How Bigotry Is Destroying America

The bit from the video that intrigued me:

People often ask me, “If you hate America so much, why don’t you leave?” The answer isn’t even something I have to think about: I don’t want to leave because I’m just too entertained. I’m an American, and I am ashamed of my country at times, but I also kind of love it. Any country that clogs its arteries and fills its belly with grease and fried breading and dead poultry in the name of preventing homosexuals from getting too many rights—well, that’s a pretty goofy #ing country. But it’s also a very entertaining one. If nothing else, you have to appreciate the non sequitur of, “I ate fried chicken because I hate gays.” It’s a lot like saying, “I’m gonna go bowling to suppress black voter turn-out.” Or “I’m going to buy a pair of sneakers to end abortion rights.”

These are the problems that haunt you, America. While you squabble over gays and fried chicken, your country crumbles. And when the JENGA tower finally topples completely, whether gradually or in one profound world-shifting event, I know that you will wander your country wondering “What happened? How did it all turn out like this.” And you’ll probably look for something to blame: it was the gays and lesbians, it was because we took prayer out of schools, it was because of the liberals, it was because of those cowards in Washington, it was because of those Muslim towelheads overseas, it was because of the smut-pushers and pornographers, it was because of the blacks and the Mexicans, it was because of this and that and the other!

So I saw this video and was inspired to make this thread. The video was made in response to the Chick Fil A controversy. There are enough threads about that, this is more about equal rights and how denying them affect this country. America is supposed to be a secular country, this issue is not for debate, its a fact. Yet it seems like in the public sphere Republicans are downright determined to have it be a Christian theocracy. Thats not to say no Democrats believe this, but I rarely see a Democrat pushing for family values. Family values is basically just code for Christian values. They want their rights but refuse to give rights to others.

They want to dominate American culture and give no representation to any other groups. And so we as a country are constantly clashing. Some of the things people are still arguing about should not even be up for discussion as science has already provided the correct answer. Also, as was stated in the video, it seems like there is always an out group to blame for America's problems. If its not the the Mexicans its the Muslims if its not them its the Gays if its not them its the Blacks and it keeps going ad nauseum. All these groups are supposedly destroying family values. Its a vicious cycle that has been a part of our culture for too long, it needs to stop.

All this in a country where all people are supposed to be created equally, where we are supposed to have freedom of religion and freedom from religion. We are so stuck on these silly issues that our country is falling apart.We need to evolve, put your faith and personal beliefs aside, and just go with whats best and whats fair for all Americans. If we did that, most of these issues would go away. Then we could focus on more important things like poverty, education, the economy, healthcare, etc. And most importantly the two big parties, the Dems and Reps, would no longer be able to hide behind social issues to get votes. Everyone would be more focused on their actual performance.

reply to post by acmpnsfal


So the condensed version is: someone exercised their freedom of speech and that angered you. Please if you are going to talk about freedom and equality and pretend to be on some high horse you should know that it also entails sticking up for people you do not necessarily believe in. Remeber that stupid cliche quote by Voltaire? Look it up. You really lack the courage of your convictions.

reply to post by Superhans

Uh, no. That comment is about the Chick Fil A issue, which I stated in the OP im not addressing. You clearly did not read it.

Originally posted by acmpnsfal
reply to post by Superhans

 

Uh, no. That comment is about the Chick Fil A issue, which I stated in the OP im not addressing. You clearly did not read it.

But it clearly is about the Chick Fil issue, otherwise you would not use it as a lunch pad for the rest of your post. You made another Chick Fil thread, deal with it.

Originally posted by acmpnsfal
It’s a lot like saying, “I’m gonna go bowling to suppress black voter turn-out.”

Which would be really ironic when you've got a big black ball knocking down 10 white pins with red necks.

I agree with the OP. This situation with Chick fila seems like the first time a private corporation has gone out and profited and created a religious image around its product.. Almost overnight. I mean, if you didnt know they were a christian company you sure do now.

I hope people wake up to the fact that we all are human, and we need to love one another and protect one another. WE are not one anothers enemy.

reply to post by acmpnsfal

All this in a country where all people are supposed to be created equally, where we are supposed to have freedom of religion and freedom from religion.

Im sorry but this point is so incredibly ignorant for numerous reasons. You don't have "freedom from religion" some people are religious and you may have to deal with them, if you really thought that we were all created equally you would not spout out such rubbish. It is incredibly biggoted, if you replace religion with anything else you can see this
where we are supposed to have freedom of black people and freedom from black people.
see? Please just get over yourself.

Originally posted by Superhans

Originally posted by acmpnsfal
reply to post by Superhans

 

Uh, no. That comment is about the Chick Fil A issue, which I stated in the OP im not addressing. You clearly did not read it.

But it clearly is about the Chick Fil issue, otherwise you would not use it as a lunch pad for the rest of your post. You made another Chick Fil thread, deal with it.

No its not, the video starts off talking about the issue but later on goes on to address how silly it is that people get stuck on things like this. Nothing I wrote had anything to do with Chick Fil A.

Originally posted by Superhans
reply to post by acmpnsfal

 

All this in a country where all people are supposed to be created equally, where we are supposed to have freedom of religion and freedom from religion.

Im sorry but this point is so incredibly ignorant for numerous reasons. You don't have "freedom from religion" some people are religious and you may have to deal with them, if you really thought that we were all created equally you would not spout out such rubbish. It is incredibly biggoted, if you replace religion with anything else you can see this
where we are supposed to have freedom of black people and freedom from black people.
see? Please just get over yourself.

Freedom from religion simply means separation of church and state. The lines are constantly blurred in America. Don't be so ridiculous and over dramatic. Nice strawman though.

Originally posted by Superhans
Im sorry but this point is so incredibly ignorant for numerous reasons. You don't have "freedom from religion" some people are religious and you may have to deal with them, if you really thought that we were all created equally you would not spout out such rubbish.

You only have the 1st Amendment Right to the 'Free Exercise of your Religion', as soon as you force your religion onto someone else, it becomes the 'Oppressive Exercise of your Religion'.

Your religion has nothing to do with my life unless I say it does. No matter what religion you are.

America is the huge melting pot, no matter what you do, some group is going to be pissed at you. I respect people more that have the balls to state and stand by their convictions, then try to pander to everyone. Put merry christmas on your store window, people will bitch. But happy kwanza, people will bitch. Most people just put happy holidays nowadays, to pander to everyone.

There seems to be an agenda out there to mix the melting pot until we are all just one nasty uniformed grey.

You know, back in the 50s and 60s there was a real need for a natioanl struggle against bigotry. The way the blacks were treated as second-class citizens was a disgrace. But I just can't get on the bandwagon about the gays here in the year 2012. The level of discrimination they face is miniscule compared to the struggle of the blacks and other minorities. Meanwhile we are constantly bombarded by "awareness rasing" related to this issue in classrooms, in TV and movies, with parades and protests and rainbow flags. Its a narcissistic, self-indulgent form of attention-mongering, the "cult of the victim," and frankly its highly embarrasing.

Want to see human misery? Take a trip to somewhere like Kinshasa or Lima Peru or the Burmese highlands. There you will see real suffering and oppression. Sorry, but the complaints of the homosexuals in the modern world are not even comparable.

No its not, the video starts off talking about the issue but later on goes on to address how silly it is that people get stuck on things like this. Nothing I wrote had anything to do with Chick Fil A.

So easily missed if you don't watch the video. I thought the video was great, on point, and thoroughly entertaining. I couldn't have said it better myself.People want to push their bigoted ideals so much that they miss some really important things going on around them. By all means, if suppression of gay rights is the agenda you want to push go ahead. I don't care if it's a company, a group, or a single individual. They have the right to push whatever agenda they want.But you know what? Those people are really fu@#$@g stupid. And that's me expressing my views afforded to me by the first amendment. While people are complaining about gays, abortion, and immigration the country is falling apart piece by piece. They're not looking at the declining numbers of health, education, debt, unemployment, and incarceration per capita. This is what you get with a polarized, uneducated population. The term "can't see the forest for the trees" comes to mind.Oh yeah S&F by the way. I will watch more of this guys videos. At least he can critically think.

Originally posted by CryHavoc

Originally posted by Superhans
Im sorry but this point is so incredibly ignorant for numerous reasons. You don't have "freedom from religion" some people are religious and you may have to deal with them, if you really thought that we were all created equally you would not spout out such rubbish.

You only have the 1st Amendment Right to the 'Free Exercise of your Religion', as soon as you force your religion onto someone else, it becomes the 'Oppressive Exercise of your Religion'.

Your religion has nothing to do with my life unless I say it does. No matter what religion you are.

Saying that you hate any group of people and wishing them dead is not "forcing" religion on anyone. You have the RIGHT to be biggoted and racist if you want.

Originally posted by Superhans
Saying that you hate any group of people and wishing them dead is not "forcing" religion on anyone. You have the RIGHT to be biggoted and racist if you want.

You're right, you do have the right to be bigoted and racist. But don't expect anybody to like you or respect you for it. Considering that it means that you really don't believe in the Land of the Free.

...With liberty and Justice FOR ALL.

Not just the bigots and the racists.

Good to see in this election year, with an economy in crisis, America is really concentrating on the big issues.

People can believe whatever they want... However, as soon as their bigotry starts affecting others in the physical world is when it becomes a real problem.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
Good to see in this election year, with an economy in crisis, America is really concentrating on the big issues.

And yet here you are putting in your word in this thread, concentrating on the same issues with the rest of us morons...right?

I agree with you this is all overblown and distracting from more important things. But your choice of the election is an unfortunate counter-example. The choice between Romney and Obama is, sadly, as hollow and insignificant as the choice of what to order on a fast-food menu.

reply to post by silent thunder


tbh, I didn't even know what it was all about, just kept seeing "Chick Fill a" on my Twitter trends. I thought it was an American hip hop artist at first, but after finding out a little more I find out It's a fast food restaurant.

Originally posted by acmpnsfal

Originally posted by Superhans
reply to post by acmpnsfal

 

All this in a country where all people are supposed to be created equally, where we are supposed to have freedom of religion and freedom from religion.

Im sorry but this point is so incredibly ignorant for numerous reasons. You don't have "freedom from religion" some people are religious and you may have to deal with them, if you really thought that we were all created equally you would not spout out such rubbish. It is incredibly biggoted, if you replace religion with anything else you can see this
where we are supposed to have freedom of black people and freedom from black people.
see? Please just get over yourself.

Freedom from religion simply means separation of church and state. The lines are constantly blurred in America. Don't be so ridiculous and over dramatic. Nice strawman though.

You don't know what a strawman is do you? I was adressing his quote directly. Nice attempt to use big words though.