Different is still equal

We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ~The United States Constitution.

The First Amendment states

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The Declaration of Independence states

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

There are a whole lot of rights granted to us as American citizens in those three statements.  Justice, domestic tranquility,  the blessings of Liberty, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the unalienable rights of Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

There is a whole lot of liberty being bandied around in those statements too.  So, we speak a whole lot of Liberty, but what exactly are we talking about.  I have the unalienable right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  So what is liberty?

Webster’s Dictionary defines it as

1. the quality or state of being free. a: the power to do as one pleases d: the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges e: the power of choice.

So far I’ve thrown a whole lot of quotes and definitions at you.  I’ve looked… it seems to me that all United States Citizens, all citizens (natural born or not) are created equal and are guaranteed these rights.  The same rights, liberties, and freedoms.  I read the Constitution this morning.  I read the Declaration of Independence this morning.  No where in either of those documents does it make exceptions for gender, race, country of birth, color of hair, eyes or skin, choice of religion, choice of life partner, level of education or rate of pay, or ability to gain employment.

In those documents there are many rights, liberties, and freedoms granted to all American citizens.  But in all of the reading I have done this morning, there was one right that was very glaringly absent.

No where are we granted the right to not be offended.

Let me explain what that means to me.  That means that of all the citizens of this country, we are all different.  We all have different sensibilities, we all have differences of opinions,  and we are entitled to those.  EVERY. ONE. OF. US.  And that means that in enjoying and exercising our rights, liberties and freedoms, we are going to, somewhere along the line, going to offend someone.    Hello?!  Take a look around the blogosphere, people are always voicing opinions, writing posts that offend someone.  It’s a way of life.  It’s human nature.  It just is.

We all have the right to disagree with each other and the opinions we have, the truths we hold, the choices we make, the life we live.  I have the right to believe that cheesecake is manna from Heaven, and you have the right to disagree with me.  But just because you disagree with me, doesn’t mean I have to give up my cheesecake because you think it’s disgusting.

And yet, that is exactly what is happening in this country.  There are people in California who are not being allowed to exercise their right to live their life, pursue their happiness, because there is a group of people who are offended.  There is a religious group who are being told they can not practice their religion because a large portion of the country is offended.

I’m sorry, we’re not granted the right to not be offended.  And offending people is not a reason to grant people less rights than everyone else, or take their rights and freedoms and liberties away from them.   Both sides of the issues have the ‘right’ to their opinions, but those opinions are not reason to take away rights, liberties or freedoms.

When are we going to stop trying to tell people how to live their life and understand that they have the same rights liberties and freedoms we do?  They just chose to exercise their rights differently.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  Different is still equal.