THE ANTITHESIS OF OFFENSIVENESS

By JOSEPH HARRIS

Sometimes it is difficult to write on certain subjects without offending people. In today’s culture, a premium is placed on not being offensive, even to the point of changing or denying the truth. And speaking of truth, let’s be truthful. Sometimes a speaker or writer can be offensive in his or her attitude and presentation of subject matter.

I do not believe there is ever just cause for any individual to be obnoxious and arrogant in their stand on any truth, but sometimes this is the case. In my own quest for "sensitivity," I changed the title of this article from one of plain truth to a title that sounds more scholarly and befitting such a pundit as myself, hence the title, "The Antithesis of Offensiveness" as opposed to "Thin Skinned Cry Babies," though I prefer the latter.

In using the phrase, antithesis of offensiveness, I am referring to the flip side. I grow weary of hearing how offended someone gets over a statement or belief by someone else, yet think they have exclusive rights to freedom of speech, and could care less when they offend others. I am sick and tired of hearing how the same group of whiners are always offended at certain things.

This is America, remember, and of all the rights people cry about, there is one right that seems to have been forgotten: the right to be offended. The very existence of the potential to be offended is a declaration that someone else has a right to exercise his or her liberty of freedom of expression. And there is a major difference between expressing an opinion and forcing others to accept that opinion. If we all kept an offense list, everyone would stay three years behind on apologies. Consider the flip side of the following offenses:

Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians are offended when the name Jesus is used to end a public Christian prayer offered by a Christian. Well, here’s the flip side. It is extremely offensive to Christians, when it is demanded they exclude the name of the very One who is responsible for the existence of Christianity. Their brand of tolerance demands acceptance of everything, except Christ. The argument goes something like this: they say no one religion should be promoted over another.

Well, here’s the shocking truth. Neither Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, or atheists were responsible for the founding of this country, distinguished with undeniable Christian characteristics. The majority of the founding fathers were God-fearing Christians and most of those who weren’t, professed some belief in divine deity. It is offensive to me, when some denigrate Christianity, the mother religion that birthed this country and continues to promote freedom to express "offensive" opinions.

The song "Dixie" is "offensive" to some because it conjures up pictures of slavery and degradation in the old South. The Battle Hymn of the Republic is just as offensive to me because it presents the North as the arm of God on a divine mission to punish the horrible South for her sin of slavery. The "Land of Dixie" was not lily white on the issue of slavery, but was no more guilty than the north in her lucrative slave trade dealings. The sheer hypocrisy of the "innocence" of the North is offensive, yet, I have not demanded the eradication of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. I am an adult. I can live with it without endorsing it or singing it.

Atheists are offended when the nativity or some religious scene is erected for Christmas on "sacred government" property (now there’s an oxymoron for you). Though the celebration of Christmas as we know it today, has connections with the paganism of early Rome, the central purpose of it’s celebration in this country originally was to emphasize the incarnation of Christ.

I’m offended when some God-rejecters mis-use the first amendment to prove the "separation of church and state", when the First Amendment actually states that government should remain neutral in matters of religion, which means in plain English, government shall not make any law for or against religion, but allow free expression of religion.

I get offended about a lot of things, but unlike some individuals, such as Barry Lynn and Jesse Jackson, I haven’t made a career of being offended. To these career offendees, and others, I offer a tired but true, though slightly offensive statement: America: love it or leave it. You won’t go very far from our borders before you are offended to the point of wanting to come back to this "offensive, oppressive" country.

Joseph Harris is the Vice President of Southeastern Baptist College in Laurel, MS. (This article may be reprinted in whole, as long as the name Joseph Harris and

www.miniedition.net also appear)