Benevolent Heretic, I didn't take the line out of context but rather had problem with that section of it. That knee-jerk remark, seems to be very
much the problem with this whole thread and I am shocked that it hasn't been trashed yet.
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Being gay is not a burden that you carry around. It's who you are. It's something to be proud of! It's part of the essence of you. Whoever is
stupid and ignorant enough to put you down because you're gay has BIG problems. But it's their problem! You don't have a problem!
You're a wonderful, intelligent, loving person and being gay is NOT something to be ashamed of or to carry around as a burden. Discrimination
is the problem and it's other people who are doing that. You should do your very best to walk with your head held high and not carry other people's
judgments against you as a "burden".
This will be where you and I differ on opinion then. Homosexuality, is to be fair a very poor substitute for race in this debate. In Western Society,
there are four main ways to devide people: Race, Class, Sexuality and Gender in that order. Race and Gender are the most highly visible ones and they
are ones that can cause people the largest amount of problems. Class is also very visible in the work place. Sexuality, is something that is a lot
less visible - especailly in the work place where many have taken an asexual approach.
However, we can stick with the "sexuality" debate. Take your person, he is or she is openly homosexual/lesbian. Involved in a homosexual/lesbian
relationship and the office knows about this. The office then has a position opening in sernios management dealing with other companies. The Gay
person, then applied for the job as did a heterosexual. It is sad to say, but it is more likely that the heterosexual will get it because many people
are still bigots.
Now, take it back to race. Just like women face in the work place, Ethnic groups face both vertical segregation and also the glass ceiling. They get
employed at a company, leave University with amazing grades but then realise that life will be harder for them. They see where they want to go but the
glass cieling doesn't allow it - they can't get passed it and those who joined with them slowly begin to take up more and more important positions
as they are passed up for promotion. There are enough sociological studies into the work place that do show this. [In fact, it is very much based on
the racial stereotype on how each race does.]
It is sad to say it, but ethnic groups, women, those in the lower classes, do suffer a burden. To deny this, is to deny what happens in the workplace
and to deny their life chances. Which study after study has shown is different for the white majority, compared to ethnic groups - even those who gain
the same grades. However, hiding from the burden won't change things what does is ethnic groups trying harder. Society itself isn't a meritocracy at
this moment, the best person for the job does not always get the job despite what people like Davids and Moore try to claim. So the only way to cause
change is for them to try harder. I wish I got it as easy has the Upper Class does and those who have 5 generations of English family members the fact
is I do not. So I have to try harder and it is very much the same for people I know in the United State's.
The trick is to not deny the burden, to not deny we have it placed upon us [and whtie people do have a burden on them as well]. The trick is, to
accept it and to try harder to compensate it. The worst thing for any bigot is to see that "race" doing well. From personnal experience at College,
University and work those sort of people hated to find out I was a child whose grandparents were immigrants and yet getting better grades than they
did.
AS for her website, there really is no debate there. She does have racial slurs on her website. However, she did not post them. Simon is not
responsible for what you say, what I say or what anyone but he says. Even though his website would remove those slurs. However, maybe she does likes
freedom of speech more than we give her credit?
The only true test on if her website is racist, would be to make two accounts from different IPs. One of those to be a "black personna" the other
"white". One of them to use the term "whitey" and one "blacky" and see what happens. Then to move this on to the term "cracker" and say "tar
baby". If you don't get banned from that site then there is no arguement. Her website just would rather have a level of freedom of speech above many
others. [I'm not promoting the idea of doing this test.]
Thirty some pages is enough for me to believe that we have talked it out
and that we do not agree and aren't likely to see things from each others' perspectives. I still think race is a good thing to talk about, but not
with you. 
