Have you ever noticed that almost everything is a controversy? This realization came to me when everyone at my lunch table began arguing about politics.

“Can you believe McCain is running with Palin? She has no experience.” And the rebuttal: “No, Obama is the limited one and blah blah blah.”

Simply because I did not partake in the conversation, my fellow lunch mates considered my silence ignorance. As the adage goes, if you’re not for us, you’re against us. Honestly, I just don’t feel like fighting. Often I’m too tired to form rebuttals, which is ironic as I am a very opinionated person. I just feel that most things aren’t worth arguing about unless they serve a greater purpose. No offense to the politicians out there, but I don’t think arguing over whether Obama or McCain is better solves anything at all. Most people who argue about such things do so just to hear their own opinions, not to listen to others’.

Another issue I have under the controversy umbrella is the easily offended. Most everyone can relate to an awkward situation at a family gathering. Someone brings up a past family issue, and some relative becomes offended, and shares his or her point of view. This is very awkward, and probably unnecessary. I think mankind as a whole tends to take things too seriously. Grandma wasn’t trying to offend my mom when she joked about how my mother has yet to return the beach towels she borrowed last summer. But mom is still offended. (True story)

I guess because I’m writing this, my readers are wondering what personal experience is fueling such a strong disdain of controversies. I could respond with the reluctant sigh, and say, “I’m fine,” as the spurned friend often does. But I cannot lie to you. There is a reason; here is it is…

It started with my creation of these blogs. I like to believe that I, the blog editor, breathed life into the computer and one day, a blog section miraculously appeared on the mhsroundtable.com website.

In my opinion my first blog was a failure, mainly because of controversy. I had to do a serious overhaul of my original. It came down to what was appropriate for the audience. I understand that under Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, the high school press can be easily censored, but I do feel that high schools tend to be too strict in their censorship of the student press. I definitely think there is a line. The First Amendment is meant to protect our voices, but if one’s voice is being projected loudly and obnoxiously, no one wants to hear it. If someone is simply sharing his or her view or, in my case, sharing my day, I don’t think it’s fair to have it censored. I can’t censor the events in my everyday life, so my readers shouldn’t have to read a censored version; it just loses the full effect. My last blog was a much diluted version of the originally highly humorous and edgy events in my day. I had to edit it to the equivalent of ‘no pulp’ orange juice, and everyone knows the pulpy juice has a fuller taste.

Controversy, to me, is two or more differing opinions that conflict and bicker with each other. It is rarely a matter of what is the right view; it’s simply what is preferred. I prefer a less controversial world. However, I don’t find my opinion hypocritical because I’m not trying to begin an argument or swap perspectives. I’m content in just posting my blog to the world and letting it absorb my feelings, without a rebuttal.

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