So, as many of you know, I recently submitted my first blog entry telling the story about a topic that is near and dear to me. I got a lot of really good feedback in the comments from everyone, so thanks for that.
     Today I was driving to the hobby store to pick up a few artificial pumpkins for carving out jack-o-lanterns as I do about 10 or 15 every year. They last forever, so i just carve out a bunch every year, and add them to the collection. All total I think i have somewhere around 50 (ish) but who's counting? But I digress...
     As I said, I was driving to the hobby store. As I approached a major intersection I noticed what appeared to be a large crowd of people. I assumed that it must have been a church youth group collecting money for a trip, or maybe some college kids doing some sort of charity collection. Basically, I thought there were people ahead begging me to give them my hard earned money for some reason that I didn't care much about. I was shocked to find out just how wrong I was! Instead of a youth group, or fraternity brothers collecting money, I was appalled at what my eyes beheld! It was an angry mob of people protesting abortion. Now, I'm not the type to publicly display or discuss my opinions on such issues, because i feel that my opinions are exactly that... MINE!
     Now, in this country (The USA) we do enjoy our freedoms, and the right of the people to assemble in protest is one of them. I don't argue or loathe the idea, but in many cases I don't exactly condone or agree, but hey, that's what politics are all about. Two sides, two different opinions, both trying to reach a happy and agreed upon restitution to the problem at hand. My major problem is when people try throwing in the "God Factor" as I call it. Everything is arguable, and you think you're right because in some back-assed corner or your pathetic brain you decided that "God said it", and if I show any opposition towards you than I am sure to face eternal damnation and hellfire. Well, quite simply, FUCK YOU, you pretentious religious bastards!
     I don't want anyone to get the impression from that last sentence that I am an Atheist, or one of those silly Scientology nerds, because I do in fact believe in a higher power, although after being raised in a Christian household, and attending a private Christian School (until I was expelled for bringing heavy metal cd's to school) I feel as if I have been forced to understand and appreciate the Christian beliefs, but still raise my own questions about certain matters. "To each, his own."
     Now, quick history lesson before we continue... There are many branches of Christianity that have all stemmed from one faith, being Catholicism. Everything else (Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, etc.) are all derivatives of Catholicism because somewhere down the line one guy wasn't happy with how things were going and decided that he wanted to do it differently, so he branched out by making his very own church with his very own rules, and brainwashed half the congregation into following him to greener pastures. And Judaism was in place long before Christianity, so thanks to Jesus coming along and party crashing the entire world, we have all these religious battles going on within the basic belief system of "God". But that discussion is for another time, and I want to get back to talking about these people I saw on the street today.
     So, these people on the street were walking up and down, back and forth with huge banners and signs proclaiming that "Jesus loves the little children" and "abortion is murder" and "Jesus died for us so the babies don't have to", and I was absolutely fine with them being there until one maggot walked over to my car with a poster displaying a picture of a dismembered fetus lying on what looked like some sort of surgical pan, and he stood right beside my car and pressed it against my window. I'm a sensitive man when it comes to children because I recently became a father, and the thought of ANY child befalling any harm makes my stomach hurt, and it breaks my heart. Well ladies and gentlemen, I snapped! I pulled the parking brake up, got out of my car, grabbed the abomination from his hands, and commenced to ripping it apart! The guy was steadily stepping backwards in obvious fear, and although I stand 6'5" tall, I'm still rather thin, so I don't consider myself a very imposing figure, but I'm like a chainsaw... Very quite on the shelf, but once you start me, I can easily fuck shit up!
     I began yelling out loud at him and pointing at the rest of his clan. I shouted so many different obscenities that Lenny Bruce would have blushed. I attacked their character, I attacked their blatant disrespect for my feelings as a human being, and I attacked their cause by telling them that they should keep their opinions to themselves and maybe shoving it up their asses would be a good place for them. All of them silenced, I got back in my car, drove through the green light, and continued to the hobby store. I felt so liberated! I felt like I could take on Mike Tyson and get him on a 1st round knockout! I felt... GREAT! I think the reason I felt so wonderful is due to the fact that I successfully engaged in an confrontation, and expressed my dissatisfaction with what i saw happening, all the while keeping my opinion about the matter to myself. I never verbally disagreed with them. All i did, was show that people should keep their opinions to themselves and, unless I invite you to, don't rub my nose in it! Maybe I was wrong for lashing out, but I feel completely justified in what I did!
     I am glad, however, that my daughter was not present. Luckily, she was at home with Mommy watching "Yo Gabba Gabba" on Nick Jr. I don't want her to think that if she EVER sees me lash out at at anyone that it's because I think I'm right in the argument. I will raise her to understand that everyone in this world is different, and no two souls are alike. She is an independent, and her choices in life have to be made by her, and her alone. That's not to say that I won't be there to guide her if she decides to employ my thoughts, but my father always told me "opinions are like ass holes. Everybody has one, and no one else wants to see it." I just think that if we can all keep our minds to ourselves, that we'd be much better off. I totally support freedom of religion, freedom to assemble, and the right to protest, but more Importantly I support the separation of church and state. That line has been extremely blurred in this country, and until we can fix that problem I feel as if scenarios like this will continue to take place, and you can rest assured that when these things do happen there will always be a group of religious fundamentalist somewhere, somehow making a mockery of you and your thoughts without once asking to hear about them. 
     Just asking you to think about it.