We are at a crossroads in America. We have reached a point where all sides are fed up and not willing to take the abuses any longer. Of course, each side identifies different, and conflicting, abuses. But that is not our crossroad.
Our crossroad is made up of how we handle our differences. Will we debate honestly, or will we heckle, jeer, and lie about the issues? When I witness the Tea Party protests, I cannot help but wonder what these protesters believe will be accomplished by threatening physical violence, using racial slurs, and homophobic epithets. Do they believe this will make us listen?
We have all been so mad that we lose control. We say things we don’t mean. We regret them later. I have never been so angry as to call someone a nigger or a faggot. I have never been so angry that I make statements like “if Brown (Sen. Brown) cannot get it down, a Browning (gun) can.” I understand that healthcare is an important issue. I understand the protesters are upset, but this is out of control.
Of course they have the right to protest. And their statements, while ignorant, are not illegal. Their right to make such statements is just as valid as my right to post this in disagreement. But is that really the road we want to take? One of hate and bigotry? Where is the message of Christ here? Is this really how the religious among these protesters (of which there are more than a few) believe Jesus would have responded?
Is this really how we want America to turn?
Uruk
5 months ago
I think many people believe in buzz words or talking points more so than honestly weight the pros and cons of something. When they see something that opposes their list of buzz words, they feel threatened and get defensive. Anything in opposition to their buzz words is evil and wrong and the people that stand against them don’t deserve respect.
I think religious fundamentalists are most susceptible of this kind of behavior because independent thinking is often eschewed.
I think that’s why you find people who label themselves as believers miss the message of Christ and express hate and bigotry. They don’t really know any message from Christ. They only know the message of their buzz words and talking points from their parents, their friends, their pastors, and which ever political leaders and TV personalities that they admire.
Generalizing in this way is much easier than sifting through the facts and lies, weighing pros and cons, and agreeing or disagreeing based on facts, rather than simple buzz words.
This mentality gets passed down, too, from generation to generation. Also, some of this behavior is human nature as well. We all can be guilty of generalizing to the point of bigotry, even when we try to rise above such thinking.
I feel ya, Lion.
the lion
5 months ago
Yes, I agree part of it is human nature. It is our animal instinct to fear what is different. It is actually where racism stems from. We fear anything different from us because things that are different can be a threat in the wild. From that fear, stems hatred. The more…ahem…evolved among us realize it is an unfounded and ridiculous fear. And yes, I just said I was more evolved than a racist. And that IS a big bigoted of me. And I don’t care :)
We all have our prejudices. We all have our lines we won’t cross. I know I have been in situations and a thought will occur to me that I immediately recognize as prejudiced and ludicrous. And almost immediately I am ashamed I even thought it. I know it isn’t fair, or accurate. But the difference here is 1. I don’t act on it; and 2. I KNOW it is ridiculous. I don’t think these folks do know that.
The worst part is how they pass this onto their children. My grandfather is a touch racist. Not in a way that makes him hate other races, but he tends to belittle poor black people and once (I kid you not) refused to buy a car from a Mexican. He is a good man but grew up in a different time, and he gets better as he gets older. He tells me now he “has a black friend.” :sigh: He tries. My mum? She is racist. She tells me I better never date a black man. And if I do, I better never bring him home. But neither of them ever tried to pass this on to me. They know I disagree and they let me form my own beliefs about the world.
As for not knowing the message of Christ? That could not be any clearer. They have no clue what that man stood for. They may know the words, but they lack all meaning when your actions so betray everything he wanted. Love your neighbor, love sinners, CARE FOR THE SICK AND POOR, feed the hungry.
Uruk
5 months ago
Yeah, I think some people are more evolved that others emotionally and intellectually.
If they’re not less evolved, then they aren’t willing to use their thinking faculties to consider possibilities beyond their talking points. Especially if considering those possibilities might mean that they could be possibly wrong about their beliefs. That can be a hard pill to swallow.