There are a lot of trash, clickbait, and purely untrue articles circulating the internet and Facebook. We all see them every day. The majority of those articles are completely false, and yet they get shared like wildfire. Any time we see a friend or family member share one that's a clear trap, we just shake our heads and keep scrolling. But what about when the things they share aren't just dumb; they're hurtful?

With the election last fall and the major social media presence it had, many of us saw ugly sides of our followees. Friendships fell apart, relationships ended, and many people found themselves blocked... a lot. It was easy for Facebook commenters to scorn and insult people who lost friendship during the election. A common consensus was usually, "Why can't they just respect each other's opinions and move on?" But here's the thing: if someone's opinion is racist, or sexist, homophobic; if the things they say and share threaten or hurt someone's existence, then that opinion does not deserve respect.

I respect their right to say that opinion. Oppression in any form cannot make things better. I respect the battles fought to earn the freedom to say those opinions. But that does not mean that because we are friends or family, that I have to be fine with the things they think.

It's deeper then just what a person 'likes' on Facebook. Even if I were to try and ignore that sexist comment, I'll never be able to forget they said it. The things they say and post are the things they feel in their heart. And once you know that's how someone feels, how can you truly be okay with them in your life anymore?

I'll go to the grave defending absolute freedom of speech. But I'll also go to it firmly believing in the old saying if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Hurtful comments and lies serve no purpose, and respect is not automatically granted, it's earned.