I was angry with my friend Omar because he openly discriminated against other people in my presence. He was especially skeptical about homosexual people and this was not in tandem with my belief in human rights. One evening after a good time having a few drinks and laugher we decided to stroll home instead of taking a taxi. At the exit of the entertainment joint, we saw two men kissing and generally having fun. Omar was distraught at the sight and turned to signal me in their direction. He expected a full-blown reaction in condemnation of their actions yet I stood still without any involvement. Omar is a fairly well-built man having been a regular member of the gym for two years now. He aspired to emulate great bodybuilders and wrestlers who he followed religiously. We have been fans of the wrestling show since childhood and some of our discussions involved banter on our favorite wrestlers. Omar hoped to become a professional wrestler in the future and made efforts towards this goal. He charged towards the two men and began assaulting them physically.
The plight of homosexual people is a push for the rights of all people across the globe. Millions of people belonging to the LGBTQ community have been subjected to discrimination through the years and their rights abused (Swan et al. 16). Their unique sexual orientations are subject to discussion with other people seeking to give a direction to their lives. Omar felt entitled to dictating the route the homosexual people would take and this is the wrong approach. Human rights were declared in the charter by the United Nations and all people are guaranteed their rights and equality. Despite the charter being available, there have been failures in the justice and legal systems to guarantee equality (Herdt et al. 37). First came the push for racial equality with multiple faculties fighting for equal treatment of all when black people were victims of discrimination (Vosler, 120). The push for the rights of homosexual people has been constant for a while too now. There is a need for people to live and let others live according to their desires. The enjoyment of human rights is only hampered when responsibility is foregone and other people hurt.
Research on the ideological background of a person can be a crucial explanation for Omar’ behavior. The ideologies of a person towards another are largely influenced by the lives they lead from childhood up to adulthood. The ideologies are influenced by various factors, including the religious inclination one subscribes (Arli et al. 120). Religious inclination compels one to view a person against their teachings and point of view as an abomination. It is vital to investigate the religious correlation due to such things as religious extremism that encourages hate for different people. In the case of Omar, his religious inclination could be crucial in determining his reaction towards homosexual men.
I tried to stop Omar but he overpowered me in the end as I could not deter this giant of a man from executing his wishes. One of the strange men was now bleeding from his head and legs profusely as I helplessly pleaded with my friend to let him go. Eventually, fellow passers-by came to the rescue of the two victims, and Omar was restrained. He managed to escape the grasp of the civilians when the police were en-route to the scene. I tried to keep up with him but I could not as he was faster, having been a great athlete in school. I called out to him so he could wait for me and perhaps indulge in reasonable dialogue with the victims but it was impossible. I strolled home disappointed at my friend for attacking innocent men exercising their sexuality. I headed straight to his house hoping to give him a piece of my mind on his actions but I did not find him. I was worried for him and for myself too because I realized I could not trust such an intolerant man. I decided to instead head straight home where I found a police car outside my house. I was terrified because I thought they had come for me as an accomplice and also because I knew Omar was in immense trouble for his actions. The police informed me that some people had identified me and directed them to my home. They needed my help finding Omar so I directed them to his house but they did not find him. They told me to call them should anything change on the matter.
I went straight to my room and I was flabbergasted at the first sight in my room. Omar was hiding behind my door, indicating that I should shush, and explained that he got in through the window without being noticed. I was confused and embarrassed with my friend but still felt pity at the thought that he might get imprisoned. He was the only child in his family and his parents regarded him as a miracle child due to the complications during his delivery. I loved my friend deeply but I also had strong beliefs in justice and the exercise of fairness. I had a conversation with Omar about his error in beating the men and he agreed he felt remorseful for his actions. I gave him a summary of the development of human rights and the misappropriation that was common in the past. I wanted him to understand that the fight for equality and freedom of association was crucial in our society. I hoped the concept of free choice would be impacted in him and that he would never abuse people in the future.
He begged me to hide him for a while until he got alternatives and skipped town. His case was dire due to the presence of video evidence assaulting the men outside the entertainment joint. He was going to be found guilty if he ever set foot into a courtroom. His cries for aid were resonating with my affection for the man and I considered hiding him. The pain of the couple who had been assaulted was also part of my emotional roller-coaster given personal experiences. I have been a victim of inequality and harassment due to my uniqueness and the emotions were still raw. I knew that the two men felt unsafe and hopeless because their assailant was still free from justice. I told my friend that I would not give him up to the police on account of our friendship. He was grateful as I walked down the stairs to grab him a plate of food. I called the police immediately and informed them that Omar was in my house.
Ideologies are influenced by the upbringing a person is subjected to during their formative years. If the initial training is grounded in hatred and a mentality focused on control, children become vindictive adults without compassion. Their respect for other people’s space and right to choose an inclination is also affected (Korolczuk). The parental heritage of a person must be assessed for accuracy in understanding the psychology of hate for other people. The kind of content one consumes from various faculties is also crucial in affecting their behavior towards other people. Content from educational institutions, daily relations with other people, and social media use are essential (Saha et al. 17). The content may either encourage compassion or hatred in a person, altering their reaction towards other people. The workings of the minds of people such as Omar should also be assessed. The findings of such an investigation are limitless as an interrogation of their neural circuits could be massively revealing (Judge and Nel. 16). A comprehension of their thought process can influence intervention measures and influence policy in various actions taken.
I did not condone injustice and was not going to let a criminal roam free on account of our friendship. The police arrived without much pomp and walked right into my room to apprehend the man. Omar thought I was bringing him food and was therefore caught unaware. The police arrested him and took him to their car. On the way, he cursed and insulted me for betraying our friendship and giving him up to the police. I knew I had lost my best friend in my quest to ensure I bettered him by holding him to higher moral standards. A few days later he was sentenced to serve a prison sentence which he did for the specified period.
The prosperity we witness in the globe at the moment is courtesy of the laws instituted and guaranteed. They ensure the exercise of human rights is guaranteed and within the constraints of the law. We all enjoy the laws, live by them, and have benefited from them. The exercise of one’s freedom of opinion must not hamper the execution of equality. My friend Omar was in the wrong to abuse people just because he possessed the physical strength and biased opinion that these people were at his mercy. We should all live according to our terms and let other people live as they desire. The unprovoked attack was both legally wrong and morally compromised. The betrayal of our friendship was hurtful for me in the long run as I missed my friend and his mother hated me for betraying him. The comfort of holding my friend to higher moral standings was not sufficient to console me and enable me to sleep peacefully. At some point, I regretted my actions and wished that the reversal of time would accord me the grace to act differently.
The first thing he did when he came from prison was find me and express his remorse for his actions. He said to me, “Prison has been good for rethinking my priorities and I am sorry I disappointed you and abused other people”. For the first time in a long time, I was able to sleep peacefully with my friend back reformed. I embraced him and assured him that our friendship was never a problem and that I was glad his mentality was transformed. Finally, my joy was complete because my intention was to always hold my friends to a higher moral standing, especially Omar. I demanded more of him regarding his association with others and how he treated them and in the end he met the gold standard. My friend was now aware of freedoms and rights of other people to choose what they deem acceptable to them. He was a man fit to be associated with me and one expected to sharpen me in the spirit of friendship.
Eventually, my conviction was proved right when Omar returned and assured me that he understood my dilemma and actions. I am pleased with the progress the globe and America have attained in championing the rights of LGBTQ communities. Their need for equal treatment is not an ask but a demand. The treatment of these people by those opposed to their orientation on the other hand is disgraceful. It amounts to hate-mongering and discrimination of members of our society who form parcel of our families and communities. There is a need for more actions to be taken in safeguarding the freedoms and lives of these people (Fujita, 60). These actions should revolve around better legislation and empowerment of this unique group to ensure openness and freedom of choice.
Works Cited
Arli, Denni, et al. “Exploring the Effect of Intrinsic Religiousness, Extrinsic Religiousness, and Religious Fundamentalism on People’s Attitude towards Lesbians and Gays in Indonesia.” Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, vol. 32, no. 2, 2019, pp. 118–34, Web.
Fujita, Atsushi. “Changing Perception of LGBT People through Performances – Theater and Television in America and in Japan.” Journal of Urban Culture Research, vol. 17. 2018, pp. 54–71, Web.
Herdt, Gilbert, et al. Critical Sexual Literacy: Forecasting Trends in Sexual Politics, Diversity and Pedagogy. Anthem Press, 2021.
Judge, Melanie, and Juan A. Nel. “Psychology and Hate Speech: A Critical and Restorative Encounter.” South African Journal of Psychology, vol. 48, no. 1, 2017, pp. 15–20, Web.
Korolczuk, Elżbieta. “The Fight against ‘Gender’ and ‘LGBT Ideology’: New Developments in Poland.” European Journal of Politics and Gender, vol. 3, no. 1, 2019, Web.
Saha, Koustuv, et al. “The Language of LGBTQ+ Minority Stress Experiences on Social Media.” Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 3, no. CSCW, 2019, pp. 1–22, Web.
Swan, Laura E. T., et al. “Discrimination and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration among a Convenience Sample of LGBT Individuals in Latin America.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, vol. 36. 2019, p. 15-16, Web.
Vosler, Kendra M. “The Struggle for Equality: The Goal Is to Maintain Meaningful Competition for All Athletes-Male, Female, and Those Transitioning-but How?” Creighton Law Review, vol. 55. 2021, p. 113-141.