The Importance of Being an Independent Thinker/Doer

In an ever-changing world full of bipartisanship, identity politics, hate speech, social justice pandering, and bad music, being an independent thinker/doer is worse than catching the Coronavirus.

We have reached a point in today's society where speaking your mind and doing what you believe is right is frowned upon and ridiculed. Although we have a bigger stage through social media to express a more diverse range of views, some of us dare not express our true thoughts and feelings about something for fear of being labeled a bigot, a racist, or a sexist.

Racism, bigotry, and sexism is a problem. That, I agree with. But that shouldn't stop people from telling jokes, making observations, or making impersonations that have long been funny or witty but are labeled racist, sexist, bigoted, or "culturally appropriated" by a few humorless puritanical hacks.

I'll give you my take at this. I believe in civil rights. Everyone regardless of race should be treated equally with respect and dignity. However, I have no opinion of Black Lives Matter. I do not support nor condemn them. That does NOT mean I am a racist or a cold-hearted bigot. It just doesn't appeal to me.

I support women's rights. I believe it's about time that they are valued as equally as men and that rape and sexual abuse of any kind is intolerable. However, in alleged sexual assault cases, I would believe the woman only if she has and presents strong evidence supporting her claim and meets the burden of proof (the accused [man] is innocent until proven guilty). This does NOT mean I am a sexist or a misogynist. I just want all the facts first before I can believe someone.

I understand why statues and monuments are problematic to some. They not only represent the person or event being sculpted but for the ideas and ideals they represent. But I love them as works of art, and they shouldn't be vandalized or torn down just you don't them, don't like the person, or don't like that person's ideas or ideals (unless the statues commemorate the Nazis or the Confederacy; by all means go ahead and strike them down). There is a statue of King Kamehameha the Great outside the old Hawaiian Parliament Building (Aliʻiolani Hale) - the same king whose armies have slaughtered thousands of fellow native Hawaiians in wars and sacrificed his rivals using horrific methods. But here in Hawaii we all love and respect him because he finally united Hawaii under one ruler for the very first time. He brought order to the chaos, so to speak. Kamehameha also made protecting and caring for homeless people a priority, punishing anyone who abuses them with death.

I am Asian and laugh at jokes that poke fun at Asians. I know that in general we are bad drivers by experience. I don't have a driver's license and once drove right into a rice paddy because I got tired of eating only bread for one whole week. I'm slant-eyed, which is why I prefer sitting in the front row in movie theaters. Again, NONE of these jokes makes me a racist because the context is true. We generally prefer rice over wheat and we have eyes prominently shaped like almonds. Plus, I just think they're funny. If you don't like that, too bad.

Finally, I don't like rap, hip-hop, or today's pop music. Almost all of my favorite musicians are White Male Boomer Rockers and Golden Oldies. How that fits into my rambling diatribe is yet to be noticed.

My point is this: you should be free to speak your mind and true beliefs, even if it means offending other people. (Of course, all cultures are different when it comes to acceptable behaviors and you should therefore think before you act or speak.) If you still have any doubts or are being heckled into apologizing for some irrelevant gaffe, just remember: it's the context or the situation in which you are telling the joke, making the observation, doing the impression, or writing or saying the word that makes it all offensive or not. And almost all contexts and situations pertaining to those jokes, musings, etc. are trivial.

Just use common sense. That's basically what I'm trying to say.