Do as I say, period

Americans are freedom-loving people… at least for themselves. But they’re certainly happy to limit other people’s freedom.

A perfect example is this Chicago Tribune story about a billboard that some people don’t like. But let me quote some of the things they’re saying.

“It doesn’t represent us as people whose beauty emanates from within,” [local resident Regina] Thibeau said. “I’m a mother, a wife, a member of the PTA, and this is an affront to everything I work for and try to instill in my children.”

Translation: Because that billboard doesn’t reflect my personal values, no one should be allowed to see it.

Cathe Russe, a mother of four girls, stands behind Ibgui’s right to put up the billboard, but she does not like its message.

“It demonstrates that there’s a set of values they support that are the antithesis of my values,” Russe said. “I would love to see it removed.”

Again: I would like to see something removed because it doesn’t reflect my “values.”

Imagine if we applied that standard all over. (Kant called this the categorical imperative.) Nothing should be posted that offends anyone else’s values. Wow. No more signs anywhere.

Certainly that’s the attitude that right-wing Christian extremists have — ‘ban any book that doesn’t support our values‘ — but the courts (those darned activist judges) have basically told them to stuff it.

Still, it’s good to see people like Regina Thibeau fighting to destroy our freedoms one “offense” at a time.