Opinions.

 There is nothing wrong with an opinion.  Everyone has them.  It's our right as Americans to have opinions.  About everything.  But when does an opinion become more than just that?  When does it become an actual criticism? Or even an actual insult?

I have two stories to share.  One in national news, and a personal one that happened to me today.

The first one is a headline that has been plaguing the news for many reasons.  Fast-food chain CEO of Chik-fil-a recently came out against same-sex marriage.  He was asked about his donations to certain groups as that focus on "maintaining the sanctity of marriage," to which his response was, "guilty as charged."  This little public declaration has gotten people to talk about the issue of same-sex marriage in this country.  Now everyone is entitled to their own opinions.  But keeping them to yourself is one thing and blasting them to the world is another.  When you keep your opinions to yourself, you don't get caught in a tangled web of other opinions judging your declaration.  But when you declare a bold statement, your expectation is to have a number of people come at you from all angles with all their bullshit opinions that really don't mean anything.  I don't care for marriage.  But I do believe in equality, and if someone wants to ruin their life by getting married, then everyone has the right to ruin their lives by getting married, to any human they see fit.  But my point is this.  Had this CEO just shut the fuck up, then he probably would not be in this situation.  Now he's being banned in a number of different cities, people are boycotting their food, and others are getting fatter in support of this hate-filled food chain.

On the other hand,  today I went to lunch with a few family members. I have kept my law school acceptance to myself becasue my family iw known to criticize to the point of hating on other people's successes.  So today my mother happened to mention that she was buying me a laptop for my birthday because I was getting ready to go back to school.  My aunt then proceeded to probe me on my decision.  She asked where I was going, I told her to a school about three hours from my hometown.  Then she proceeded to say that they were going to charge me a grip load, that would I be able to do it, and what am I thinking going off to school.  Now listening to this, I was thinking, don't say anything.  But the truth is this:  her family is also getting themselves in to situations that are highly risky.  Her daughter is in the process of purchasing a vehicle she may not be able to afford, and her son just bought a house with a wife that's 50% committed to the relationship, from what I have seen and heard.  And here she comes giving me her opinion about things that don't really concern her, and things she has no idea of because she hasn't actually taken the time to research and really know in order to talk.  I, on the other hand, have done my research, I tried my very hardest to get into a school near my hometown, but didn't not get in for whatever reason.  I simply answered to her, "I know it's expensive, but to me it's an investment.  I applied to schools here, but I am on the wait list, and school starts mid-August.  I made this choice not because I want to move away and get tens of thousands of dollars in loans, but because this is what I want to do and I am tired of wasting my time doing things that I don't like, don't make enough money to stay, and simply don't want to do."  Very simple, and neutral.  We then proceeded to discuss how her son is moving to his new home near her house.

My point for both of these stories is this:  Keep you fucking opinions to yourself.  Nobody really cares what you think because chances are those with the loudest opinions are usually filled with hate.  From national news to your home, an opinion is just that, wasting your breath is not going to change anything except the opinion someone has of you.  Now Chik-fil-a's approval rating is at a 43%, from a 61%, and I will not mention anything about my life to this woman because in the end all this shit-talking doesn't really do much except piss people off.

I've never eaten at this Chik-fil-a place, and I don't plan on it.  Now they have given me even more reason to avoid it.  Because more than anything, I fucking hate haters.