July 25th, 2019

Fair warning, this will be a teensy lit bit of a rant.  I will try to keep it brief.

Second of all, this is just my opinion.  It is not a stone cold scientifically proven fact. Just my opinion.  Opinions are not facts, they are just opinions. Okay?  I just want that clear from the outset.

Now then.  I will presume that you have either heard or read of the brouhaha at Macy's over some plates.  In case you did not, I will say it again.  It's a whole big uproar over plates.  The things you present food upon.  Plates.

When I first skimmed the article I admit that I was curious enough to click on the link to actually see the plates in question.  They are white plates with three circles on them.  The smallest circle which is red I believe says something like, "Favourite Jeans".  The next circle is a little bigger. It is a different primary colour and says some different sort of jeans like maybe comfortable jeans. I can never remember the second thing in a list of three. I am not absolutely positive what it said but it was something like that.  The last circle which is yet another colour and is larger still and says, "mom jeans". That one I remember clearly.

They are not plates that I would ever in a million years buy.  But still they are just plates.  If you like them you buy them, if you don't like them you don't. It really is that simple. It's not a Big fat hairy deal.

Well some people did think it was a big deal.  In fact they thought it was such a big deal that they immediately screamed that this was "Fat Shaming" and demanded - not requested but demanded - that Macy's remove the oh so very offensive plates from their store.  Macy's apologized and banned the plates.

Why am I mentioning this?  Because, once again, in my opinion, this entire hubub is ridiculous.  The only thing more annoying to me than people who demand that others go along with whatever it is that they think, are the ones who do go along with them. NOT because they agree, mind you, Not because they have changed the error of their ways, but because they have bowed to pressure. It sets a bad precedent.

It is as if there is a group of people who have decide that they and they alone are the arbiters of what is right and what is wrong and all have to agree with them.  We are all now supposed to have the same likes and dislikes.  There is only one right answer and this very loud group of people are the ones who get to decide.

Balderdash!  Nonsense!  

There have been a lot of things that I didn't like, particularly in the fashion world, but I didn't demand it be banned or boycotted.    It simply wasn't my taste or my style and so I didn't partake.

For example, the Mohawk hair style of the.....80's? 90's?  I honestly laughed the first time I saw someone sporting that particularly 'do.  I couldn't help myself. It was so unexpected and so very unflattering that I laughed out loud.  BUT I never told anyone else that it looked bad or that they shouldn't be allowed to wear their hair that way.  (And now that I think about it, wouldn't it now be considered Cultural Appropriation?)  I did what I always do, I applied one of my favourite sayings to it, "You be you and I'll be me".  If you like it fine.  It's not for me but hey, vive la difference.  

It seems that there is a collection of folks who do not have the same easy going attitude.  This certain group of people  do the same thing with movies, television shows, music, video games and books.  They decide that one is offensive in some way and then they seek to have it banned.  Removed from the store shelves, taken off the air and out of the theatres.  Why?  Because THEY don't like it. They are offended by it.  

Hmmm. Well, thank you for policing me as if I didn't have a single active brain cell.  but what if I am NOT offended by it.  What if I do like it?  Doesn't matter.  They believe that they get to decide for me.  Nope. I am not okay with that.

If you don't like it, if you are offended by it, don't watch it, don't listen to it, don't buy it.  But I get to make that decision for myself. I do not need anyone else to make my choices for me.  If the issue here is that you are concerned that your child will somehow be tainted by the existence of ...whatever it is...then do a better job of policing your child's television & movie viewing, video game playing or book reading.  Or even better, have a conversation with your child about how you feel about the whatever it is and why you feel that way.  It's called communication and it's a wonderful thing.

I recall some neighbor telling my father one day how upset they were by the existence of the television show, Outer Limits.  They ranted and raved and carried on and obviously wanted my dad to get on board the same bus.  When the fellow finally stopped talking for a moment, and I think he finished with, "Don't you agree, Larry?" my dad said, "I would just like to point out that your television has an on/off button and a channel selector.  If you do not like the show I would suggest that you either change the channel or turn it off."

My hero.

Anyway, that's it.  That's my rant today.  I feel better.  Thanks ;)