That word

You keep using that word - I do not think it means what you think it means.

I am SO tired of hearing the word "hate."  To hate someone means to wish bad on them, to desire harm for them.  It's a really terrible thing.  But the word has come to mean any disagreement or disapproval, especially of a particular lifestyle.  It has been adopted as a battle cry, and anyone labeled a "hater" is automatically discredited, no logic need apply.  But it only works one way.  The people doing the labeling can say whatever they want about the "haters" and somehow that's acceptable.  They can even actively wish them harm (actual hate), and people think it's what the "haters" deserve.  Nobody should be wishing anyone harm.

The worst part is that the majority of people are just caught up in this, swept away by the rhetoric, not analyzing any of it for themselves.  They don't actually mean anyone harm, but they fear that someone is wishing harm to them, because they've been told that the other side is full of hate and is out to get them in some way.  Our society has become very polarized: on every issue, everyone must fit in one box or the other, with no discussion between them, just namecalling.

Don't be fooled.  If someone has nothing useful to say, no actual evidence, so that they have to resort to namecalling, that's someone you don't need to listen to.  Read more.  Think more.  Make up your own mind.  Even if you make it up to disagree with me - I won't wish you harm.  We can agree to disagree, have civilized conversations, maybe one of us will change our opinion eventually and maybe we won't.  I wish you well anyway.