March 28, 2024

LETTER: ‘What rights are you willing to give up ... ?’

From Doug Raddatz, Creston

Came across a post that asked, “What rights are you willing to give up to make others feel comfortable?”

Easy to answer, not a single one. Why you might ask. Here’s my thinking about it.

Perhaps you should be asking where and when the loss of rights and freedoms end to make others comfortable.

Do we strip everyone of their right to drive because of those that text and drive, drive while intoxicated, fail to obey traffic laws or have just plain poor driving skills because it makes me uncomfortable to be on the road with them?

Do we strip everyone of their right to leave their house because I have no idea if they’re mentally unstable, a sexual predator, serial killer or human traffickers unless they can prove to the contrary because it makes me uncomfortable to be around others without this knowledge?

Do we strip everyone of their right to protect themselves, their loved ones or others in dire need because of the infinitesimal number that abuse this right? No more guns, knives, blunt objects, martial arts and anything else that could possibly take the life of another because it makes me uncomfortable?

The right to talk at all because you never know when you might say the wrong thing at the wrong time around the wrong person because it brings up a bad memory they have to relive, hurts their feelings, or makes them feel inadequate or unwanted or just plain makes them uncomfortable?

There are too many things in this world that makes people feel uncomfortable, inadequate, insecure, unwanted, unloved or offended to even begin to list.

Where do you stop, when does it end?

It’s not possible to make everyone everywhere at all times feel safe, secure and comfortable enough to go out their door to live their life.

Thicken your skin, toughen your hide, get a grip, and come to terms with the fact that you’re not always going to feel comfortable, take no chances of being offended or that your life is always in jeopardy every second of everyday. The rest of the world cannot cater to the whims and wishes of every individual to make it a perfect place to live.