Everyone has a right to an opinion. It’s fundamental. It’s at the core of being an American. Soldiers have given their lives for centuries in order to ensure our right.

Never allow someone to tell you that you don’t have a right to an opinion.

Yet, never be foolish enough to believe that your opinion counts just as much as someone else’s. It doesn’t.

The Constitution guarantees an equal right to have an opinion but it does not ensure every opinion is equal. Because they aren’t.

You have a right to your opinion, but people have every right to ignore your opinion. (See: We Are Happy With Our Decision, Thank You)

Sadly, many Americans have confused the equal right to an opinion with the idea of every opinion being equal. They aren’t the same.

We see this in the media. In order to give the appearance of telling both sides of a story, a reporter will interview someone with an opposing view. So a protest of one million people will get the same air time as a protest of 10 people. This explains how blatantly racist or bigoted groups get tremendous airtime while other groups do not. (See: Stop Giving Them What They Want)

We see this in conversations about religion. A person can clearly believe whatever they want, but I don’t have to respect their opinion. I have to respect their right to have an opinion, but I have every right to believe the person is wrong. And I’m under no obligation to assume their opinion is equal to mine.

The confusion over opinions is a result of a confusion over truth.

Truth is not something we make up; it’s something which exists beyond us. We discover truth; we don’t find it within ourselves. Truth exists whether we know it or not. We don’t shape it; it shapes us.

This is one reason the idea that every religion is equal is a crazy idea. How can every religion be equal when they teach radically different things. Clearly every person has a right to believe as they choose and worship as they choose. They have a right to be respected, but their ideas do not have to be respected. (See: A Sign of Doubt–why your co-workers screams his beliefs)

If you do not believe the teachings of Jesus, you have every right to disrespect my beliefs even as you respect me. Of course, you have a logical obligation to debate the teachings of Jesus and not just cast them aside, but you do not have to pretend that his teachings are justified just because I believe them.

Truth is truth; feelings are feelings; the two are different.

We all have opinions. You and I have a right to our opinion but that doesn’t make our opinion right.