Entitlement is the new justification where people behave badly believing they can pretty much do whatever they want by claiming… “It’s my right to (fill in the blank).”

They feel entitled to refuse to wear masks and social distance (even though federal guidelines are intended to protect themselves and others).

They feel entitled to punch anyone in the face who asks them to wear a mask (even flight attendants who are just doing their jobs to protect everyone).

Entitlement is just another way of saying, my wants, my needs supersede the general population’s rules (even when those rules are put in place for the safety and well-being of everyone).

I’ve no doubt that some believe Entitlement to be the 11th Amendment.

At the Miss New Jersey beauty pageant, contestant Justine Murray used the Q&A portion of the contest to blast entitlement out of the water.

“Hi Justine,” the pageant official begins with a friendly smile. “What is the most important issue your generation is facing today and why?”

“Our generation is experiencing an epidemic of censorship and entitlement,” Murray began. “And it’s because our professors and our celebrities are teaching students to be narcissists, to believe that any of you that differs from their own is an existential threat. And this is what I experienced on my own campus with censorship to the point where people believe that speech is violence so that they can threaten other people with violence, simply because they disagree with them.”

Quite a difference from the Sandra Bullock stereotypical contestant in Miss Congeniality.

“Free speech,” Justice stressed. “It is listed first under the Bill of Rights for a reason. Without it, all other liberties crumble. But today, we’re watching free speech get hammered to the ground by the very institutions that are supposed to promote diversity of thoughts.”

“The mere words ‘I’m offended’ are now being used as an excuse to silence students, fire professors and cancel people simply because they do not know the popular line of thought. And that’s what I experienced — an Orwellian phenomenon, dominating my own campus to the point where it got borderline violent.”

While I don’t agree with those who use the First Amendment for destructive, self-serving purposes – e.g., Trump’s incitement to riot speech – Murray hits the nail on the head when it comes to the entitled society we live in, today.

Attending college, Orwell’s book was part of the course curriculum for an English class I attended, and I thought it was pure fantasy. We’ve evolved too far to ever come close to such a bleak nightmare. Not after Trump.

“Through the Miss America organization,” Murray concluded. I will promote Miss New Jersey, as Miss New Jersey, by empowering the voices of young women who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in and become a voice to be reckoned with.”

Guess who lost the Miss New Jersey contest, but made an important point?