventh grader impregnated by her father, who might choose suicide over having to tell a secret that might or might not be believed?  And the rape victim, who would have nine months of constant reminding even if she did choose to give the baby up for adoption? The parents who learn that their fetus has a condition or disease that will leave them with a short, painful life or a long life full of emptiness because they have limited brain activity?

How about the seventeen-year-old whose birth control failed? I'm kind of an expert on this one, and I'll tell you that I am glad beyond words that I chose to keep this treasure, who is just finishing her second year of college.

  

With that being said, though, I believe that abortion should be legal.  I chose to keep that beautiful, brilliant girl in that picture, and I would never go back on that choice, but I had extensive support--emotionally, physically, and financially--from my parents.  Many don't.  In fact, I'd say that most seventeen-year-old parents spend a lot of time on welfare or skirting the poverty level (and I should probably note that I am extremely liberal on most issues but I am right of the Tea Party on welfare fraud).  

Hmm, let's move on to vaccinations.  How's that for a big debate?  It shouldn't be, but it is.

Anyone who speaks out against vaccinations has obviously never looked at pictures of tetanus victims or considered the ramifications of a polio outbreak, or measles, or mumps, or diptheria.  They use statistics from a unilaterally debunked study by Andrew Wakefield, who has since been barred from practicing medicine.  

I mean, Gab had five shots at her last physical.  Five.  Would I, as a parent, put my child through that if I didn't think the benefit outweighed the risk?  Would my pediatrician knowingly inject my child with something where they felt it put forth any sort of possibility that they would be sued?

Disagreement is a good thing, I think.  I enjoy hearing different sides of issues, and even if I'm not going to change my mind, I think it's useful to think about where others are coming from.  We are all human beings, yes, but our upbringing and education and life experiences all form together a unique stew, and no two are the same.

That's part of what makes life interesting.  So disagree all you want.  Seriously, just be respectful.

And, for the love of all things holy, don't be ignorant.

Ignorance is the biggest problem in America today.  It is quickly followed by apathy, but that is a post for another day.

Am I wrong on this one?  Am I just sticking out a palm with the words "YOU'RE IGNORANT" on it in big letters to people that disagree with me?

I'm curious to know your thoughts.