Welcome to February and Happy Groundhog Day. This was one of my favorite holidays because it hadn’t been taken over by Hallmark and it had escaped any real controversy.
However, after almost 140 years, it has fallen to the culture wars. This year, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals is calling for the tradition to end. They want Punxsutawney Phil and his kin to go into retirement and be replaced by a vegan “weather reveal cake.”
On the surface, this just seems to be something ridiculous that should be ignored. To some degree, I agree. But it also is just one more thing to add to the long and growing list of things that show the trend in this country, and here in La Plata County, of people getting upset and offended by things that shouldn’t bother them at all.
There is also a growing meanness of spirit, language and action. I truly wonder why people get offended and angry about things that do no harm to them or others.
Last summer, I was in a grocery store and saw a couple of friends who were speaking to each other in Spanish. After chatting with them, I was walking away when I heard a woman loudly telling them to speak English because they were in America.
Why should the language you speak with friends upset anyone else? I remember my grandparents always speaking Spanish to each other and others in the family even though they did speak English. No one cared.
There is a group of activists in Durango. They mainly advocate for the homeless, helping them with food, laundry services, aid, etc. They also have joined in some of the rallies supporting Black Lives Matter and opposing the actions of Israel in Palestine.
This is their right as Americans. It is also the right of others to stage counter rallies if they wish. At one time, the competing rallies were mostly peaceful and often there was dialogue between the opposing groups. Lately, there have been threats to some in this group. There have been incidents involving the threat of gun violence and the use of pepper spray.
The Durango Herald recently reported on the feelings of undocumented immigrants in the community (Herald, Jan. 27). Reading the comments was disturbing. Many of the comments were based on a false narrative of who makes up the undocumented community. Some were mean and others could only be considered cruel. The immigration system in this country has been broken for decades. Politicians use it to keep people angry and fighting with each other.
People are offended when same sex couples want to marry or when someone identifies with a sex not listed on their birth certificates. People in the LGBTQ community have told me that they have received more threats in recent years. How does any of how they live affect you personally?
In what way does what religion someone practices affect you? How does someone who is a legal gun owner and likes to target shoot or hunt affect you directly? How does someone being proud of their heritage and studying their history affect you? How do what books people choose to read affect you?
I like this quote that I came across: “The next time you see someone enjoying something that isn’t hurting anyone, that’s not your cup of tea, instead of saying something negative, train yourself to think to yourself, ‘I am glad they are happy’ and carry on with your life.”
Scott Perez is a former working cowboy, guide and occasional actor. He earned a master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Cornell University and lives in the Animas River Valley.
