UNITED STATES─It is so amazing that the freedoms we have in the country of America that so many people take for advantage. For starters, one of the biggest freedoms we have is the Freedom of Speech. This is important because it allows people to voice their concerns, but at the same time people need to proceed with caution. Yes, you have the right to say what you want, but in the world of public opinion, it can get you into a ton of trouble.
I like to believe some people just suffer from word vomit. They say what is on their mind with no remorse; not realizing that just because you can say something, doesn’t mean you should say it or that it won’t get you in trouble in the process. I recently stumbled upon a video that while appalling had a great message to it: more Americans need to call out ignorance when they see it and not remain silent.
A woman on a bus went into a tirade when she witnessed two foreign students speaking in their native language versus English. She was so appalled she decided to say something to the students, which irked the response of another passenger in the bus that called her out on her racist tirade. I always get annoyed when people say if you’re in America you need to speak English.
Heck, when you travel overseas are you speaking Latin, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese or the many other languages native to the country you visited? For the most part, most Americans are not, yet they expect to be welcomed in open arms. It’s a bit of double standard, and people need to be more accepting of other people’s cultures. I was just baffled with the notion that this woman just went on this massive tirade because people decided to speak their native tongue.
What was more worrisome was what would have happened if this guy, who was not afraid to call this woman out on her inappropriate behavior? Would this woman continue to think this is ok? Probably so, but I was more enamored that this guy did not let this woman off easy. She was forced to realize the error of ways because while she tried to publicly shame several people, she found herself on the receiving end of a public shaming.
Look nothing is more embarrassing then being shamed in the public sphere, but if there is ever a place to teach someone a lesson, it’s in the eyes of the public. Why? It forces other people to realize such behavior is not appropriate, but also to encourage others when they see something wrong to call it out.
So many of us get caught up in their world of stay quiet, never say anything. Imagine if some of the great and fearless leaders of our country never open their minds when they witnessed injustices or bad behavior. We’d probably still live in a world where slavery still existed. We have the Freedom of Speech, but that does not mean we have the freedom to be ignorant, racist, insensitive and just malicious.
Just think America, sometimes you need to think before you speak, and for those who could care less about what people think of them, especially if you’re displaying despicable behavior, don’t go crying to the wolves when you receive a public shaming that you so deserved. I’m a firm believer in the universe that you reap what you sew. If you do bad or screw others over, it will always come back to you 10x worse than what you initially did.
The thing about karma is you never know when it will come your way, most of the time it’s unexpected and when it strikes it hits you at the core. Sometimes just keep your comments to yourself people, because not everyone will sit silent when you say something ignorant or racist.