I hate racism in any form.

[CMGUY89]

Well that is a different use entirely, if they use it in a derogative manner then I get angry.

[Randy B]

I am not hoping to stir up a fight but I DETEST when people use gay to describe something. As a straight person I think this is disrespectful to them. It is commonly accepted among my generation to say something is "so gay" meaning, is stupid. Since when did gay become an insult? My favorite is something my very straight Spanish teacher once said.
Student: Spanish is so gay!
Teacher: By gay do you mean it likes other male languages and has exquisite fashion sense?
Just another illustration of how my generation enjoys being ignorant. Not a badge of honor for me, by any stretch of the imagination.

Unfortunately English is loaded with racial and societal slurs that have made it so far into the language that many of us don't even know that we are slurring someone. For example, we have all used the word jipped to refer to being swindled. But this comes from Gypped and refers to Gypsy's reputation in past generations as universally untrustworthy and criminal. And no distinction was ever made between those who are inclined to be nomadic or racial Rom who are frequently friendly and solid citizens who just have a societal tendancy to prefer nomadism. And as with any grouping of people there will always be those who will be less than honest and if they have the additional advantage of rarely sticking around long enough to be brought to account for their actions, they can give their "brothers and sisters of the road" a bad name.

So I agree with the prevailing attitude here that racism (or theocrism, or regionalism, or whatever ism is used to descriminate) is wrong. I admit that, as all humans, I have occasionally allowed myself to be influenced by first impression based on sight, and have fought that human nature within myself. But I am always willing to let my opinion shift as more individual contact brings more accurate indicators of an individual's personality. Good or bad.

Randy

[Big Wallaby]

The Indians routed the KKK in what was probably a replay of the Little Big Horn battle. The KKK never returned.

Further proof that they are cowards. One of the things I appreciate being outside of Portland is a reduced racism. In Portland, I never worked with anyone whose skin color was not white, never did things with people other than pasty whites. Not by my choice, but that city is so segregated with where everyone lives and works it's crazy.

I have a whole thing I want to write, but I am going to go to work, think through it, and I'll be back.

[February]

Hate just makes me sad :( Life is so short, can't people just be kind to each other?

Pirate you said:

The bad part is they hide behind religion. I have seen them justify their stance by using the Bible to say certain things. It has made me very aware that when someone starts to spout religion, they may be hiding a lot, and trying to deflect the focus. Racists, child molesters, and other aborant behaviour is sadly hidden behind a religious facade.

People can use interpretations of religious writings to justify the most astounding and terrifying behavior! I mean look at 'honor killings' and bride burning and. . .ugh I could just go on but it breaks my heart to think about it. I tell my daughter how lucky we are all the time to live in a country where women have rights.

Another thought- this thread reminded me of an experience I had as a kid.

We were on a tropical vacation- and my mother and I were alone, sitting and talking as the sun came up over the ocean. From our balcony we could see a couple walking down the beach below, holding hands.

I smiled and stared at them- and my mother told me years later she wondered what I was thinking- because they were an interracial couple- (a term that digs at me btw, aren't we all the HUMAN race???)

She asked me "What do you think about that couple?" and I said, with all 10 year old sincerity, "They look like they're very much in love. I'm happy for them."

It never even occurred to me to think anything else than that. I've tried to raise my child in such a way as well.

We watched the Oprah Winfrey MLK day special the other night- that was really well done- and my daughter was very effected by it. She was horrified to think that people could ever treat each other that way.

Sadly the cards that the OP found show that some people still hold on to barbaric ideals :(
Bru

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Hate just makes me sad :( Life is so short, can't people just be kind to each other?

Pirate you said:

People can use interpretations of religious writings to justify the most astounding and terrifying behavior! I mean look at 'honor killings' and bride burning and. . .ugh I could just go on but it breaks my heart to think about it. I tell my daughter how lucky we are all the time to live in a country where women have rights.

Another thought- this thread reminded me of an experience I had as a kid.

We were on a tropical vacation- and my mother and I were alone, sitting and talking as the sun came up over the ocean. From our balcony we could see a couple walking down the beach below, holding hands.

I smiled and stared at them- and my mother told me years later she wondered what I was thinking- because they were an interracial couple- (a term that digs at me btw, aren't we all the HUMAN race???)

She asked me "What do you think about that couple?" and I said, with all 10 year old sincerity, "They look like they're very much in love. I'm happy for them."

It never even occurred to me to think anything else than that. I've tried to raise my child in such a way as well.

We watched the Oprah Winfrey MLK day special the other night- that was really well done- and my daughter was very effected by it. She was horrified to think that people could ever treat each other that way.

Sadly the cards that the OP found show that some people still hold on to barbaric ideals :(
Bru

What I was talking about in reference to the "gay" word, is that despite the modern meaning, I don't associate it with anything derrogoratory.

The funny thing about the racial hatred, is that when talking with these people, it dosn't take long to realize that they are basically a coward, have a very poor ability to establish their own personality outside a group, and possibly have other mental defects. They get a LOT of their outlook from a group dynamic of peers that keep re-enforcing the attitudes! (can you tell one of my undergrad degrees is psychology/sociology?)

I pity them in a way, because they will always have this undercurrent of hatred, through their entire life!

AS to the other types, depending on the situation, it can be a combination of those, and many other factors. (no..not RUM!)

[CMGUY89]

Sometimes religion can really tick me off. Especially when people are like, "God wants this, God Wants that". I think until you have heard the words come out of God's mouth you can't speak for him/her. The bible is often open to each individual's interpretation, but you can't force it on another. Years of living in the "Bible Belt" where people think Halloween is a satanic ritual has taught me that not everyone has the same interpretation, and that they can't force it on you...

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Sometimes religion can really tick me off. Especially when people are like, "God wants this, God Wants that". I think until you have heard the words come out of God's mouth you can't speak for him/her. The bible is often open to each individual's interpretation, but you can't force it on another. Years of living in the "Bible Belt" where people think Halloween is a satanic ritual has taught me that not everyone has the same interpretation, and that they can't force it on you...

In some way, these people CAN be the worst, because they are using something to justify their actions, that you cannot really argue with them, as the will always end up being "right" (at least in their own minds!)

I remember interviewing a child molester who claimed that he was an indian medicine man re-encarnated, and that the 14y.o. girl victim was his wife "FROM A PREVIOUS LIFE" so therefore he broke no laws. (Ummm WRONG there Kemosabe!)(he was not a Native American, even though he claimed such) Won't even get into the traditional "christian" "priests" that have commited crimes!

[February]

Ugh, Pirate. That is some nerve of that guy claiming she was his wife, was SHE aware of this?

When people pray over sporting events it makes me really angry. Or when they say that God helped them win the world series or whatever.

If there is a all powerful being in the universe I would hope to think he/she/it would be a little busier trying to do something about, oh, I don't know, Darfur or the AIDS crisis in Africa before they spent a nanosecond caring whether or not a particular team wins the series.

Pfffft.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Ugh, Pirate. That is some nerve of that guy claiming she was his wife, was SHE aware of this?

When people pray over sporting events it makes me really angry. Or when they say that God helped them win the world series or whatever.

If there is a all powerful being in the universe I would hope to think he/she/it would be a little busier trying to do something about, oh, I don't know, Darfur or the AIDS crisis in Africa before they spent a nanosecond caring whether or not a particular team wins the series.

Pfffft.

I didn't interview her, and we didn't use her in the situation. It dosn't matter, as they will use any number of means to convince the victim.

A stand up comedian made a comment about that once, he was doing a parody of a "rapper" who was thanking god for making his song "slap that **** in the ****" (self edited and censord!) I think that sums it up.

[hobie16]

A stand up comedian made a comment about that once, he was doing a parody of a "rapper" who was thanking god for making his song "slap that **** in the ****" (self edited and censord!) I think that sums it up.

A few years ago Bono of U2 was accepting an award. He observed that many award winners thanked God for the award but God was looking down and thinking, "Please don't thank me. It really wasn't very good."