Constructive Activism vs Shouting out the window

Yesterday someone proudly told me how they yelled out the car window at some Pro-Life activists who were marching outside the local Catholic Church. They were proud to shout out their view that "It's a choice!" and told me how stupid the Pro-Lifers are.

First of all, this post is not about my feelings on that particular issue one way or the other. What bothers me is the attitude of the yellers. On the one hand, there were people who had a belief, who chose to hold up signs and try to bring awareness of those beliefs. On the other hand, there are dissenters who spotted them and choose to roll-down their window and hurl insults.

Now the ironic thing is, the person who yelled out the car window is a gay activist. I know that he attends rallys and events where they hold up signs and are jeered by protesters. I guess that's part of the reason he feels duty-bound or obligated to insult pro-lifers or anyone else who doesn't support his agenda.

I am not saying I agree with the pro-lifers completely. But I empathize with their passion. To them, life begins at conception and they are opposed to abortion because they, in their hearts, believe that someone has to fight for the rights of that (potential) baby. We can argue about blastocysts, embryos, viability, etc. but that is an enormous issue and not the point of this post. How can you fault them for having a belief and having the guts to stand on a street corner and support that belief? They have just as much right as you do to stand with a sign that reads "legalize gay marriage" or something to that effect.

Anyway, the whole subject bothered me for the rest of the day. It seems to me that if you are truly passionate about a subject, you should learn the other side's argument and beliefs as much as you know your own. You should address the root of the problem by writing letters to the editor or going to meet with the people who you disagree with. My point is there are much more constructive ways of being an activist than yelling insults out of a car window.