Lindsey Stone

Just saw a news piece this morning about Lindsey Stone. I'd never heard of her before, but I know who she is now.

For those of you who don't, she is a young lady who recently had a photograph taken of her flipping off and shouting at a "Silence & Respect" sign near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. Look up "Lindsey Stone" on Google. You'll find it.

Her friend took the picture, and then, being the brilliant scholars they apparently are, decided to post the pic on Facebook. As such, it has "gone viral," as they say, and created quite the little stir. I saw it on one of the networks. A new Facebook page -- Fire Lindsey Stone -- has been set up, and currently has over 14,000 "Likes."

This is what Miss Stone posted on her page after the firestorm took off... "Whoa whoa whoa... wait. This is just us. being the douchebags that we are. challenging authority in general. Much like the pic posted the night before. of me smoking right next to a no smoking sign. OBVIOUSLY we mean NO disrespect to the people that serve our have served our country."

Obviously.

You'll see it and you'll have your own opinion. I have mine.

Lindsey Stone may be a fine person, I have no idea. She smokes, apparently, knows little of punctuation and capitalization, considers herself and her friends "douchebags," and enjoys challenging authority. She also seems to think that noone else should be bothered by all that.

I can tell you this, though. She's dumb as a brick.

It's one thing to take the picture. I've been to the Tomb of the Unknowns. Anyone who has will know what I mean when I say they don't play around there. I once watched a guard verbally berate a small child who was not standing after the onlookers had been told everyone should remain so. I mean, BERATE. An outburst, I suspect, that was geared more for the parents of the child in not making sure the child stood, but nevertheless reduced the child to tears. They DO NOT play at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Moreover, the idea that it would be at all funny to "challenge the authority" by so disrespecting our military at such a sacred and honored place. I mean, this isn't some statue in some podunk town, this is Arlington, for crying out loud. How anyone could be that callous is beyond me.

Actually posting the picture on Facebook takes her ignorance to a whole new level. But where her stupidity really shines is in her surprise that anyone was bothered by it. Read her initial response again. She's actually taken aback that anyone would be offended by this.

For that, she wins the stupidity gold medal.

I've crossed a few lines in my time. I've done some stupid things. Some of those things were funny. Some still are. But I've also done some things I've later regretted doing. I don't think I've ever done anything that was intended to hurt or offend someone, but I've done some things that in hindsight either hurt others nevertheless, or would so if they ever found out. I'm not proud of that.

But there comes a time when we all must take responsibility for what we do. The dumb things I've done in my life I've done willingly. And sometimes I've paid a heavy price for those decisions. Other times, I've suffered for decisions that weren't wrong. Maybe just controversial or unpopular.

Lindsey Stone has every right to flip off that sign and show that disrespect. In fact, those soldiers died so she can have that right. Freedom of speech and opinion and demonstration are vital to our nation, and public discourse and disagreement is what many times keeps this country moving forward. If Miss Stone and her friends want to traipse around being "douchebags" and "challenging authority," they have every right to do so.

But what she can't do is think everyone else is being unfair for being outraged and offended by it. If one feels one has the right to "challenge authority," one has to acknowledge that same set of rights exist for everyone else. Not just to "challenge" authority, but to "abide" by it, if one so chooses. Other's right to disagree. And one's right to opine about just how stupid someone is being. And to a private company's right to fire someone for being a "douchebag" and "challenging authority." Especially if that "douchebag" is responsible for the lives of senior citizens.

Lindsey Stone isn't wrong for being stupid. She's wrong for not expecting others to call her out on it, or be offended by it, or be disgusted by her lack of respect for others. I think she deserves to be fired from her job, because there are some lines I believe you simply should not cross. She may not be wrong, but she has to acknowledge that every choice we make comes with consequences, good or bad. If you are willing to "challenge authority" then you have to be ready to accept that authority might bite back.

And here's a computer lesson for you all. NOTHING is private on social media. NOTHING! It's why we see loads of pictures of that night you drank till you passed out, or your son's stupidity, or your daughter's bikini pics, every day on the internet. All from accounts you thought were private. I'm sure Lindsey Stone thought only her Facebook "friends" would see her pictures. I saw it on the national news.

If you don't want other people seeing you being a "douchebag," the easiest way to do that is to not be a douchebag. If, however, you insist on being so, don't let your "douchebag" friends take pictures. If in that frivolity, the pictures do get taken, then for Pete's Sake, STOP POSTING THEM ON THE INTERNET!

If you do, then be prepared for how others may react.