Hobby Lobby: a reflection on tolerance

Remember last week? Can you believe those judges? Ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby like the robed
women-haters they are. I have heard. it. all. Between Facebook, Twitter, and my regular rounds in
Blogdom - I'd say the general climate concerning this issue is a bit chilly.

I was seriously in awe, and I know that what I've read and gathered is a small portion of opinion,
at how "intolerant" the usually pro-tolerance crowd seemed. I mean people were suggesting that women
go and have sex in the aisles of Hobby Lobby in retaliation. Others suggested burning down the buildings (caution: violent language).

Really?

Obviously I'm happy with the Supreme Court's decision, but it's not just because I personally don't
believe in abortion-inducing drugs (which, if you check your facts, is actually all that Hobby Lobby
wanted and was excused from). I saw many people freaking out, chanting through the words in every
other status: "Where does it end!?" It seems like many are assuming that the list of "exemptions"
will go on forever and that this is just the beginning of the madness.

I envisioned women running to their purses, medicine cabinets, grabbing their contraceptive practices
and either locking them up or burying them deep beneath the ground - like we are all being time-warped
back to the 1960's or something. It's not like birth control is doing anyone any favors anyway.
I just said that.

I'm an American *shocker* who believes whole-heartedly in the First Amendment -
which, if you haven't read it, talks pretty highly about the "free exercise of religion."

So Hobby Lobby and a whole bunch of other companies want "out". They want their personal, religious
beliefs to be honored and protected like they have been since George Washington and the good 'ole boys.

Can someone tell me why we all aren't happy for them?

Ok Hobby Lobby, and other closely related companies at this point in time, don't have to pay for
your abortion-inducing drugs. Some companies don't offer you a 401K plan, stock options, 3 weeks of
paid vacation, an office with a view, and a promise that you will never ever have to travel
and stay in some straight-from-a-horror-movie hotel room. And now...

some companies are not going to offer the coverage for abortion-inducing drugs.

Like most people applying for a job, they take this stuff into consideration. Don't like no paid
vacay? Don't like third shift? Don't like "personal religious beliefs"? Go apply somewhere else.
I mean it's really that easy. And we all do it. Am I wrong?

But I think the heart of my point here is EVEN IF THEY DID take away your contraception coverage
too (not just abortion-inducing drugs),based on their "free exercise of religion", we should
all be CHEERING, whether you believe in these moral issues or not, because the Constitution of the
United States of America is being upheld. And y'all, that's a damn good day in the land of
red, white, and blue if you ask me.

I'm not one to talk though. You all know I don't exactly hold any awards in the area of TOLERANCE.
And that's because I've chosen to believe whole-heartedly in what I believe.

I think you should too.

However, this does NOT mean I do not LOVE those on the "other side" of my opinion -
(even though I'm probably going to get countless comments/e-mails saying that I'm an intolerant bigot)
but it does mean that I am not going to be all like, "I SUPPORT YOU!" in what I personally
don't believe in. Because I'd just be lying, and that's not true love anyway.

I want to be brave. I want to stand firm.
I want the ground I stand on to mean something and not be easily moved by having to
cater and bend to the agenda of "tolerance" or every other piece of opinion out there.

I think it's ok to not agree, I think it's ok to have a strong opinion,
and I think this whole notion of "TOLERANCE" is like playing with fire.
I'm kind of proud of Hobby Lobby, and all the other companies out there, who are bold enough
to even file a law suit against something they don't believe in - just simply won't tolerate.

I want my children to know and remember a world where people speak up for what they believe in
(even if it IS opposing their personal morals and beliefs). I want my children to see so very
clearly the lines, the differences - to not become complacent or made to "step in line" and
just accept, go with the flow, smile, and "get by" because that's what everyone else does.

Wake up, Millennials. There's work to be done.




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