It was said once before that beauty and love is in the eye of the beholder and therefore whatever anyone has to say against what one deems beautiful or lovely does not matter in their eyes at least.

Would that very same concept not apply towards opinions of individuals?

There has been a sort of viral disease that has spread through the dwellings of young people called “everything I believe in and do is better than you.”

It is an ugly phenomenon that wreaks havoc on campuses all across the nation as well as the work place and high schools and so on and so forth.

This type of plague is not new believe it or not.

Actually, I have noticed that it has left its mark across generations.

It is a sense of superiority among a group of individuals and varies from person to person. Though not all individuals encounter this disease, it does spread to quite of few people.

For instance, if someone has more money then they obviously prance around convinced that they are the bee’s knees.

Same thing if someone is more athletic than another.

That person thinks they are the next Aaron Rogers and therefore they also believe that the guy on the other team holds a striking resemblance to Jay Cutler.

However, though these occurrences may be just as severe, I feel that suppressing someone else’s ability to share their opinion simply because you are convinced that you are opinion is the golden rule and anything else hurts your feelings is the greatest offense anyone can commit.

Opinions, most commonly, are based on the truth whether that truth is found in a government body or a bowl of soup.

They are also based on experiences that we cultivate based on these truths.

Unfortunately, the truth hurts and it can sometimes offend opposing ideas.

However, just because an opinion that was created based on a truth offends an individual does not mean the offended has the right to silence the opposing side.

As John Stuart Mill said, unless an ideology leads to deliberate and physical harm of another person or group of people then everyone has the right to express their minds freely in the same space as their opposers.

That means, that if the person in line at Starbucks has something negative to say about the wait that you strongly disagree with, then they can say it.

Now, if they took that coffee and poured it over your head, well that is when it is wrong.

By accepting another’s opinion regardless of offense you have truly discovered how to support your opinion to make it better.

You are able to challenge your opinion, as Mill’s idea suggests, and ultimately understand what you believe in.

Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but the minute someone is offended the oppression begins.

I strongly believe that silencing an individual simply because they disagree with your values and ideas is just as worse as stepping on the first beautiful flower of spring because you thought it was ugly. Was that flower offending your space too?

Analicia Haynes is a freshman journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]