You make some very good points, and I think, unfortunately, this has been a phase most major societal changes have gone through. Change is difficult, especially when what was once acceptable or unacceptable no longer is. Whoever has been attacked in the past is understandably defensive whenever there is a hint that things are moving backwards again, and they are in danger of losing what ground has been gained.

On the flip side, there are those who respectfully disagree or simply don’t understand enough to feel comfortable with whatever changes are occurring and end up antagonizing others unintentionally and without malice. All of this is made much worse by the extremists on both sides of the issue, those who refuse to ever accept any change and those who demand that everyone change whether they want to or not. All either extreme accomplishes is to add dissension and make people feel more threatened.

Segregation comes to mind, when a handful of black children entered a previously all white school, and the national guard had to keep screaming, irate, white parents away from the kids as they picketed, opposed and spat their vitriol, followed shortly by the black power movement. Anger and fear aggravated both sides.

I hope and believe that someday, we can skip this phase of change and avoid extremism on both sides. If people listened more, talked less, and educated themselves on the issues of change, things would be easier for everyone. Basically, if we practiced a live and let live, respect for everyone’s right to practice their own beliefs and allow others to do the same, life would be much more pleasant and productive for all. It’s when people try to bend others to their will and try to force them to do things they disagree with that cause most problems. Thanks for the article. Blessings.