The Truth Isn’t Always Comfortable

“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” — Gloria Steinem.

That quote rings true in more ways than most of us care to admit. Time and time again in my life, I’ve been criticized, talked about, and even flat-out slandered—not for being dishonest, but for telling the truth. If we’re being honest, it’s probably happened to you, too.

Another quote comes to mind: “If you don’t want to know, don’t ask.” That one has come back to haunt me more than once. I tend to say what I think, and when I do, the other party doesn’t always like the answer. Sometimes they get mad. Sometimes they get offended. Sometimes they lash out. But that doesn’t make the truth any less true.

Why bring this up now? Because I don’t think some people truly understand what a real friend is. A true friend doesn’t tell you what you want to hear; they tell you what you need to hear. There’s a big difference.

When I was younger, I didn’t always understand that. My parents would tell me things I didn’t agree with, and I’d think they were just being mean or out of touch. In reality, they were giving me advice I didn’t want to hear—but absolutely needed to hear—to make better decisions. Age and experience have a way of teaching you that lesson, whether you want to learn it or not.

Somewhere along the way, though, society changed. If you speak honestly about a situation today, you’re immediately labeled “mean,” “insensitive,” or worse. What in the world happened to us? When did we become so thin-skinned that if something doesn’t align with our personal viewpoint, we react like complete fools?

Last week, I saw photos of the London mayor and others wearing hats that read, “Make Pedophiles Afraid Again.” Yes, the phrase had an underlying meaning. Yes, it was a jab. But let’s cut through the noise—was the message itself wrong?

Shouldn’t pedophiles be afraid? Afraid to harm a child? Afraid to distribute sexually explicit material involving minors? Afraid to commit crimes that destroy lives forever? I have four granddaughters, another child I consider like a granddaughter, and two niece. You’re absolutely right I want a pedophile to be afraid to even look in their direction.

Some people were deeply offended by that hat. They called it inappropriate. I didn’t see vulgar language. I didn’t see a name attached to it. I didn’t see slander. Personally, I saw a statement that pedophilia is wrong—period. There is no defending it. If you touch children, you should go to jail. If you distribute child pornography, you should go to jail. There is no gray area there.

The truth is exactly that—the truth. It’s a double-edged sword, and it cuts both ways. It can sting. It can anger. But it can also protect, correct, and ultimately make us better.

We don’t need less truth in today’s world—we need more of it. We need people willing to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable, and stop sugarcoating everything just to spare feelings. Sometimes the truth isn’t nice. But it’s still the truth.