Words, Words, Words

Sitting at the library at the university which I attend, I had came early to have a bagel and coffee before classes that day. I was enjoying my early rise and start to the morning and then behind me I heard a peculiar phrase. "Texas needs to die." The date was October 15th, 2021 and Texas had just passed a new restriction on abortion. The law had made national and international headlines with an abundance of exaggerations and, to use media's favorite word, misinformation. I began to listen to the brazen young girl behind me speaking at a volume louder than a private conversation warrants. I could hear every word, and I begin to wonder how many people around us were also listening to this rant, of sorts.

I do not intend to dive deep into the abortion debate at this moment; but in the name of clarity, I am anti-abortion and have very strong convictions and unlike others try and make sure I am not hypocritical in my claims. I am pro-life in all facets of life. For those of you who have read my blog on capital punishment, you have already gotten a taste of my spirit of absolute preservation of human life. I believe each person worthy of life. I say this all this only to be clear about my perspective when I heard this student say, "Texas needs to die."

My first thought was to accept her rhetoric as acceptable because I am on a university campus surrounded by those who believe abortion rights shall not be infringed. Then I did a double take and realized what she was claiming needed to occur was a dangerous sentiment. Three things struck me about her statement.

First, a major claim by abortion rights' activists is that mothers' lives will be endangered if they do not have unfettered access to abortion. They lay out the major needs of contraception, exams, and services also provided by institutions such as Planned Parenthood. I happen to agree that Planned Parenthood does a lot of good and should be funded with the exception of abortions which should cease. I did not ask this young lady but I knew the line would be that the mothers' lives would be at risk. Then I fail to see how "Texas" dying was not infinitely worse as many mothers would die. Now, to give some grace, maybe she only meant conservative, evangelical types deserve this death wish, but that still leaves many people dead and children without mothers.

Secondly, the disregard for human life regardless of abortion views' was appalling. Now again, you will say that she was speaking in hyperbole, and I would respond that I was sitting there and she sure was to some degree but in a very real way she thought Texas was not worthy of existence. Texas did not live up to her standards of "morality" therefore it had no legitimate place in society. Dissenting opinions have and will always exist no matter how much suppression is exhibited, but the volume to which they exist has varied throughout history. One of the most effective strategies to silence opinions contrary to one's own beliefs has been mass execution. This strategy was/is implemented by the Nazi Party of Germany, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, and Kim Jong-un of North Korea. These entities had little vocal opposition within their countries because they exterminated all those who did dissent. It is beyond belief that a United States university student would utter the same sentiment as the aforementioned tyrants without any air of secrecy or shame.

Let us assume this was purely hyperbole, and I misread the tone in her voice. I do not see how this excuses the behavior in and fashion. President Trump when he was still just a celebrity real estate mogul campaigning in the 2016 election said things which had the same air as the comment I heard. Trump said “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” Trump used this line as reason to crack down on illegal immigration and build a border wall between the United States and Mexico. Trump used a subset of Mexicans border crossings to characterize the whole group which is a logical fallacy and one which Trump did not get away scot-free. This begs the question: Why does the university student get to condemn all of Texas because of the actions of some? And again she might have meant no harm by the comment because she is mentally stable, but just as the El Paso shooter who shot and killed 23 individuals while injuring 23 others claimed motivation from Trump. Someone could overhear this girl just as I did and assume those who view abortion as morally wrong, such as myself, should "die".

How has our rhetoric towards each other become so jaded and violent? Do we really think hyperbolic violence is the way to grow together? I, honestly, do not blame the young lady for her words because she is just a by-product of all she sees in society. Yes, she has some responsibility for her words, but we are the ones who have given her those words. We view people as ideologies contained in bodies rather than people with unique, nuanced perspectives whose political views only constitute a part of the person. They have character that is extensive and not bound to political parties. When we stop showing grace, listening to others, and stifling dissenting opinions, we have FAILED. This is not just one side of the aisle that is doing this but a joint effort by both sides. Humans have lost what makes them human and have become embodiments of a political party that polls show us no one agrees with 100%.

I pray for that young lady because her willingness to speak up in this society should be applauded but it is time to view people with empathy and compassion. Just a thought.