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lokifan_import[Error: unknown template qotd]
Very interesting question. ‘Respect’ and ‘trust’ are fairly strong words; I can do both of those things irrespective of my political beliefs. I can’t admire people with certain views, at least not the way I do people without them.
I’m strongly against capital punishment, but it doesn’t colour my opinion of people if they disagree (although in Britain that’s unusual). I think they’re wrong, but I see it as people seeing the world differently, and that’s better than fine.
On abortion things are slightly different. It’s like homophobia, in that I take a certain viewpoint as a threat. I have more than one good friend who’s had an abortion; I may have one myself one day, although I hope not to. Anti-abortion views that condemn women who have abortions, like homophobia, are a threat to me and people I care about – particularly from those in more conservative countries than this one. It’s not going to stop me being friends with you. It’s not going to make me incapable of respecting or trusting you. But it definitely makes me feel a little wary on some deep level.
That said: one of my oldest friends is homophobic. He’s got much better since going to university, but it’s how he is. I’d still trust him with my life, and I still enjoy his company. No worries. But then we had time, when we were younger, to learn each other; I know him well enough to know exactly why he feels the way he does. Naturally, that makes it something I can accept without too much difficulty. It’s harder in anyone I meet now, especially since university and fandom have made me used to hanging out with awesome straight people and lots of queer ladies. I have higher standards for prejudice-lacking than I did at the Christian school I was at for A Levels.
Looking at the other answers to this, they predictably talk about respecting everyone’s right to their own opinion. I agree but don’t find it especially relevant to the question. I certainly think everyone’s right to their opinion should be respected; I don’t think all opinions are worthy of respect. Some opinions are stupid, prejudiced, bad, or all three. The people who hold them may not be, and obviously sometimes people are simply misguided.
But still: everyone has the right to their own opinion. They also have the right to hold you accountable for that opinion, and to think of you differently because of it.
Very interesting question. ‘Respect’ and ‘trust’ are fairly strong words; I can do both of those things irrespective of my political beliefs. I can’t admire people with certain views, at least not the way I do people without them.
I’m strongly against capital punishment, but it doesn’t colour my opinion of people if they disagree (although in Britain that’s unusual). I think they’re wrong, but I see it as people seeing the world differently, and that’s better than fine.
On abortion things are slightly different. It’s like homophobia, in that I take a certain viewpoint as a threat. I have more than one good friend who’s had an abortion; I may have one myself one day, although I hope not to. Anti-abortion views that condemn women who have abortions, like homophobia, are a threat to me and people I care about – particularly from those in more conservative countries than this one. It’s not going to stop me being friends with you. It’s not going to make me incapable of respecting or trusting you. But it definitely makes me feel a little wary on some deep level.
That said: one of my oldest friends is homophobic. He’s got much better since going to university, but it’s how he is. I’d still trust him with my life, and I still enjoy his company. No worries. But then we had time, when we were younger, to learn each other; I know him well enough to know exactly why he feels the way he does. Naturally, that makes it something I can accept without too much difficulty. It’s harder in anyone I meet now, especially since university and fandom have made me used to hanging out with awesome straight people and lots of queer ladies. I have higher standards for prejudice-lacking than I did at the Christian school I was at for A Levels.
Looking at the other answers to this, they predictably talk about respecting everyone’s right to their own opinion. I agree but don’t find it especially relevant to the question. I certainly think everyone’s right to their opinion should be respected; I don’t think all opinions are worthy of respect. Some opinions are stupid, prejudiced, bad, or all three. The people who hold them may not be, and obviously sometimes people are simply misguided.
But still: everyone has the right to their own opinion. They also have the right to hold you accountable for that opinion, and to think of you differently because of it.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-08 03:07 am (UTC)