I am not Ignorant

I just logged onto the school's on-line thing. Some of the classes are online, and some are partially online, like my philosophy class. It's a class on logics. We have to make arguments for or against a topic. And in regards to one topic (I won't get into details here, although I believe I'm in the right), a classmate called me "ignorant." In regards to this topic, I wrote in a response, that "from all my years taking US History, I had not heard this." And he wrote, "Even those that have ¡°taken years in U.S. History and have not yet once heard that our country was founded on the Ten Commandments¡± really show how ignorant they are, and yet demand to have a strong dichotomy between politics and religion." Obviously, he is preaching against separation of government and religion. I'm not just picking things out of context, out of thin air to get mad over. He quoted me and referred me as being ignorant! First of all, there is no way to validate those words. Whether he's right or I'm right has no say -- you just don't attack the person when refuting an argument. This is a class -- not live politics where you get the fling mud at each other! There is no excuse for calling a classmate ignorant. Secondly, he ended the statement with, "Some of us believe in God and we welcome his blessings in our lives and in our government. We want to have an after life. We want to go to heaven. But to those who just disagree with me, well, you can just go to hell." There's logic for ya! I, as an atheist, of course don't believe in the eternally burning firepits of hell. However, I am familiar with the implications of wishing one goes to hell, and I am offended by that. And I made it clear in my response to his so-called argument.

"Even those that have ¡°taken years in U.S. History and have not yet once heard that our country was founded on the Ten Commandments¡± really show how ignorant they are." By the way, I totally appreciate that comment. Just by the simple act of calling me ignorant, you have lost all credibility to me. Of course, that probably doesn't matter to you, as you have already condemned me to the abyss of hell."

Of course that is just an excerpt of a really long posting, but that's how it went. Maybe I was just too harsh. After all, it was evident that he was writing in the heat of passion, and you are liable to say stuff like that when you're engulfed in flames of passion... or flames of hell, whatever.

Basically, I was offended by the attack, because I am very sensitive to things like that. I often go out of my way so that I don't offend people. I never attack people directly, unless they're a big time celebrity who will never hear what I say! So when someone takes a direct punch at me, I lose all my sense of rationality. Usually, I start crying. I know that doesn't help at all, but I don't know what it is, but it makes me cry. It makes my heart beat double-time and makes me very mad and sad at the same time. And also a bit scared. Yep. I said it. I get scared when people make remarks against me! Perhaps it's because I never really learned to stand up for myself (I know my readers won't think that, but I have only begun to stand up for myself in writing -- in real life, I'm still a pushover, but hey, I'm working on it).

Well, what's done is done and what's said has already been said. Even if he were to apologize (which I doubt he will from what he stated) it wouldn't take back the air of negativity blown my way. But let this be a lesson to all of y'all reading! Calling names to people is OK on your personal blog, which only a few people read! Calling names to your colleague or a classmate is inappropriate, especially in an academic setting.

What a way to start a Monday! Humph.