Has anyone stopped to think that we may have some blame in the Reid "controversy?"

[newtothegame]

We've been using race and gender as tools of political convenience for years (ie just look at the Democratic primaries in 2008), and I think we have to take responsibility for the high frequency use of these "cards" in today's environment. Repukes wouldn't be able to make a "controversy" out of this if we didn't insist on a "controversy" everytime ANYONE utters anything about race or gender.

These "controversies" also have devastating effects on people's view of history. There's a reason why "Nazi" means absolutely nothing to the average citizen anymore; we've all been using it to describe anything and everything we don't like for years, and we've totally wasted the word of any true meaning in today's world.

ed for sp and clarity

[AlinPA]

1. We? I don't follow this reasoning. I don't get the "Nazi" connection either.

[texastoast]

6. Soup Nazi comes to mind

from Seinfeld.

It degrades the horror of the term.

[HopeHoops]

2. Yes, if Reid had been reading DU, I'm sure he would have chosen the preferred term, "colored".

:sarcasm:

[LeftyMom]

3. I wasn't aware I had the power to make bigoted coots say stupid shit.

When did I pick that one up?

Seriously though, he's as responsible for what he says as anybody else. Don't make excuses for him, at best it's horribly rude and patronizing to him, in addition to being rude and dismissive of the people he offended.

[county worker]

4. Collective guilt is a bid thing here at DU. I prefer to stand up to my wrong doings and not those of

every other DUer here. My karma, good or bad, is made by what I do, not by what others do. There is no such thing as collective karma just as there is no such thing as collective guilt.

[left coaster]

5. My thoughts exactly..

..though many folks do buy into collective guilt.. I will not.