I'm a Believer

I'm a strong-minded, strong-willed (okay, stubborn), opinionated woman. I have a pretty strong belief system and think that my beliefs are right. I think that it's important for a person to have a strong belief system and that it's even more important for that person to stand up for his or her beliefs. However, I also think that standing firm in your beliefs does not have to mean that you belittle others if they believe differently than you.

Most people know that I'm extremely liberal: I believe in a woman's right to choose, do not believe in the death penalty, believe that gay marriage should be legalized, believe that our healthcare system needs some work, I believe in freedom of religion, and believe that immigrants have previously and can continue to make immense benefits on our country, among many other things.

Now, do I think that I'm right in my beliefs? Absolutely. To that end, I want others to believe the same way that I do, but I also know that it's not always going to happen. I enjoy a spirited debate about nearly any of these beliefs, so long as both sides can remain civil. But, as much as I believe that I'm right and want others to share in my belief system, I'm not going to stoop to making fun of people who believe differently than me and I'm not going to belittle someone because he or she may think that the death penalty is a great deterrent to potential criminals.

Yes, I may disagree with people on some things and it may frustrate me to no end (sometimes making me want to bash my head against a wall because I think that common sense is not prevailing), but I also love the fact that people can agree to disagree. In fact, several of my absolute closest friends and I have to agree to disagree on a variety of things. And that, my friends, is what makes life so spicy and great.