It’s been an interesting ride this past month or two as a relatively liberal person living in a conservative state. As always, it’s hard to go more than a few days without some angry white person referencing some obscure thing in life with a “damn liberals” comment thrown in there. Yet, it seems like it is middle-aged, white people you are most “triggered” by a beer company ad and a high school recently changing its nickname.
Two months ago, most people had no clue who Dylan Mulvaney was. In an interesting move, Bud Light marketers decided to print a can with her likeness and present it to her as a “gift” and celebration of coming out as a woman one year ago and for inspiring others to do the same. I literally never saw the ad until I just googled it prior to sitting down. I only learned about it because my Twitter feed almost instantly became filled with anti-Bud Light tweets and people blowing up Anhueser-Busch products. After watching the videos and following the story, I still couldn’t figure out why people were so upset. Even more alarming was the fact that people were literally incorporating guns to display their anger.
I completely understand that some people will always be uncomfortable about others sexuality. As a 46 year old man who has a wife and three kids, it is hard to understand how someone that is born one way biologically could claim to be another. However, it is not necessary to fully understand what others think, feel, or experience. It is my responsibility to support my fellow human beings to live their one life the way they choose, as long as it does not infringe upon the safety of me and others. I can fully embrace it or I can fully reject it, but I find it very alarming that some people would break out weapons and guns and never drink a product again because of an advertisement promoting transgender awareness.
Now, let’s look at Kid Rock. I love that guys music and have seen him in concert a couple of times. He obviously loves his Bud Light, but he holds some very different political views than I do. As a reaction to his video, am I supposed to go and shoot up all of his music to show how much I don’t like his thoughts and opinions? Am I going to hesistate to play his music or buy another concert ticket because he doesn’t support transgenders? Before April 3rd, I wouldn’t have even known or cared about some of his thoughts about transgenders, and even now that I know them it still isn’t going to stop me from listening to and enjoying his music.
I guess that’s the point I’m trying to make. I drink Bud Light because it’s what my taste buds find to be the most enjoyable simple lager. I’ve been brand loyal for well over 20 years, and a transgender ad isn’t going to make me suddenly start drinking something I don’t enjoy as a sign of protest. That’s why I shake my head at these people that are giving up AB products “for life” over an ad. Did you really care that deeply about what kind of beer you were drinking in the first place if you’re swearing off one after an advertisement? I mean, animal rights activists didn’t go around blowing shit up in the late 80’s when Bud Light was using Spuds Mackenzie to promote their brand.
This is what concerns me about our country today. People go around blaming liberals for all of the problems we’re facing, but when did it become acceptable to conservatives to start posting videos with guns in protest? Remember when people in this country used to watch videos of people in the Middle East and Africa posting similar videos and talk about how crazy they were and how thankful we were not to be living in those societies? When conservatives talk about liberals being “triggered”, unfortunately there are now countless videos of gun owners literally pulling triggers as some sort of way to protest things they don’t like and understand. And of course, the lemmings that want to hit the like button will follow.
It was a little crazy that my college aged son questioned me ordering a Bud Light recently in a restaurant. He said something along the lines of, “Are you really going to drink a Bud Light? That’s not cool in the circles of people I hang out with.” It was alarming because we’ve always raised our kids to have an open mind about anything and to not pass judgement on things you don’t know or understand. Of all kids, our oldest has truly adopted that mindset as he’s set out into the world. So, it was really strange to hear him whole-heartedly say that he wouldn’t order or drink a Bud Light in public because of how people would look at him. A few days later I went to the liquor store with my dad and got a case of Bud Light. Jokingly, my dad said that I had better be careful carrying that around in the parking lot of some hillbilly might say something to me. It had never occurred to me to even think about that, but under the right circumstances in our country today, I could see people coming to blows over one person drinking Bud Light in front of someone else. It’s really pretty sad.
For the most part, it’s the same party that wants to use the flag as a symbol of freedom and put it on as many articles of clothing and vehicles as possible that also takes joy in limiting others freedoms. I drink Bud Light because I enjoy the taste. If we lined up everyone around the world that had a Bud Light in the last 24 hours, I’m sure it would run the spectrum of every race, sexual orientation, and political belief out there. Yet, somehow now it’s not acceptable to drink Bud Light because of one advertisement? Our country and society is indeed getting soft.
In fact, some people cannot even handle when a school changes it’s nickname. Recently the high school I attended for a couple of years announced they would no longer be using the nickname “Indians” after this year. The social media comments when that was announced were equally as comical and disturbing as the Bud Light issue. Somehow this decision instantly became a political issue. Ironically, the other high school I attended has the nickname of “Crusaders.” That nickname has been dropped by a number of schools because of the horrific things that the Crusaders actually did to other humans. The irony of both of those nicknames is that they were Catholic schools. You know, schools that are supposed to value morals and Christian virtues above all else.
After reading some of the comments after this decision was made, you would have thought there were people walking around that had been identifying as Indians ever since they graduated high school. It’s just a nickname people! Schools have changed their nicknames for years, and it doesn’t make a difference. I know some Native Americans might not be bothered or offended by the nickname, but what if we went back and spoke to tribal elders from 150 years ago? They might have a different opinion. I mean, we don’t have schools nicknamed the Manson’s or Bundy’s. Why? It would be disrespectful to the victims. Again, just because you didn’t live in the time when the lying, starvation, and murder of other human beings took place, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t understand and respect why some people would want the name changed today.
Social media has given people a voice. It allows me to broadcast my thoughts to everyone. It doesn’t mean that a majority of people feel a way about an issue, but it gives them a platform to find others that do. I just hate how issues like beer commericals and school nicknames have become political and divise topics in our society. I mean, those are literally two things that have absolutely no impact on your day to day life at all, but if brought up in a conversation can trigger deep emotions in people. And while one side wants to call the other soft, look at which side and group of people are having the bigger issue and meltdown over these decisions.
Our country is in a sad state when we’re focused on advertisements and school nicknames. People’s feelings get hurt too easily today. Just because something is the way it used to be, doesn’t necessarily make it right.
The World According to Gallo 