FOLLOW UP
To The
RECENT DISCUSSION
About “RACISM”
"RACISM" isn't about RACE so much as it is about DIFFERENCE -- about STRANGENESS -- about ALIENATING BEHAVIOR PATTERNS -- about NOT doing "as the Romans do" when in ROME, etc.
The leftists, who like to portray themselves as more tolerant, more benevolent, more high-minded, more helpful, more enlightened than -- and in every way superior to -- "the rest" play the same game indulged in by the ancient Jews -- the Ku Klux Klan and Adolf Hitler, et al.
What is that game? The mistaken ILLUSION or DELUSION of acting on an assumption of innate SUPERIORITY -- a delusion that inspires AGGRESSION towards those perceived as "LESS" or "UNWORTHY" -- a passion to CORRECT the flaws in OTHERS while completely ignoring the flaws in ONESELF.
Leftists are no different from -- and certainly no better than -- anyone else. The only difference between the would-be reformers on the left, the theocrats of eld, and organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nation or the Skinheads, etc. is the FOCUS of THEIR particular brand of hatred -- of THEIR aim to spark DIVISION and foment ALIENATION and ENMITY ------ of THEIR claims to innate SUPERIORITY, which are every bit as specious as anyone else's.
Unless and until human beings begin to understand that THERE IS NO "GOOD EXCUSE" for ANY KIND of HATRED and DIVISION WHATSOEVER from ANY source -- Black - White - Jewish - Gentile - Asian - Atheist - Religious - Tall - Short - Fat - Thin - Ugly - Beautiful - Smart - Stupid - Healthy - Diseased - Gay - Straight - WHATEVER ----- we are DOOMED to follow endless cycles of AGGRESSION, DOMINATION, SUBJUGATION, SUBMISSION, RITUAL ABUSE, and REBELLION --- a relentless pattern of ATTACK and REVENGE. A pattern that keeps us forever going 'round in circles.
If I call a Negro a Negro, that does not make me a "RACIST."
If I address an unmarried woman as MISS So and So, or a married woman as MRS. So-and-So, that does not make me a SEXIST.
If I express my distaste for a big, tall, muscular hairy-chested male prancing around in a pink satin gown flapping his arms in the breeze while loudly singing "I Enjoy Being a Girl," that does not make me a "HOMOPHOBE." Neither does expressing my sense of revulsion at the spectacle of a chubby woman defiantly sporting a crewcut while wearing engineer boots, baggy jeans, a grease-stained sweatshirt and chomping on a cheroot with broken, brown-stained teeth make me a "BIGOT."
It's perfectly all right to DISLIKE and ESCHEW lifestyles and modes of behavior we find abhorrent, but it is NOT all right to take it upon ourselves to PERSECUTE those things out of EXISTENCE.
Put as simply as possible:
The only TABOO we should permit ourselves would be making TABOOS TABOO.
The ONE and ONLY RULE we need to follow:
"DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU."
The leftists, who like to portray themselves as more tolerant, more benevolent, more high-minded, more helpful, more enlightened than -- and in every way superior to -- "the rest" play the same game indulged in by the ancient Jews -- the Ku Klux Klan and Adolf Hitler, et al.
What is that game? The mistaken ILLUSION or DELUSION of acting on an assumption of innate SUPERIORITY -- a delusion that inspires AGGRESSION towards those perceived as "LESS" or "UNWORTHY" -- a passion to CORRECT the flaws in OTHERS while completely ignoring the flaws in ONESELF.
Leftists are no different from -- and certainly no better than -- anyone else. The only difference between the would-be reformers on the left, the theocrats of eld, and organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nation or the Skinheads, etc. is the FOCUS of THEIR particular brand of hatred -- of THEIR aim to spark DIVISION and foment ALIENATION and ENMITY ------ of THEIR claims to innate SUPERIORITY, which are every bit as specious as anyone else's.
Unless and until human beings begin to understand that THERE IS NO "GOOD EXCUSE" for ANY KIND of HATRED and DIVISION WHATSOEVER from ANY source -- Black - White - Jewish - Gentile - Asian - Atheist - Religious - Tall - Short - Fat - Thin - Ugly - Beautiful - Smart - Stupid - Healthy - Diseased - Gay - Straight - WHATEVER ----- we are DOOMED to follow endless cycles of AGGRESSION, DOMINATION, SUBJUGATION, SUBMISSION, RITUAL ABUSE, and REBELLION --- a relentless pattern of ATTACK and REVENGE. A pattern that keeps us forever going 'round in circles.
If I call a Negro a Negro, that does not make me a "RACIST."
If I address an unmarried woman as MISS So and So, or a married woman as MRS. So-and-So, that does not make me a SEXIST.
If I express my distaste for a big, tall, muscular hairy-chested male prancing around in a pink satin gown flapping his arms in the breeze while loudly singing "I Enjoy Being a Girl," that does not make me a "HOMOPHOBE." Neither does expressing my sense of revulsion at the spectacle of a chubby woman defiantly sporting a crewcut while wearing engineer boots, baggy jeans, a grease-stained sweatshirt and chomping on a cheroot with broken, brown-stained teeth make me a "BIGOT."
It's perfectly all right to DISLIKE and ESCHEW lifestyles and modes of behavior we find abhorrent, but it is NOT all right to take it upon ourselves to PERSECUTE those things out of EXISTENCE.
Put as simply as possible:
The only TABOO we should permit ourselves would be making TABOOS TABOO.
The ONE and ONLY RULE we need to follow:
"DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU."
We've been lobotomized and tortured. We've been the target of cruel jokes and dehumanizing stereotypes. And we have had the added ugliness of racism heaped upon us while being rejected by our own communities, often our own families!..For you to compare the social acceptance of your lifestyle to the "lifestyle" of blacks that were discriminated against, and simply in the interests of promoting the culture is disingenuous, and only show the rest of us that you are a freaken bigot at heart.
ReplyDeleteEnough a;ready, can't you find anything else tp write about?
Is you stupid little mind so empty that ALL you can think about is RACE!
STFU already! Damn YOU!
I submit that every single human being on the planet has biases.
ReplyDeleteSo what?
Those biases are not limited to matters of race.
One force for great good -- that force being a mother's love for her children -- is a biased position, is it not? As the old saying goes, "Every mother crow thinks that her chick is the blackest."
Individual human beings are going to think what they think. What results in evil is acting in an oppressive and aggressive manner toward "the other." I'm not referring only to the actions of individuals but also to the actions of the government.
BTW, I hope that I'm making sense here. So very sick with the worst allergy attack I've had in decades! My head is fuzzy -- to put it mildly.
As a straight black male with a college degree, I can tell you that while I am a strong advocate of personal responsibility, one must understand history to understand the current social and cultural perception/reality of black men in America. Historically,mainstream America has gone to great lengths to limit socioeconomic opportunity for all people of color(Native Americans,Asians and Latinos). While the aforementioned cultural groups have experienced varying levels of socioeconomic difficulty over time, none of these groups has experienced the consistent negative portrayal that the African American community(black men in particular) has faced.As of today,more black men hold college degrees than at any other point in the history of the United States and there are more black men enrolled in colleges and universities than there are black men in prison. However these are not news stories that the mainstream media will cover anytime soon.Instead, they would rather show the images of black men that America has been socially conditioned to expect for quite some time now. They would rather cover the difficulties of Chris Brown and Rihanna's relationship or the fact that Allen Iverson is broke instead of images that counteract the years of biased reporting that has had the unfortunate effect of making some members of the black community feel less than. As I said before,I do believe that social behavior determines social existence and black men can do a lot to advance their own socioeconomic mobility. However to paint all black men with a brush of financial and cultural incompetence while simultaneously supporting the notion that white men are the answer to black women's dating challenges without any acknowledgement of the historical factors that contributed to that reality is irresponsible.
ReplyDeleteWhen you get my age you can spot ugly very easily, double standards too, especially when it comes to interracial dating. This blog is predominately read by whites as well as the comments here. And what you folks may not be aware of is that there are more whites on welfare than blacks. .
ReplyDeleteBut if there is one thing that really bugs me, it's that for some reason White people often tend to act as if they are better than a Black person. Racism is one of the oldest ills ever known in our society. Racism as I remember goes as far back as slavery or slave trade, where we had white men who came into Africa and took away our ancestors to become slaves in developed countries.Lets get the record straight before we start making false statements about the past. We don’t want to change history. I know Americans have a bad habit with this, because we can do it this time ok. First, MANY (not some) whites enslaved blacks. Second, the primary reason blacks received there freedom when they did was because of mass riots and slave revolts around that time. Many slaves were feed up. From 1791-1831 the country of Haiti under went a slave revolution (also known as the Haitian revolution) In 1831 Haiti gained their freedom. When slaves in America found out that those blacks received there freedom, the slaves in North America began to riot. Many slaves such as Nate Tuner led many slaves to revolt against their masters for freedom. These revolts occurred for years and many white Americans were fearful. It wasn't until blacks began cutting the heads off of whites that Lincoln felt the greatest pressure to free them. (Not surprising to me why so many Americans are so affected by the beheadings going on in the invasion of Iraq) In addition, he gave an ultimatum to the southern states stating that if they did not stop the war, they will lose their slaves. All of these events led to our freedom in the 13th amendment in 1863. While I do not disagree that many whites helped blacks, BUT many whites didn't!!
PSI I don't want your dirty handouts. People are people.. all of us, and i mean every single one of us makes mistakes. Nobody is perfect. So for all you that think it's so important to degrade people of a different skin color, you can go straight to hell. And may I ask you Mr. Obnoxious Free Thinker, why do YOU feel that you must continue to blog about RACE all week, or all month? Are you guilty about something? Or do you have a closet full of racism. I mean come on, it's not rocket science to know that you have some reason behind this. No one owes anyone anything. Its over. Why do you want to blog about race every day? How about STOPPING MAKING RACE AN ISSUE.
Sorry. Universal tolerance only justifies discrimination and censorship against those who are by nature, intolerant (which is everyone).
ReplyDeleteSave the Last Man's cry for "tolerance" for someone who gives a sh*t. :P
A message to "The Question Man"
ReplyDeleteAs well as to the other angry black youth out there.
Soulstraw, or Question Man, or whatever your name is these days, I can NOT support you and your racist behavior. Shut the hell up and get back in the ghetto where you belong.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND STOP CRYING THAT WE "OWE" YOU! 40 acres and a mule?
A look into your blog has shown me that this time and in the past it is you who have been the one to throw fuel on the flames of racism. It is you who has been raking the coals. You seem to dedicate this blog to name calling and that’s not my style.
A am a black man who wishes to end racism not to refuel it.
You are doing exactly the opposite. You are part of the problem, not the solution.
As a black man I can not support you and your racist blog.
There are black people, and there are “Niggers”. Niggers can't spell, can’t put together ONE sentence without a curse word. They wear stupid clothes with their behinds sticking out, listen to garbage that poses as music, they want to party all the time, and in doing so, shirk all responsibilities and RUIN their own neighborhoods. And guess what? Most of them wind up in jail. And yes, black people as well as white people do keep other black people down.
You make a great deal of sense as always, AOW.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry that others who've participated so far today are so self-absorbed, and so steeped in bitterness, hatred and self-pity they have rendered themselves incapable of reading what I have said with even the feeblest trace of comprehension.
One of the many impediments to progress and one of the greatest problems in communication is that too many of us behave like RADIOS. ;-)
By that I mean we BROADCAST all the time, but never, ever LISTEN to one another with any degree of CURIOSITY or HOPE of GAINING BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
ALL of US need to get off the Pity Pot, -- descend from the Judgment Seat, -- disengage ourselves from the GOD-DAMNED CROSS, -- disabuse ourselves of entrenched, self-defeating attitudes, quit making accusations, quit being so antagonistic, and LISTEN to EACH OTHER for a change.
Reject CONDEMNATION and replace it with CURIOSITY.
Stop talking AT us, and start talking WITH us.
You've just contradicted yourself EzzZee, AND you have addressed an individual who has not presented himself here.
ReplyDeleteYou've said your piece. I'm letting your remarks stand, but unless you start to ENGAGE and stop FULMINATING, your remarks will be deleted from here on in.
By the way, IF you want others to read your contributions, it would help a great deal if you'd divide your text into smaller paragraphs, and put SPACE between your paragraphs.
I t would go down better if you imparted information without making it sound like an accusation.
Thanks.
EZ does make some good points! We need to stop obsessing on race.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete...and concern about baseless accusations of racism.
ReplyDeleteOkay... perhaps not all accusations are baseless.
ReplyDeleteWe still need to stop obsessing upon the subject.
So you would advise us just to ignore The Rhinoceros in the Rumpus Room, Thersites? ;-)
ReplyDeleteThersites,
ReplyDeleteAre human beings capable of not "obsessing" on the topic of race?
I honestly think that we're kidding ourselves if we say that race isn't the first thing we see when we see another human being.
Race is obvious, IMO.
So what?
It does take time to get to know anyone as an individual.
PS: Perhaps the first thing we see is gender (when determinable, that is). But certainly race is next after gender. Again, in my opinion.
No, I'm not saying we should ignore it. But perhaps the subject only need 100 lines of print a day, rather than 10,000.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not saying we should avoid "truth" either.
Both sides in the argument have legitimate "cause" for animosity.
But just like you cousin, the drunk, it doesn't pay to make him the subject of every family conversation.
And we are not "honour bound" to call him a dirty disgusting drunk at every reunion. Even years after he joins AA.
I like Zizek's approach. Tell obscene dirty jokes about one another. Keep the negativity "there".
ReplyDelete... in the bedroom, where "private" and embarrassing subject belong.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this Free Thinke. I strongly agree. Thanks for pointing out all we need to do to support our brothers & sister’s no matter what color they may be. As a Jew I’ve been expected to take anti-Jewish bigotry from the black lobby from the black pimp’s like Malcolm X, Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson, and Jermiah Wrigh but not from our fellow American’s who should know better. Clearly, you don’t have to be white to be a racist just listen to those I have listed above to understand that..
ReplyDeleteAnd hopefully those who voted for Obama due to his skin color now understand him better and are able to see through his Socialist agenda.
And by the way look at the hypocrisy of Obama and our First lady, and how he criticizes the rich people, and then look how they live!
George Bush and Ronald Reagan never lived as extravagantly as they do. They spent their Vacations at their ranches. They did not live lavishly as Obama does! Obama is the biggest disgrace the country has ever experienced.
And another thing, I’m sick of people getting on this the entitlement gravy train too...I'm sick of seeing folks using EBT/Link cards at Walmart while I still pay for my own food. I will want mine--and a free Obamaphone too. I've worked long and hard, paid into it,
A white man and a black man were peeing off a bridge. The white man turned to the black man and said, "the water in the Creek sure is cold!" The black nodded, Zipped up his trousers and turned to him and replied, "...and deep!"
ReplyDeleteLest women feel left out, two lesbians were peeing off a bridge, the white one remarks, "Look, the water below is running red"... the black one smiles and says, "Lets get back to camp, so I can give you another surprise"
ReplyDeleteThersites, I agree we need to loosen up, and stop taking this thing so SERIOUSLY, but like a skunk under the dinner table at Easter or Thanksgiving it can't just be IGNORED out of existence.
ReplyDeleteI honestly think we need to stop being afraid to call each other names. It's all this CONSTRAINT that is killing us.
"What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," and all that.
Stanley, if Bad Taste were a virtue, you'd be a SAINT. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI agree, FT. Call each other names. But please, try and do it "lovingly"!
ReplyDeleteWrap your message in some humour,instead of poetry. It becomes MUCH easier to "hear" that way... through a veil with the effect of "distance".
ReplyDeleteIf you want to prove to yourself that no race or gender is inherently better than another, spend four years in any branch of service.
ReplyDeleteI spent 25 year in the military. We had all kinds, and we mixed freely without the outrage, superiority complexes and hair-trigger offense-taking.
Every time I ventured outside my tightly-knit military society, I was shocked at how backwards our society was. And that goes for Europe and the Muslim world as well.
The least racist place I've ever lived? Panama. It is a happy rainbow. "Interracial" friendships and marriages are so common as to be unremarkable.
Sounds like an endorsement of authoritarian order, SF... but as much as I may appreciate the efficiencies possible in ordering society under the exigencies of war... I prefer the chaos and disorder of peacetime disordered society.
ReplyDeleteThe Harm Principle is dysfunctional without the Offense Principle. Its a perpetual battle between the snake and the mongoose.
We mustn't ever let the snake swallow the mongoose and declare that everything that causes "offense" also causes "harm", as the "progressives" would like us to do.
ReplyDeleteThe solution is not an appeal to authoritarian control... its an appeal to thicker skins capable of ignoring offense, instead of violently reacting to it.
Lets me remind you folks here that there laws against racism here in America.
ReplyDeleteYes there are, on a federal level, most states have it on their books, however there are various laws, some anti-discrimination laws, some hate crimes laws. But absolutely NO laws as to being a racist.
And like it or not, be you a Conservative or a Progressive (God forbid) It's not racist, and certainly NOT anti-American to oppose amnesty for illegals. Also being against President Obama is NOT against any laws in America.
Let me tell you folks something. you're an stupid ignorant ass kissing Liberal if you think that any nation must have open borders, to let people come and go as they please. Who is going to pay for them? Are YOU going to pay for them? I don’t think so. not even Mexico has open borders.
ReplyDeleteThersites:
ReplyDeleteAuthoritarianism was not the lesson I drew from my experience. The lesson I learned was that racists and race hustlers of all stripes are full of it.
The lesson I have learned after being released into the general population is to generally shut my mouth when it comes to race and gender. Being a white male, I have no standing, other than to be pointed at and called a coward when I don't take the bait and thus deny the Manufactured Outrage Industry another target.
But I do agree with your larger point. There is no right to not be offended.
ReplyDeleteWhat kept them out of the military then?
ReplyDeleteTHAT was my point. Outside of an authoritarian structure, everyone is his own authority... hence all the posturing at every "slight" and/or perceived offense.
In the military, there is no doubt about who the "authority" is, and what the rules to be folowed are. The absence of a strict authority is what allows the "noise" of perceived offenses to resonate.... sometimes to the extent that it drowns the other communication signals.
Outside of the military, only "custom" provides guidance for courtesy and conduct.
...that and the THREAT of civil litigation, which fuels the offended into seeking profit through perception of offenses.
ReplyDeleteerratum "imagined" offenses, above.
ReplyDeleteIn civilian life, every Private wants the General to initiate his salute... instead of visa versa. ;)
ReplyDeleteToss in a multi-cultural society, each with different traditions and customs...
ReplyDelete...it would be remarkable if none were "offended".
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Freethinke! I am so GLAD you were born!
ReplyDeletexo
Andie
In the above statistics, we can see that Divine Theater "values"work, perhaps in a way the EZ does not.
ReplyDeleteBoth want "respect" and take "offense" if insufficient is offered.
To not give and/or take "offense" is to have no discriminating values...
Direct "talk" infuriates all parties.
Did you hear the joke about the white welfare mother?
ReplyDeleteMe neither.
Did you ever hear the one about the black welfare mom who got OFF welafre? Yeah, she started collecting Social Security, instead. ;)
ReplyDeleteer-r-r-r...
ReplyDelete...She finally got a pimp who wasn't his own best customer.
er-r-r-r...
...she FINALLY won the Lotto.
er-r-r-r...
...she got arrested.
er-r-r-r...
...her palimony suit finally reached court, and Joe Biden's lawyers were forced to settle.
Nice to see you here, Andie! Thanks for stopping by -- and thanks for your good wishes.
ReplyDeleteHow's that Italianate secretary coming along?
It's always good to attend to a work-in-progress.
"The leftists, who like to portray themselves as more tolerant
ReplyDeleteLeftists, MAY like to portray themselves as more tolerant, but in fact they are less tolerant
Of course my liberal “friends” may not realize it but it is true – they tend to Hate more than republicans do.. And they are not hesitant to let the people they hate know it either.
So why would my liberal friends befriend people they hate so intensely just to be able to tell them what horrible disgusting people they are?
Mostly, I don’t think they realize that they are, in fact, insulting, degrading, and belittling their “friends” and family members. And when they do realize this – I really think that they don’t seem to care.
The Left have gotten worse with their personal attacks and criticisms against those with whom they disagree, especially since the election of Obama. Maybe they feel more secure. I really don’t know why, but that may be a reason. I don’t need to point to Rosie O’Donnell, Bill Maher, David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, Nancy Pelosi, James Carville, or the many of other “prominent” famous, or figure heads that use viscous personal attacks against anyone who dares to question the orthodoxy of the Left. And of course, there is Barak Obama himself, and our Dear First Lady!
The feeling of the typical Lefty is “The NRA is evil and fascist, “I hate all conservatives.” “Rush Limbaugh and his followers must die.” “Glenn Beck MUST be removed from the air and so should Sean Hannity”“Anyone who opposes abortion is a murderer of women.” “Obama is a great man who should crush and jail anyone who opposes him.”
“We must Boycott everyone who opposes Our Great Leader” And the hate that was aimed at Sarah Palin was SO EXTENSIVE, that it was immeasurable! Remember David Letterman’s filthy remarks? And remember Madonna bashing Sarah Palin and screaming “I will kick her ass:” “I hope Glenn Beck dies from Cancer” New Black Panther Party rap song: “Bang for freedom,” “put the bang right into a cracker’s face,” and if you’re going to bang, bang for black power… hang a cracker “ So I have to remind you about the Dixie Chic’s? And the Hit piece on Gabby Giffords shooting, blaming the Tea Party even before the facts were in.
It is so apparent that the left will not accept any other point of view them their own.
As was, and still is the progressive amount of hate, PALIN HATE, BUSH HATE, REA PARTY HATE, ROMNEY HATE. And Jimmy Hoffa, speech when he instructed his union members to"take these son-of-a-bitches out" and declared war on the TEA Party.
Liberal tolerance? I don’t think so!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete:P
ReplyDeleteThe futility of allowing oneself to be consumed with bitterness, wrath, anxiety, depression and a perpetually accusatory demanding attitude should be self-evident.
ReplyDeleteThe Progressives, however, have structured things in such a way that Envy and Self-Pity are portrayed as positive virtues. The Progressives -- and certain quasi-socialistic elements within the Roman Catholic Church also -- have done everything possible to promote [illegitimate] feelings of GUILT in those who've done well in life. This deliberate factionalizing has made us a SICK polarized society teetering on the brink of dysfunction.
What it all boils down to is this:
NO ONE CAN EAT YOUR DINNER FOR YOU. Either you ingest what's put in front of you -- like it or not --, or you get sick and die.
The Welfare State mentality has sapped the vitality -- the willingness to experiment -- any sense of ambition or pride in personal achievement out of a huge segment of society. In a very real sense Liberalism, Progressivism, Statism, Socialism -- whatever you what to all it -- has in its way turned out to be as great a Crime Against Humanity as The Third Reich -- ANOTHER failed attempt to establish Heaven on earth through totalitarianism.
Those consumed with hatred and resentment may in fact be JUSTIFIED. But that makes no difference, because sooner or later EVERYONE has to learn: "IF IT IS TO BE, IT'S UP TO ME."
It really is as simple -- and as stark -- as that.
ReplyDeleteYes, the left were so quick to blame the Gabby Giffords shooting as well as every other story of violence immediately on the right and the Tea Party or on what Sarah Palin “MAY” have said without waiting for the evidence to be released. They are always right there with their rush to judgment. One only has to check-out the Progressives blogs to document their hate
Deceivers, hypocrites, communists, liars, all of them. And please don’t let them call themselves “Tolerant” One only has to read the Progressive’s boards to know that they are all of the above.
These liberal-progressive commenters, including those here, are delusional, deranged and in denial. It's pretty sad actually that they don't even realize how wrong they are.
These people are hate filled lying, hypocritical, scum.
Thanks Free Thinke for this. We on the right know there is hate on both sides but the left's hate is 100 times nastier, 100 times more prevalent, and 100 times more vicious. .
Thanks for documenting this! I don't see how any thinking person can ever equate the right and left as if they were the same in this...oh, right - I said THINKING person...
I agree with much of EZ's comments...but I have to add that I believe Obama has created a much bigger race issue again. Starting with the Harvard prof burglary and how he jumped to conclusions before he knew the facts...
ReplyDeleteAnd I believe what's perpetuated RACISM claims and mischaracterizations is when the left automatically calls whites racist if they dare criticize Obama; which happens all the time.
First, it's a little stupid because there are many black conservatives white conservatives would vote for in a heart beat, second, there are very few white racists left..fringe types, I suppose and, trust me, how could they all be Conservatives!? :-)
Who got the Civil Rights Act passed? (Hint: Not Dems)
I have a new family addition in a black football graduate from U of Kentucky and I couldn't be happier with him or his marvelous, loving family. I feel blessed.
I believe mixed marriages might be the only thing which finally puts racism TO BED forever.
I hope so.
The Political Chic said, " ... The Left have gotten worse with their personal attacks and criticisms against those with whom they disagree ..."
ReplyDeleteLady Gunslinger said something similar. Such complaints have become standard talking points on the right.
Most of what the two of you said is true enough, BUT when we inveigh against the left like this we fail to recognize that more and more "we" are doing the same sort of thing, ourselves. Do two wrongs even make a right? It may sound corny, but it's a question well worth answering.
I have long observed that the hatred and stupidity from both extremes are in effect a Rorschach pattern -- a mirror image -- two sides of the same counterfeit coin. Perhaps this has come about from an attempt to "fight fire with fire?" I'm not sure.
Now Andie's very personal story is a different matter. It's filled with specifics -- not generalizations. I think she's right in saying that conservatives rarely go that far with outrageous attacks on leftists as the gruesome incidents that were perpetrated on Andie and her family. described.
The left, of course, wants to equate the very EXISTENCE of white middle-class prosperity with lynchings, cross burnings, kangaroo courts, and the denial of education and the right to vote once suffered by Negroes -- particularly in the South. But those days are long GONE, and the attempt to continue USING those old, old, OLD injustices as a JUSTIFICATION for the loutish, arrogant, anti-social, counter-productive phenomena of Drug Abuse, Soaring Illegitimacy, Gangstah Rap, the Hip Hop Culture and the glorification of crime, welfare dependency and snotty, belligerent HATEFUL attitudes is beyond ABOMINABLE. It's CONTEMPTIBLE.
So, once again I want to say that all this mud slinging and ugly display of temper is perfectly USELESS. It degrades and perverts EVERYONE -- black or white -- who indulges in it.
Thersites, I just LOVE Zizek. He calls a spade a spade without apology and with puckish good humor.
ReplyDelete"The ______ masturbates by digging a hole in the ground, inserting his penis and waiting for an earthquake to come along."
I'm still laughing at that. It's hysterical.
Yes. Such earthy frankness is EXACTLY what we need.
What a charming, lovable old bear!
Reminds me of a very old joke about the once infamous Fire Island.
QUESTION: How do they separate the en from the boys on Fire Island?
ANSWER: WIth a crowbar! };-)>
Ta tala BOOM!
Free Thinke said
ReplyDeleteHe calls a spade a spade "
Better NOT let the Lefties hear you say that..
I often mention my immigrant grandparents. They had it rough when they first arrived and went through Ellis island, but they never complained, and they received any help from ANYONE. All they ever said was how good it was to be here in America.
ReplyDeleteWe've making such a stinking fuss today -- thanks to the machinations of liberals -- about things my grandparents -- and my uncles and aunts would have taken in stride and brushed out of their consciousness like so much lint.
Back in the 1880's, 90's and early 1900's the various immigrant groups who came here disliked and distrusted each other. It was very common to hear members of one particular ethnic group shout epithets in the street such as "Get out of here, ya dirty Irish Mick!" "Drop dead, ya lousy stinkin' Polack." "Fuck you, you greasy WOP, ya stink of garlic." "You dumb Swede." "You dirty kike." "Those goddam NIggers stink to high heaven." "Ya can't trust them Spics," "Let's go down to the Chinks and get some chow mein." and on and on.
There were fist fights. There were street brawls, There were tears from little Italian girls who were called hideous names on their way to Sunday School by "Irish girls with green teeth," and all the rest of it. But, YOU KNOW WHAT?
Nobody DIED, nobody SUED, no LEGISLATION was passed, and within one generation Italian boys were dating Irish girls, Jewish kids gained a measure of acceptance. "Intermarriage" became increasingly common, and PRESTO CHANGE-O! A new American Identity was born.
What we stupidly want to call "Hate Crimes" today were merely a Rite of Passage little more than a century ago. And THOSE people, -- my grandparent and parents and their peers -- made what was to become The Greatest Generation.
We've rotted ourselves out trying to take all the risks and all the challenges out of life.
Oh, Mindy, I'd call a spade a nigger, and a toilet a pisspot, if I felt like it.
ReplyDeleteWe've GOT to get OVER this HORSE SHIT.
"Sticks and stone may break our bones but NAMES will ever harm us."
Remember that?
LOL, I was only pulling your leg, I use that expression ALL the time.
ReplyDeleteYou make some great points most of them I fully agree with.
ReplyDeleteIt's as plain as the nose on your face that Democrats have done absolutely nothing to advance Blacks in this country.. And yet the Blacks seem to vote for these losers about 80 percent of the time, The Democrats are responsible for just about all the bad this country has suffered in the last couple of decades including keeping the Black people down. I see Liberals as the ULTIMATE HYPOCRITES..Liberals try to show their concern for the Blacks by their rhetoric, just ask them what they have ever done for the Blacks to deserve their vote and you’ll see a black look on their faces. , Obama, Rev.Jackson, Al Sharpton, L. Farakhan , have become very wealthy and politically powerful by their BSing the Black community. Liberals keep power through an entitlement mentality. Statistics show that 90% of black children will receive food stamps at some point in their lives which is completely supported by liberals. Liberals are disgusting and they have overrun the Democratic party. So the only thing left top do to be safe from liberalism is vote any politician with a “D’ next to their name OUT OF OFFICE. Democrats were the proponents of slavery, segregation, abortion and affirmative action. Which group does all of these institutions affect the most? You guessed it, Blacks. The best way to control a group is too keep it poor and uneducated.
Liberals are dirty, they lie and cheat to keep power. Liberals are out to destroy America in order to push their destructive agenda !!.
Partly off topic, but along the same line.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Jay-Z and wife Beyonce have came under fire because of their trip to Cuba, when American’s are not allowed to travel there. But however, they were allowed to visit the communist country.
When Obama’s Press Secretary Jay Carney responded to a question about it, he replied... "The Boy from the hood but got White House clearance"
ReplyDeleteIn regard to Jay-Z's and Beyoncé´s recent trip to Cuba. Jay-z says Obama gave him permission. Is he lying?
Carney said " The President did not communicate with Jay Z over this trip " . So it does suggest some form of communication, or is someone LYING? .
It must be nice to have the President of the United States of America in your back pocket.
I have only one question and I address it to the U.S . What the hell happened to our country ?
To those who wanted to give EzzZee credit for aiming good points, etc. I strongly suspect most of you didn't read his SECOND post. Here's a healthy excerpt from that screed:
ReplyDelete" Many slaves such as Nate [sic - It's NAT] Tuner led many slaves to revolt against their masters for freedom. These revolts occurred for years and many white Americans were fearful. It wasn't until blacks began cutting the heads off of whites that Lincoln felt the greatest pressure to free them. (Not surprising to me why so many Americans are so affected by the beheadings going on in the invasion of Iraq) In addition, he gave an ultimatum to the southern states stating that if they did not stop the war, they will lose their slaves. All of these events led to our freedom in the 13th amendment in 1863. While I do not disagree that many whites helped blacks, BUT many whites didn't!!
PSI I don't want your dirty handouts. People are people.. all of us, and i mean every single one of us makes mistakes. Nobody is perfect. So for all you that think it's so important to degrade people of a different skin color, you can go straight to hell. And may I ask you Mr. Obnoxious Free Thinker, why do YOU feel that you must continue to blog about RACE all week, or all month? Are you guilty about something? Or do you have a closet full of racism. I mean come on, it's not rocket science to know that you have some reason behind this. No one owes anyone anything. Its over. Why do you want to blog about race every day? How about STOPPING MAKING RACE AN ISSUE.
We learn so much more about Peter from what he says about Paul than we learn about Paul, don't we?
'Nuff said.
I've wanted to say "call a spade a spade" on Obama posts and I have to admit I've thought "Better not do THAT". I believe I've even mentioned ON the post that it came to mind and I changed it. Stupid on my part, I know.
ReplyDeleteFT, I have to say that nigger has no place in any conversation.. I don't care HOW little you think the word's offensive. A WORD doesn't hurt us, but when a word's carried that much ugly stima with it, it's time to stop using it. Black America uses it, which I think is revolting, but that's their problem.
As for EZ...he's not paying attention. Your whole POINT was race, you don't blog on race all the time, but this time, you felt you wanted to explore it. See, a leftwinger black man can't even bear to see it discussed without freaking out and name calling. Astonishing, isn't it?
Most of that part of his post was so untrue and silly it wasn't worth commenting to. I stand by my feelings about the one i did comment on. I don't want to be chided for what you feel isn't a proper response to a commenter, FT. !!
Happy Birthday...I hope you're having a wonderful evening.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJust because some people don't "understand" the meaning of calling a spade a spade and think it "might" be racist is no reason for people to stop using the phrase. Why should their lack of education or ignorance cause us to reduce or restrict our vocabulary?
ReplyDeleteBecause some people cannot understand the meaning of the idiom "to call a spade a spade" and therefore think it racist is no reason for me to stop using it!
No one has the right to determine the sensitivity of another.
It’s simply absurd to stop using a phrase because someone MAY misinterpret your meaning.
We have become much to sensitive when we try to appease the Blacks. They don't seem to worry to much about the words they chose to use... do they!
The problem with racism is the same as the problem with sectarianism, class etc. It's all to do with entrenched disadvantage, handed on from generation to generation -- in short, what happens when the melting pot fails to achieve FT's PRESTO CHANGE-O that I agree would be ideal.
ReplyDeleteI take it we agree that social mobility is desirable. Let he who is able and willing succeed, regardless of his background. That's really all this whole thing is about. That's why it is appropriate that our response to racism targeted at different groups be asymmetrical. The group which already has the best social mobility has the least reasonable cause for grievance.
Inasmuch as it lacks bearing on one's ability and character, race should not hamper an individual's social mobility. Inasmuch as they contribute to the constraint of certain social groups' mobility, 1970s smoke-filled working-men's club style jokes are considered unhelpful. For quite separate reasons, they are mostly considered poor jokes -- I'm reminded of Seinfeld: "It doesn't offend me as a Jew, it offends me as a comedian!"
I agree, obscene jokes in the back rooms of men's clubs ARE unhelpful.
ReplyDeleteI advocate telling them FACE to FACE, not behind anyone's back.
And therein lies ALL the difference.
...in that way, it becomes a "shared obscenity", and as such, a "bond" of friendship.
ReplyDeleteNo patronizing "pretense" of "admiration" of black culture, just "jealousy" of their naturally endowed f*cking ability. ;)
ReplyDeleteGo talk to a friend.
ReplyDeleteI do. All the time.
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeleteGlad you stopped by! You've articulated my own feelings very well, indeed.
As you may or may not have noticed, I love our English language, have made a lifelong study of it, and still strive to increase my vocabulary in an age where "dumbed down" versions of phraseology are the order of the day. This seems to annoy many "modernists," which only makes me more determined than ever to uphold and expand the standards to which I was raised -- admittedly ages ago.
One of the tragi-comic casualties of the left's all-too successful effort to bowdlerize and sanitize the language is the word NIGGARDLY -- a wonderfully colorful synonym for STINGY or PENURIOUS.
Serious efforts have been made to retire the words NIGGARD and NIGGARDLY from the language, because -- Oh! Heaven forefend! -- some ignoramus might not know the meaning, and mistakenly ASSUME it to be a "slur" directed at Negroes.
God in Heaven! To this we've come, and I say PHOOEY!
I wish Z -- dear friend of longstanding with a very good heart -- hadn't felt I was "chiding" her when I said those who supported EzzZee must have failed to read EVERYTHING he set down. [I actually had other posters in mind when I levied that criticism.]
The idea behind my observation was that so often we don't read ALL of someone's remarks, but simply allow ourselves to react to the first sentence that strikes us as either praiseworthy or objectionable -- or to pick-a-back someone ELSE'S response and go with that instead of taking a careful look for ourselves.
EzzZee may have started off sounding perfectly reasonable, but the main thrust of his lengthy remarks, when taken altogether, was to direct hatred and bitter resentment at ME for daring to address an issue that HE doesn't want ANYONE -- particularly any WHITE person -- to discuss.
It reminds me of so many Jewish people who bristle with indignation if a non-Jewish person even so much as ACKNOWLEDGES the Jewish identity of a public figure under discussion. And yet, Jewish people, themselves, are usually very quick to give public credit to any person of notable accomplishment who happens to be Jewish, and they rarely-if-ever fail to mention that he or she is a fellow Jew.
Double standards are demanded everywhere in this PC hell we've made for ourselves out of twisted, utterly mistaken notions of the nature of compassion.
Too many conservative-libertarians have let themselves be COWED -- browbeaten -- chastised -- castigated -- counseled -- condemned -- excoriated -- SHAMED into compliance with leftist initiatives, simply because they do not want the left to be able to say with any degree of credibility at all that they are racists, bigots, sexists, homophobes or misogynists, etc.
Well, I'm here to tell you that THAT is BULLSHIT. Words are just sounds. They have no meaning except that which we GIVE them.
A short for instance, and then I'm outta here:
In German the word HELL means BRIGHT, SHINING, BEAMING, etc.
In English the word HELL for many many years was regarded as TABOO -- something no decent person would say aloud in polite society.
Sorry, but I REFUSE to ACCEPT the meanings LEFTISTS have deliberately chosen to IMPUTE to an ever-expanding list of words they are turning into NEW TABOOS.
If Negroes call each other "nigger" all the time -- and they do -- I've heard it -- I don't see any reason why others can't do so either, if they choose.
I never use the word, myself, out of the context of discussions such as this, because I think it's VULGAR, and I've made something of a life's work out of rising above vulgarity as much as I possibly can.