It can be painful, running into your own principles.
But good principles must be able to endure a little pain now and then.
These collisions don’t happen a lot. But, there are times when principles and the world smack right into each other.
Like on a recent Sunday.
I’ve always believed freedom of thought and expression are among the greatest of principles. Tolerance for different, or even “wrong” opinions of others may be Western civilization’s best gift to the world.
But, as I entered the grocery store that Sunday I wasn’t thinking about principles. I needed American cheese, Coke, doughnuts and other such health foods.
It was there I ran into my principles.
The guy was young, barely in his 20s. He was walking toward me so I could see what was stamped on the front of his baseball cap. The cap’s message was something I can’t repeat here. There were two words. The last word was “you.”
Now, there were families in the store. There were children in the store. The guy must have known there would be before selecting his store-going ensemble.
What was the point of flaunting such aggressive obscenity? Perhaps aggression is the point. Perhaps he gets a jolt from being offensive. Who knows?
What I knew was that his in-your-face offensiveness made me angry.
I wanted to say something to this guy. I really wanted to tell him off.
But, he probably would have launched into an obscene tirade, maybe even knocked me on my aging butt.
I merely mumbled to myself that there ought to be a law against such hats.
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Mid-mumble, though, I realized there actually shouldn’t be such a law.
I remembered that tolerance of “wrong” beliefs and ugly expression applies to me, too.
Don’t mistake me. I still think this guy is a nasty jerk and a shame to the parents who raised him.
That he offends me is not reason enough for a law against his choice of wardrobe. If people weren’t allowed to say or do things that offended someone else, no one would be able to say or do anything.
Better too much freedom of expression than not enough.
So, enjoy your obscene hat.
Jerk.
Oh, and I apologize to anyone offended by my use of the word “butt.”
Paul Sassone is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press.