I was reading today about how Dr. Laura believes that Sharon Stone’s remarks regarding China and bad karma were “blasphemous…phenomenally insensitive, and disgusting.” After thinking about it for a moment, I realized that this is extremely unfair. Why are Sharon’s opinions worth less than anyone else’s? Just because what she said is upsetting, or not the popular school of thought, why is it that she has to be branded as a terrible person? I don’t know her personally, but I do know that she has a right to her opinion just like anyone else. I am not sure how her opinion might wrongfully influence anyone with their own brain and free will, but jeez, someone out there sure seems to think it’s just awful to say what’s on your mind.
I’m usually worried about how the things I say will come across to the average reader. I generally curtail much of the sarcasm that I could unleash on any given day simply because I have this thing in me that doesn’t want to be hated. Probably just a self-esteem issue, but nonetheless, I digress. My feeling on this issue, however, is that we should feel that we are able to express our opinions even if they are unpopular. Sometimes, our differing truths don’t always rub others the right way. Does this mean we should feel the need to keep our opinions to ourselves unless everyone else is likely to agree? Nah. I don’t think so. We all act as though we know what a person means to say whenever they say it. The truth is, we don’t. The only person whose words we can most clearly interpret are our own. We don’t know where someone else is coming from, even when we have been through similar situations and experiences in our own lives. For God’s sake, to assume that we can pick up on every meaning implied in what a person says and does is to be, well, “blasphemous…phenomenally insensitive, and disgusting.”
Although I do love Dr. Laura and I feel that she has often had wonderful insights into the human condition, I don’t agree with her here. I may not even agree with Sharon Stone, but then, who am I to judge?
Until next time…
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you are clearly mistaken. this is not a matter of freedom of speech, or one’s right to express their personal beliefs. this is a matter of the inappropriateness and insensitivity of her remarks.
Clearly, you didn’t understand my post. My point is that we are all entitled to our opinions, no matter how much others may dislike those opinions. My personal belief is that it really isn’t for us to decide how right or wrong someone is when they say something that, for whatever reason, others may find hurtful. Thank you for your comment.