A Rough Government

Today was a good day, to begin with....all of my classes were running smoothly like a well oiled maching, simply moving through the routine, until AP government. First of all, I would like to say that if i did not have to have this class to graduate I would have already dropped it, or switched into a different hour, but all of the other blocks are full and I am stuck. Litereally stuck as I sit at my desk and watch some ignorant subject become the discussion of the day. I really don't mind politics, as long as people don't live their lives according to them. Yes, the next president is important, but how many times does a president interfere with my daily life?.... oh yeah.. none. So anyways, as I'm sitting in class discussing guidelines of foreign affairs with the rest of the class.
When out of no where.. a boy in my class says "America should protect itself and not worry about other countries, shoot we shouldn't even protect the missionaries, they're crazy anyways..."you believe in Jesus, here's a piece of bread"...." and I sit and take a short glance across the room...at the ignorance and stupidity of every single class member as they all start laughing, I sit still and silent. I knew that if I was going to say something I was going to cry, it hurts to know people don't show respect to anyone other than themselves. So I sat, until the bell rang, and when it did i fled from the classroom, the only person that noticed how upset I was.. was my friend Tim. When I arrived at my next class it was Tim who was attempting to get me to just let it go.. but I couldn't.. it was eating at me that I had left that classroom without saying a single word.
So I make it through my last class with nothing more than a fake smile and some amusing laughter to fill my mindless brain. At the end of the class period Mrs. Kuiper decides to make me stay after and talk with her. I had a lot to do, but I knew it would help me get everything out. We discussed how I should handle the next liberal situation in my government class.... and we came up with a rather good conculsion, talk to the teacher after saying something the next time someone decides to be a rude and malicious punk.
So on with my life and on with tennis, the team got to go use an indoor facility today and so i decided to go and get my mind off of everything going on. Guess who shows up... Tim.. the whole time trying to tell me... "I understand you were hurt by what was said, but you have to understand not everyone believe what you believe." The only thing I can possibly say in response to that is that I know that I believe what I believe and I'm not trying to change them at all, all I want is for people to respect the idea that there are other possibilities, other beliefs, that it is not an all or nothing thing, I believe in God, He is my reason to live, He is why we have missionaries, Believers live to serve Him & Him alone. I don't want to push any belief on anyone, for I know exactly what that feels like. I want them to understand that their way isnt the only way to think. I think differently and I should be respected for that.
Funny thing is.. in my government class we are studying the consitution..
i believe freedom of speech and freedom of religion are a big reason we're in America today.
so maybe we should start learning to respect a little more than we do now,
after all if I respect you, you should respect me... simply out of the nature of human life.