Have you ever defended somebody you disagreed with?
Jul 13, 2018 10:55:49 GMT -4
mershechu and Hypso The Musky Rat-Kangaroo like this
Post by Souriquois on Jul 13, 2018 10:55:49 GMT -4
Like, on a passionate political issue?
If so, what happened? What was it like? And what was the issue?
Me, I have:
Back in 2012, there was a crazy religious group staging an anti-abortion protest. Counter-protesters showed up, and it actually got violent. I wasn't originally at the place to protest (it was at a festival), but I joined in on the pro-choice side because some of the anti-abortion people were kinda nuts.
However, there was this one lone elderly Chinese man standing by the side of the road, not clustered with the anti-abortion group, holding an anti-abortion sign. Some of the pro-choice counterprotesters singled him out started saying racist shit to him. I got mad and told them to stop, but they were not interested in listening to me. This guy was old, and could not defend himself if attacked, so I crossed the police line to protect him. Things were getting really hairy, there were fights breaking out, and police were breaking out their weapons, so I directed him over to a park bench away from all the mayhem.
We sat and talked for a bit. I said to him, just because I disagreed with him doesn't mean I condone the behaviour from my side, and that he has a right to his own opinion. He actually was not part of this religious group, but he hear of the protest and showed up on his own accord because he agreed with them... he explained why and his story was incredibly sad. He was not a religious man, but a poor family man living in China when they still had the one child policy. His wife was pregnant with their second child, something he and his wife were excited about, until she was forced to terminate the pregnancy. This was traumatic to him, and he was holding back tears when he was recounting this, but he said, he liked Canada because he was able to have more children here and I were free to express our own views. I did not know what to say, but I felt sad for him, so, I just gave him a hug, and we went and had a coffee together.
While I did get some hate for defending him, I explained later on social media what happened, and what he told me, and I said that we should not judge a person until we walk a mile in their shoes. I actually got a lot of love from people after that, even from very pro-choice people (well, if they are pro choice, well, he and his wife were essentially denied their choice, right?). Just shows that we sometimes have to sit and listen instead of screaming over eachother.
In another plot twist, recently, I found one of his grandchildren works where I work. Different department, but he came to my desk and said his grandfather always remembered me. Small world.
If so, what happened? What was it like? And what was the issue?
Me, I have:
Back in 2012, there was a crazy religious group staging an anti-abortion protest. Counter-protesters showed up, and it actually got violent. I wasn't originally at the place to protest (it was at a festival), but I joined in on the pro-choice side because some of the anti-abortion people were kinda nuts.
However, there was this one lone elderly Chinese man standing by the side of the road, not clustered with the anti-abortion group, holding an anti-abortion sign. Some of the pro-choice counterprotesters singled him out started saying racist shit to him. I got mad and told them to stop, but they were not interested in listening to me. This guy was old, and could not defend himself if attacked, so I crossed the police line to protect him. Things were getting really hairy, there were fights breaking out, and police were breaking out their weapons, so I directed him over to a park bench away from all the mayhem.
We sat and talked for a bit. I said to him, just because I disagreed with him doesn't mean I condone the behaviour from my side, and that he has a right to his own opinion. He actually was not part of this religious group, but he hear of the protest and showed up on his own accord because he agreed with them... he explained why and his story was incredibly sad. He was not a religious man, but a poor family man living in China when they still had the one child policy. His wife was pregnant with their second child, something he and his wife were excited about, until she was forced to terminate the pregnancy. This was traumatic to him, and he was holding back tears when he was recounting this, but he said, he liked Canada because he was able to have more children here and I were free to express our own views. I did not know what to say, but I felt sad for him, so, I just gave him a hug, and we went and had a coffee together.
While I did get some hate for defending him, I explained later on social media what happened, and what he told me, and I said that we should not judge a person until we walk a mile in their shoes. I actually got a lot of love from people after that, even from very pro-choice people (well, if they are pro choice, well, he and his wife were essentially denied their choice, right?). Just shows that we sometimes have to sit and listen instead of screaming over eachother.
In another plot twist, recently, I found one of his grandchildren works where I work. Different department, but he came to my desk and said his grandfather always remembered me. Small world.