Offended? Get Over It!

Grow a thicker skin and let it go!

The Confederate battle flag is offensive to a lot of Black people. Say “Thank you Jesus” and a lot atheists are offended. Many redheads are offended by the term ‘ginger’. Feminists are often offended by cat-calls. Look at social media and you’ll see that people are offended by anything and everything all of the time. I guarantee I’m going to offend people with this post.

My advice … get over it.

Here is the thing, you getting offended is about you, not the person committing the offense. It normally doesn’t change anything … nor should it. Let me explain.

Since a sizable number of South Carolinians see the Confederate flag as a symbol of hate and not heritage, I personally do not think it should be flown over a state house that is supposed to represent all South Carolinians. HOWEVER, it is ridiculous that The Dukes of Hazard has been pulled from TV Land and that NASCAR doesn’t want people to fly the flag at races. You have the right to be offended but others have the right not to be. Your offense doesn’t trump someone else’s rights. Besides, the Dukes never hurt anybody!

Here are 10 things that offend me:

1. Having to see a man’s dingy underwear because his pants are hanging down You’d think these guys would go out of their way to have pristine underwear since they clearly want everyone to see it!
2. Hair colors that do not occur naturally in nature Bozo Red should never be a hair color. In fact, if the color is found in a pack of crayons and it isn’t black or brown, I’m offended
3. People who feel pajama bottoms are pants Let me get this straight. You walked out of the house and drove to the store in your PJs. On what planet is this okay?
4. Bad breath and body odor Unless you are homeless this should NEVER be a problem
5. People who have loud private conversations in the bathroom Let’s not forget the annoyed sigh when someone flushes. How dare someone flush a toilet in the bathroom!
6. People who call every compliment __________-shaming because it doesn’t apply to everyone Compliment a thin girl and it is fat shaming, compliment a big girl and you are shaming skinny girls. Sometimes a compliment is a compliment and not a diatribe
7. People who post their views on social media and then go off on a rant when someone posts an alternative viewpoint Yes, I am offended by your offense!
8. People who can’t decide what they want or have a massive order at the drive-thru Just get out of the car and take that mess inside, the rest of us are in a hurry
9. Stores that close a few minutes early and then I show up “Damn, they are supposed to close at 6:00 and it is 5:53!”
10. Using big words and compound-complex sentences to convince people that you’re smart Actually, you’re boring and I tuned you out ages ago

But later today, I’ll be at Wal-Mart where I am certain to see #1, #2, #3 and possible smell #4. Before I leave work though, I’ll run to the bathroom and most likely encounter #5. I might grab a quick bite to eat and encounter #8. Sometime today, I’ll check my Facebook and run into #6 and  #7. You see in the course of a day, I’ll encounter most of my list.  And you know what, that is okay.

As much as I would love a return to natural hair colors and pajamas worn indoors, my offense is my problem. The women with the Bozo hair probably loves it. The guy with the pants around his knees thinks it looks good (and so do his boys and his girlfriend).

What I won’t do is get my panties in a twist about it. I will roll my eyes and keep it moving. I won’t let the comical hair colors or loquacious people of the world (Ha! I just used a big word!) get the best of me. I’ve got more important things to do.

I won’t call for a boycott of indecisive patrons at the drive-thru.

I won’t try to pass a law against cell-phones in bathrooms.

Everyone who offends me is entitled to their offensive behaviors. You see, you are not always right. People don’t (and shouldn’t have to), do everything your way. The thought police and the politically correct posse have gone too far. We have to stop outlawing and picketing everything we are offended by. Again, Offended? It’s your problem and no one else’s. And it doesn’t even have to be a problem if people would learn to live and let live and just let shyt go.

If things keep going the way they are, it won’t be long before people are offended by you.

When they start passing laws and shaming people who car dance at stop lights, chat with the cashier at the check-out, and who make up songs and memes about their dog, I will be in big trouble.