Skimming Is For The Birds

July 2, 2014



I don't do this. I don't jump into public forums and voice my opinion about popular topics that flood the media. I don't display my stance on a lot of subjects. But, today I am. Today, I feel compelled to add my opinion to the mix. I find this world a lot chaotic, a lot good, a lot bad, and a whole lot of complete absurdity. I'm disappointed in the societal 'norms' that are ransacking morals and deeply-rooted values. I'm sick that the current, living generations are being encouraged to take something at face value instead of digging deeper for facts. That journalists skew truth to create articles that cause a ruckus and rally people against one another as comment battles ensue on the web. Somehow it's become acceptable to skim through literature, leisure reads, short articles, and even life. When will we wake up from this skewed reality and start backing ourselves up with legitimate facts and background information? Laziness doesn't cut it. 

During this week (not even at the halfway mark), two 'controversies' have taken the spotlight. The first being Hobby Lobby's new health plan for employees. Can we for one second forget the religious  aspect of the ruling that is getting all the attention. Can we look further and understand that contraceptives aren't being taken away from female Hobby Lobby employees. That the area of change for the company's policy is no longer providing females with contraceptive methods deemed abortifacients (see here). The company doesn't even prohibit its female employees from using any of the four abortifacient contraceptives, but declare that if they choose to use them then they will have to pay for it with their own money, out of pocket. Simple. Besides if you aren't prepared to deal with the consequences of your actions, then you should think twice before acting. Didn't your mother ever tell you that??

The second controversy of the week is about a girl from Texas who has traveled to the south of Africa for hunting. Hunting that is completely legal while also being regulated. I don't even need to get into the details with this situation. It's pretty easy to understand that while some people prefer not to hunt and others do, it's a choice. And this girl made a choice that was lawful. 

What really got me, and gave me the courage to write this post was putting these two 'issues' side by side. We have people up in arms over taking away contraceptive methods that would end a pregnancy (yes a fertilized egg) and also prevent a fertilized egg from implanting itself in utero, ultimately killing it. In the same breath people are angry and outraged at the killing of "majestic and beautiful" animals. Doesn't add up. What about majestic and beautiful humans, or does that not matter as much? Animal lives are taking priority over human lives. People are fighting for the rights of an animal and not for the rights of a human being. Where is the outcry for a human life? It makes me sad that this is where our world is. This is what is being encouraged and accepted, and worse spread to the next generation. Take a valid stance, that is your right, but don't do it before educating yourself thoroughly.

I pray we turn this problem around. The world cleans its act up. Because what is the point of 
creating problems for the sake of starting arguments, when it could have been avoided in the first place (don't skim, actually read it). And when we will place our standards higher, clean up our values, and reinstate solid morals?

[photo does from the web]