There’s an old Beatles song that I like. Well, there are a lot of old Beatles songs that I like. But the one I’m referring to especially relaxes me. It’s called “Let It Be.” Most people have probably heard of it.

I think this one song could be applied to a lot of concepts. For example, I don’t understand why people get personally offended by things that don’t actually affect them. We hear about cases like this all the time. They really annoy me to no end, so I’m going to give a rundown of the ones that bug me the most.

I want to clear something up. It might seem hypocritical of me to write about people getting offended because some of you might think this is exactly what I’m doing. But what I’m talking about is somebody being offended and then trying to change things for everyone else just because he or she has a personal vendetta. If something upsets you, by all means write about it, complain, do whatever you like, it’s a free country. I just think some people take it way too far.

Case in point. In 2000, several Christian groups attempted to ban Harry Potter from classrooms and libraries because they claimed the book promoted witchcraft and Satanic themes. The Christ Community Church in New Mexico actually held a book burning. I don’t have a problem with the group choosing what they want to believe, that’s fine. But I do have a problem when they try to get a perfectly harmless book banned from public school and library shelves. The group has no right to ruin literature for everyone just because of their beliefs.

Individual parents can attempt to stop their children from reading the book all they want. They have a right to do that. And since they have the power to police what their children read, I don’t understand why they feel the need to push their views on everyone else.

Some of these things border on the ridiculous. Christian groups again were up-in-arms over accusations that Tinky Winky the Teletubby and SpongeBob Squarepants were homosexual. So now we’re arguing over whether fictional characters are gay? I mean, are they serious? Does it really make that big of a difference even if they were? It’s just entertainment, people.

When we look at things that are corrupting American youth, SpongeBob Squarepants doesn’t immediately spring to mind. There are a million other more pressing issues we should focus on — teen pregnancy, the war on drugs, gang violence — take your pick.

So far my column seems like an attack on Christian groups, but really it’s not. True, they tend to one of the most outspoken activist groups in this country, but it is really a national epidemic. On the other hand there was the case of California Atheist, Michael Newdow, who got upset with the phrase “under God” in The Pledge of Allegiance. He didn’t want his daughter saying the phrase in school. With something as traditional as The Pledge of Allegiance, is the trouble really worth it? Normally I’m a big proponent of separation of church and state, but this is just a technicality.

If it bothers him that much, don’t say it. And did anybody ask the daughter what she wanted to say? Many people would argue he can just stop his daughter from saying it, but I think he just used her as a political tool.

Speaking of using people as political tools, no case in history has demonstrated this more than the recent Terri Schiavo controversy. Christian groups used the case to “rally the troops” in Congress, and prompt lawmakers to push conservative legislation through. Meanwhile, civil rights groups rose up to oppose them and exploited the case for their own gains.

In the end though, this case should have been a private family matter rather than the media circus it became. People became personally involved in something that had no effect on them. That’s just wrong. People should be able to speak their mind about it, but when it gets to the legislative level, it crosses a dangerous boundary.

These self-appointed cultural vigilantes need to go. America is about freedom. I want to have the freedom to decide what is right for myself, and later on, what I believe is right for my kids. I’ve used my column to write about what I think is important, and what I think needs to change. That’s freedom of speech, and it’s harmless.

The problem arises when you have groups tied to certain Congressmen and people believing they know what’s best for everyone.

So for all those people out there who make it their life’s mission to be the cultural police of America, I have some words of wisdom — let it be.

Justin Marble, a freshman in the College of Communication, is a weekly columnist for The Daily Free Press. He can be reached at [email protected].