Something must give VOICES

Ihave debated writing this column for some time. I understand the subject is controversial, but I feel in my heart that sometimes we must write something tough children are mature enough for a drag show, but I get to be the one to decide. I do not want some town council, county, state or federal government telling me yea or nay. e books some are ghting in the library — I ask why. Just don’t let your children read them. e louder the opponents have gotten — the more the other side has been pushing back.

To those boycotting Bud Light — I understand the argument. If you want to protest through your pocketbook — whether I agree or disagree with your reasoning — I say go for it as long as you do not have some law passed to force it on me.

However, like many, I am growing tired of the controversies and what feels like contrived battles over the LGBTQ community.

We are nearly a year removed from the unfortunate event at PrideFest in Castle Rock that has been dubbed a “wardrobe malfunction.” Let’s just say it — a drag queen’s breast plate was exposed.

It feels like those angered by this incident have taken the ght to councils, the county and more. It just hasn’t stopped.

I continue to be saddened by the local and national rhetoric targeting the LGBTQ community. I am saddened that people are vulnerable because of the increase in violent incidents and hate.

Two of my dearest friends in the world are a gay couple living in Palm Springs. eir friendship means so much to me. When I hear the hate being spewed out there — I often think of them and know they are such amazing people that I can’t in good conscience just keep standing by watching.

Regarding the drag queen show drama — to those protesting — you are often the same people saying we need less government in our lives. I often agree. I agree on this issue too.

Hear me out. What right do we have to say that an age restriction should be placed on a show like this in Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, or Arapahoe County? Shouldn’t that be up to the parents? Shouldn’t it be completely up to the adults buying tickets?

In all honesty, I don’t think my

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As someone trying to skate the slippery slope known as the middle, and others like me, I am tired of it all. I am tired of the petty back and forth ghting.

I am absolutely no fan whatsoever of casting a large net of hate on an entire group. Why be so angry and hateful? And, before we talk about the idiot in Canada who said, “they are coming for your children” during a parade, please remember that is not a re ection of everyone.

I have gotten to know someone who transitioned from a man to a woman over the last few years. She is a beautiful soul whom I believe is a courageous human being. She has more courage than I could ever have. She is someone who has carried herself with great dignity in the face of a very critical society.

I do not believe she is someone who will hurt or negatively a ect my children. In fact, I have explained to my own children what she did. Because I did not make it a big deal, but just let them know to respect someone else’s choice — they treat her like everyone else and I am proud of that.

We may not agree or understand but somehow, some way — we must get back to a much more accepting place in our world. We need to be civil because this all comes down to human beings who are hurt by what’s happening every day. Another’s choices and decisions cannot become about making laws to stop them.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT GILBERT Editor sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

It may be a good time to rethink what swear words or curse words really qualify as such anymore. I mean we hear them with such frequency that they are almost indiscernible from the other regular words we seem to use so often. I almost feel like when someone tells me to go “F” myself, they are really just saying, “Hello, how are you?” Not only are we hearing them all the time, but we are also hearing them from almost everyone and from people of all ages including very young children.

Not being a prude, I get it, I just think it may be time to change it up a bit. I was walking past four children playing on a beach. ey appeared to be playing a game called running the bases, and they could not have been more than 10 years old. One of the boys and one of the girls got into an argument about whether they were safe on base or not. e torrent of “F” bombs and other awful expletives were screamed at one another. It wasn’t just the words that caught my attention, it was the intensity of their words and body language at such a young age.

Where did they learn that from?

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Maybe it’s watching news reels and videos of passengers losing their minds and yelling at each other, threatening to `F” word kill each other or beat the “S” word out of each other. Maybe it’s from older siblings or cousins, parents or grandparents, or next-door neighbors. It is still happening in the corporate world too. For some, maybe it seems like it helps them to underscore a point more e ectively or seem stronger in a heated debate.

Like I said, it’s everywhere with unabashed frequency and malicious intent. I wish we could ignore them and come up with new ones, but the truth is that nasty and troubling words have been around forever, so we will never change those. But maybe we can change our own use of them and our own cadence, tone and frequency of how we use them. We all lose our cool from time to time, I get it. It really just sounds, feels and seems like we are allowing our foul language threshold to slip lower and lower all the time.

“But the human tongue is a beast that few can master. It strains constantly to break out of its cage, and if it is not tamed, it will run wild and cause you grief.” — Unknown

Words we use should be a construction zone, building others up along the way. Building people up with words of hope and encour-

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