I’ve been seeing this a lot. If something offends someone, the person offended wants the other person to cease. So whose rights are being violated here? The person offended by another’s actions? Or the person minding their own business, living their life, but a life that doesn’t “fit” someone else’s view of correct? Why does my life offend anyone? If I choose to eat organic, and it offends you, I shouldn’t have to hide by Horizon single-serve strawberry milk. Why does my milk have anything to do with you?!
Why don’t people just quit taking everything they see personally? Of course, if I come up and insist that you should only drink organic milk too, then you have every reason to be offended. You also have every reason to tell me to get lost. Politely of course, no reason to be offensive.
So, if I’m going down the street drinking my organic strawberry milk, twirling my natural hemp necklace and wearing my faded Jesus Freak t-shirt, why does it bother you? I may not like it when you toss your cigarette butt onto the streets in my neighborhood, buy Big Gulps in styrofoam that won’t degrade for at least 100 years and drive a 5 MPG Hummer, but I don’t insist that you hide it because I’m offended. No. I would rather live my life as an example to others and quietly work toward those things that matter to me. I can’t make them matter to you. But, if you see me in the store with my re-usable clothe grocery bag and you ask me what’s wrong with paper or plastic, I’ll tell you – politely of course.
NOTE: The Hummer in the picture is only green superficially speaking.