To quote a friend:

“I don’t think that you have to be a member of the “offended” group to be offended or have an opinion.”

Amen, but let me explain and add a bit of context, I was raised Terminally Catholic with equal influence and exposure to both the Roman and Russian Orthodox theology. Into the mix, toss the fact that the only way the family of my best friend could get her into Hebrew School was if I “kept her company” so one of my first religious realizations was to understand how closely tied all the worlds religions which have not been altered to suit the needs of lunatics are “much the same”

After that, it may be worth knowing I grew up in what was a working family neighborhood, extremely racially and religiously and ethnically mixed.

Quite simply, good and evil exists universally and without regard to race, religion or country of origin.

Each of us decides what offends us. It is ONLY when we seek to impose that decision on others that we all run into trouble.

I generally CHOOSE to hold the thought that MOST people are basically good and if I just look a little harder I will find that they are not evil – unless they are part of that small percentage that really is not just evil but intent of spreading their evil deeds among us.

Our strength is not in one perspective, it is our diversity AND the Right and Responsibility to hear and be heard on the issues – not busily attacking personalities. The entire “if you are not at the table, then you are on the menu” mentality is so completely offensive that I cannot “get” why we do not understand what is being done to us – INCREMENTALLY.

For example. In my opinion, MOST of those who died on 9/11 were *not* heroes,

They were VICTIMS – Yes far too many who died where those who CHOOSE to risk their lives to benefit others (Fire, Police, and other members of the NYC Uniformed Services.) Just as every one of us who lost family or friends or colleagues or who went for even an hour not knowing if one of our own was coming home that night.

So yes, I am offended that ANYONE should “decide” that instead of honoring those who served, those who serve and as importantly their families – should have that sacrifice minimized.

Are many of these victims among the heroes – yes they well may be. It is, after all, VERY NORMAL for Citizens of the Free World to help in a catastrophe ( and we see it every time there is a disaster both here and at home from a neighbor in need to a volunteers from within and without the scene of a natural disaster)

Most of those who perished are, in their own home and communities, a different kind of hero. Men and women who got every day and went to work so that their families would not be forced to join the ranks of those feel their are “entitled” versus those willing to earn. That dying breed brought up to believe that what is worth having is worth working for.

Those who suffered under the irrational dictatorships of Russian (both Czarist & Communist), China, The Middle East or Africa and increasingly by that segment of USA society that is bent on reducing the rights and freedoms on which the USA was founded and built; those who were victimized by those pogrom, jihad or just plain inhuman insanities – should NEVER AGAIN be minimized.

Those who died under Hitler’s rule in the Halocaust, were VICTIMS, their memory should be honored by each of us committing to NEVER AGAIN giving into the likes of Hitler – The heroes were the mostly VOLUNTEER members of the Armed Forces and those in the various Resistance movements who CHOOSE to risk their lives to benefit others.

OR, more importantly, Neither the Victims OR Heroes should be demeaned by either revisionist Dictators or wanna be Dictators who would prefer to control your thoughts through any means possible INCLUDING taking away the value of the acts of the Heroes, Those Who Serve – Now and in the Past.

We have a responsibility to those whose memory we honor to do whatever is possible to see that never again is such tragedy allowed to happen to any race, religion or people.

Again, yes, I am offended that ANYONE should “decide” to ignore the unique memory of all involved by placing come thick bland distraction on the true meaning of the day of the deaths of victims or heroes.

But mostly I am offended by those who insist they have the right to change my beliefs simply because they do not like them. So long as our individual pursuit of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness does not harm another. You are entitled to disagree, but not to dictate.