Conscience? Conscience compels me to speak.

Push my beliefs onto others? Am I then to stand mute and acquiescent in the face of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and the myriad other injustices my fellow humans suffer daily? Is challenging these not pushing my personal beliefs onto others?

I will not permit pernicious ideology, deluded beliefs, propaganda and demagoguery to go unchallenged. I want to be better than that. Political, social and religious beliefs that sow and foster division, hatred, violence, exclusivity, inequality and exceptionalism must be challenged by people of good will. Religion is the oldest, most pernicious and least challenged of all divisive systems, and I will not give it a ‘bye’ just to avoid hurting feelings.