Quit Shoving Your Beliefs Down My Throat!

I hate this phrase.  Especially since it’s so very, very misused.  It’s just become a catch phrase in today’s culture of political correctness.  Expressing one’s opinion in a straight forward and confident manner is somehow forcing one’s beliefs down someone else’s throat.

For the sake of convenience, I’ve compiled a handy list of what does and does not constitute “forcing my beliefs down your throat”

Is Not Force

• Conversation – No matter how forcefully I might argue for my point of view, I am not actually forcing you to do anything or believe as I believe.  Just free speech.
• Anything posted on Facebook or other Internet forums – Again, it is only an exercise of free speech.  Anything you read online you read of your own free will, and can choose to look at some other site instead.  However much I might dislike what you have to say, or vice versa, there is no force involved in this exchange of ideas.
• Slogans and designs on T-Shirts – As tasteless as these sometimes are, there is, again, no actual force involved.
• Billboards – Obnoxious, yes.  Force, no.
• Horrible t.v. shows and movies – HBO, I’m looking at you.  However, if I find a program unpalatable, I can choose to watch something else.  No one else need worry about my viewing preferences.
• Parents teaching their children – Parents have a right and a duty to teach their children to the best of their ability.  Good, conscientious parents will try to teach their children good values.

I think you get the idea.  Next category:

Might or Might Not Be Force

Items in this category can be used to good effect for legitimate purposes.  We must watch out for abuses of power.

• Enacting or repealing legislation – Obviously, we do need to have laws.  The question is, is this a good law?  Does it promote freedom?
• Requiring or banning something in schools – We need to teach kids math, reading, writing, and all that good stuff.  Politics?  Religion? Leave that to the parents.  There is no such thing as a value-free education, but the values should be obvious stuff, like being honest, not political messages, like Obama worship.

Is Always Force

• Forcing people support something they disagree with with their own tax dollars – Taxes are always an example of force.  Think they aren’t?  Try not paying them.
• Requiring students to support a particular agenda to get a good grade  – It is a teacher’s job to help kids think critically, not to be critical of things the teacher doesn’t like.
• Honor beatings and killings – The ultimate in forcing one’s beliefs on others.