Tolerance?

Back on the Soap Box I go:

I'm a little fired up today about Chick-fil-a Appreciation Day. The past month has been tumultuous for Chick-fil-a after their COO all but admitted that the company is anti-gay marriage. Though, let's be serious, he didn't actually say the words, "we hate gays". He said that the company is "very much supportive of the family...the bibilical definition of the family unit...guilty as charged". And REALLY, the company is closed on Sundays and has always (since its founding in 1946) stated that it is a Christian company. I honestly cannot understand why people are so SURPRISED by their admission that they operate on the biblical definition of the standard family unit.

I understand that homosexuals want equality in that they can marry their partners and reap the tax benefits (and the misery...j/k) of every other male/female married couple in the United States..I honestly do! But what I don't understand is that they vilify every single person or company or entity that disagrees with them in their quest for equality. It makes absolutely no sense to me that you would say that you hate someone simply because they do not agree with you on a specific subject, especially if it causes you no harm in their doing so. This company has been operating on their specific biblical beliefs since their founding way back when, and we are just now noticing this because one person said something out loud and now we are slamming them for having an opinion. I don't slam gay people for having an opinion and I know I have never hated a person publicly or otherwise for stating that they are gay. I think it sets back their cause by being so intolerant of others while on a mission to gain tolerance. Sounds pretty backwards to me. I saw on facebook today, one guy said that he would unfriend any person who went to Chick-fil-a. Seriously?! Because someone is eating at a restaurant that operates on a certain set of values, we can no longer be friends?

I have always operated on this standard: I don't have to agree with you in order for us to peacefully coexist or even be friends. We don't have to have the same values, but as long as you respect me, I can respect you. And even if you don't respect me, there is no reason for a fight or negativity, you just move on and forget about the negatives and focus on the positives. The end. It's as simple as that. Tolerance, people! Tolerance for all opinions and ways of life. I think EVERYONE forgets that. Even gay people. If you want respect, act respectfully. One person's opinion doesn't set your cause back, and for every person who comes out and says they are against gay marriage, a supporter comes out of the woodwork. Why do you want to dwell on those who don't agree with you, instead of all the positive and supportive people who DO? Boycotting a restaurant because of their particular view on the family unit, doesn't do a damn thing but show just how petty YOU are. "You don't agree with me, well fuck you, I won't eat your sandwiches". I mean really, who gives a shit? Getting pissed off and acting like a petulent child who doesn't get their way points to your own shortcomings in the tolerance department, not theirs.

Anyway, I'm just getting sick of this stuff. It's the same shit all the time. Negativity everywhere I go. What happened to freedom of speech and honestly, why can't we just accept people's differences and opinions without it turning into a crazy catfight?! I just don't get it. I feel like people just do not want to be happy. They go to great lengths to make themselves miserable at all times. Just be happy with who you are and who you have and the time you have, why waste it being pissed off at one guy and one company? It's such a life-sucker. Just get over it.

Okay, end of rant.