This person (whose blog I enjoy very much and will continue to do so) commented on hurricane evacuations. Her opinion, and the opinion of so many others, was:
"I just don't understand why people stay when they're told to leave"
Now, I will not go into detail about why evacuating is so very difficult for a multitude of reasons, including but not limited to FINANCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL hardships. But sufficed to say, it pains me that people can feel comfortable passing judgment from their cozy sofas on Main Street in Storms Don't Come Here, USA.
So...while I am comfortable saying what I feel about the matter....the 9th grader inside me is just screaming "Please like me. I'm sorry. I JUST WANT TO BE ACCEPTED!"
But I'm 30, and supposedly too old to feel like that. So...in the (pretty much nonexistent) off chance that she happens to read this today, I leave her with the following picture. Because honestly, who can resist this? She doesn't have to like me, but he's pretty hard to resist.
(BTW...that's Oreo on his face.)
7 comments:
That's hard to resist, alright.
I think it's okay to disagree- that's human nature- it's just the way in which we disagree with each other that we need to monitor. You're entitled to your opinion!
@Sizzle - There was no hating involved, if that's what you mean. I made sure to reiterate that I still enjoy her blog, but you're right...
everyone's entitled to their opinion.
I hate confrontation. Hate hate hate. But every now and then there comes a time when you just gotta spew the true (I just made that up, damn I am clever).
You should carry a copy of that picture at all times. It could get you out of speeding tickets galore.
I disagree with people all the time. They get over it.
Your opinion is just that: your opinion. I think you're always right in voicing your opinion, especially when it's disagreeing with someone. I've learned more from those I initially disagreed with than the ones who have shared the same opinions. It doesn't always mean you're right or wrong, but it is usually educational. Hopefully the blogger will understand that too. **Applause**
As a reader and enjoyer of both your and the other blog, I will say this:
You are both awesome and certainly entitled to your respective opinions. However, I will ALSO say that only the person in media res can truly understand the magnitude of the events happening. This doesn't reduce the validity of an outsider's opinion, it DOES change the weight given to the insider's opinion, i.e., "I understand why it would seem foolish to stay, but circumstances have conspired to cement my presence here with such firmness that only the intervention of God Almighty/Odin/Oprah Winfrey could wrench me free in time to save both me and the people and home I love."
In some ways, it's similar to being transgendered, I think. A lot of people react with "You wanna do WHAT?" because, (if I may borrow your metaphor) seated as they are on the couches of My Gender Identity is Congruent with My Body, USA, such action is unfathomable and foolish. They're certainly entitled to their opinion, and holding it doesn't diminish their worth as human beings, but they're not here, in the middle of things.
All that said, I'm sure I've made random cracks about The Bay of Louisiana connecting to the Ohio River within the next five years, so feel free to seethe with loathing toward me for my savagery. My flimsy defense? My inner ninth-grader is oriented toward acceptance via the cheap joke.
Still, good for you for standing up! Like I said, I "know" both of you via your blogs, and I think that SCM's comment above is dead on - we learn far more from those with whom we disagree than from those who mirror our opinions back to us.
@SCM - I totally agree with your sentiment. Precisely the reason why "opposites attract".
@Claire - Thank you so much for that heartfelt comment. I respect your opinion greatly because, as I can only imagine, you have battled far greater opposition for decisions you have made in your life.
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