Oh man. How do I start this.
I am a 19-year-old white female living in an age where a new social issue is brought to light every day. I fully believe in equality. I say often that anyone can do anything, they just have to work for it. I also understand that many people have to work a little bit harder to get where they want to be because our society has not achieved desired equality. I am not blind to this. I am open-minded and what I believe is simple: People are people. So let's get that out of the way.
Now, on to my point: I am utterly embarrassed of my generation. We are far, far, far too soft.
I watched a video several nights ago on free speech that made me irate. In the said video, college students (note the word college) were asked whether or not they believed in free speech. Majority of the students answered, "Of course!" However, seconds passed and the interviewer and student exchanged words when the interviewer asked if excusing a sneeze with the phrase "God bless you" was offensive. Several students -- the same students who support free speech -- coined this phrase a microaggression. Why did these students view this as a micro-aggression? Because not everyone believes in God. So in essence, if a person sneezes down the aisle from me at Walmart and I say "God bless you," completely unknowing of whether this person worships God, Buddha, Allah - whomever, I have committed a micro-aggression. This is how our generation thinks. Instead of accepting the phrase for what it is and moving on if it offends you (it shouldn't), millennials choose to whine and complain about it, and lay the ground for our next riot and social controversy. So here we are: politeness equates to aggression.
I think there is a time to be sensitive and a time to simply let things go. Should individuals be offended by a simple phrase like "God bless you"? No. Should hate crimes infuriate us? Absolutely. It is vital we let the attacks that are truly hate ridden drive us to fight for justice -- not mannerly comments people make. Not everything is reason for an argument. Focus on the big issues.
Our generation's hypersensitivity is creating nothing more than a divide... a divide between different sexes, races, and religious groups. A divide that benefits us in no way as a society. We communicate with one another by walking on eggshells. When one person disagrees with what ten peers believe, that one person is ostracized and shamed for his or her beliefs. This has to end -- we must agree to disagree and stop fighting over everything. Fight when a fight is needed... not over trivial remarks.
The pathetic racists, sexists, homophobes, etc. of the world will always exist. Focus on them... not on attacking them, but sharing your viewpoints in hopes of creating a more beautiful world for all of us. Do not deem yourself a victim if you are not one. Do not believe you are entitled. Do not be fragile. Fight for what you believe in, but do not create issues when there are already so many in our world.
