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on much of our rhetoric and some positions as well.
As far as I can tell we've been bullshitting the American people for as long as I've been alive.
We've been pushing Israel to settle down to serious conversations with the Palestinians and other Arab neighbors to make peace and give everyone a place at the table. However, the Palestinians and most of Israel's neighbors don't even respect their right to exist. Clearly, we will no longer be able to ask them to negotiate with their neighbors and support them or at least turn a blind eye to them taking steps to remove the threat to their very existence. How do you ask people to negotiate with people that not only think you are evil, corrupt, and less than human but with people that blatantly and publicly claim you don't even have right to exist?
We've been claiming that criminals can be rehabilitated but it is clear that people can't, don't or won't change and apparently if you have a bad egg you may as well toss it out because all it can be is rotten. How can thieves, murderers, and like be made into decent and productive people? How stupid it is to claim that people can change, DU says that once people start down a path that apparently there is no redemption and if it is possible the effort is certainly a waste of time.
Many of us have lied and claimed that education can overcome ignorance but DU has shown me the past couple of weeks that not only is that bogus but rather the opposite is true that the ignorant should be shunned, disregarded, and if at all possible be put out of the picture. Apparently, only processes and multiplication tables can be learned. Things like philosophies, socialization, and insights into misunderstandings cannot be passed along. If you're ignorant on a subject or a people and have a false impression it is too bad, that is yours for life, and if you figure it out then shame on you for not knowing inherently and for being slow on the uptake.
What I see in thread after thread are calls for the Democratic party to rethink and reposition in much of our entire approach to people and problems. I just don't see how we can possibly square fuck 'em, discredit 'em, ignore 'em, and get rid of them with the entire undercurrent of our belief system.
:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:
We used to try to change hearts and minds. We used to lead by example. We used to believe that ignorance is our enemy not people. We used to believe in rehabilitation and redemption. We do not dehumanize and demonize.
I totally understand the disgust and anger with Warren but what I don't get is the tone of some of the response. Clearly, the gay community must and should make their needs and case clearly and prominently. Of course, ALL of our citizens are entitled to equal protection under the law. However, the witchhunts, bans, neo-McCarthyism, ignores, name calling, and shutting down of dialog along with the utter disinterest in educating the ignorant are directly contrary to who and what we say we are about here. What I see in many cases are efforts of coercion rather than attempts to educate, believe what and how you are told or face the consequences and prepare to be outcast. It is wrong, at least in my opinion.
We have for at least all my days worked for, demanded, and insisted on a world view that I see as conflicting with the response to Warren, those he represents, and even those who are misinformed, deluded, or just disagree (in any way from tactics to understanding of historical precedent) "amongst friends" here.
The lack of any semblance of civility is appalling, maybe not as disturbing as Warren's hate and distortion but I see it as a growing area of concern. The tact will destroy the moral high ground, not in the sense of who is right and who is wrong but in the superficial ways that vitriol is measured by the less involved, fence sitters, or the general public.
This is not the 50's and 60's the courts are stacked with conservatives and worse. The struggle will not be won like the Civil Rights battles of the 60's was, at least not any time soon. The rights being sought will have to come on the back of a change in public sentiment because it should be fairly clear that positive rulings are unlikely from the bench. This will not happen by calling the majority of Americans that disagree with marriage rights bigots and ostracizing them. No, this battle will be won with Job like patience, the wisdom of a Solomon, and the nature of Christ from it's advocates. In fact, if you have paid attention to recent civil rights gains like America in the 60's, Ghandi's India, or Mandella's South Africa then you'll realize the tact being taken is the path to success. Getting as many people as you can on your side is key, as is just increased presence. Gays cannot afford to not assimilate as much as possible. It is terribly hard to dehumanize those you know to be human.
Call me what ever you like because I know my own heart and my own actions, accuse me of whatever you please but don't accuse me of telling you to shut up and be quiet because I am advocating the opposite. What I am calling for is a return to the rhetoric and tactics that are fitting of people that are supposed to be more sensible and aware than the average. A return to the belief systems that mean the ignorant can become knowledgeable and the wrongheaded can be rehabilitated.
How do you face hatred with love? You come to the table with the love and let it conquer hate. If this is too much to ask then don't be surprised when your hate loses to those that are more practiced at it. If you have the energy to go to war with people that are to whatever degree on your side then you'd best gather the strength to see how rights have been gained in the past. You've got a couple of options martial strength and superiority or follow the examples of people like Christ, King, Mandella, and Ghandi. Looking at numbers and resources, it is my guess that a smashmouth, hardassed route won't get too much mileage but it isn't my fight beyond the knowledge that an unequal society is likely to fall under it's own weight and my own personal discomfort with falling short of strides during my time towards a more perfect Union.
In my opinion, the war is being won despite heart breaking set backs like we saw with prop 8. Gays have rapidly moved from widespread pretense that the Village People are straight as Wilt Chamberlin and Rock Hudson is a lady's man to the sitcom stage. It won't be too terribly long until gays enter their "Cosby Show" stage of acceptance.
Overcoming ignorance and just general "getting used to" is key here and you aren't going to accomplish that by turning inward, blasting with hate, and having an us versus them attitude. Don't just be better and smarter than Warren DEMONSTRATE IT. DEMONSTRATE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
More friends, even "soft" friends means less enemies.
If some will only go as far as Civil Unions, then ride that horse until the shoes fall off and then see if it can be coaxed into going a little further. You're going to shun and ostracize support because it doesn't go far enough? That's counter productive if I've ever heard. Blacks didn't say "fuck you Abe" because he didn't go far enough, even though share cropping and Jim Crow weren't night and day from slavery. Women didn't shun those that helped them to get the vote because they failed to sign up for equal pay.
Sorry, but believe it or not winning isn't any easier than losing. In fact, if you have to earn it winning is way more difficult in my experience. It means you have to not only be better but prove it.
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