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First off, let's deal with the elephant in the room...the predominant racial/ethnic group in America, has always been whites...is Black History Month wrong? Well, quiet as it's kept, said month is not just for the education and enlightenment of blacks...I would hope that people of other ethnicities would want to satisfy their curiosity about us, same as I endeavor to do about them...and ours isn't the ONLY such type of celebration, but it get's the lion's share of attention, both good and bad...
Is it wrong for you or anyone else that's white to be proud of your heritage? Of course not...are you kidding? And who would label you as a bigot behind that? I would guess it's all in what you say and how you choose to say it that would make a difference...
To be fair, I think it's fair to say that there is probably enough special interest groups out there that will be able to call someone a bigot/racist, no matter what they say.
That having been said, if you want to sit on your hiney, behind your 8-foot security fence and your gator-filled moat, with 75 security cameras, muttering 'darned (fill in the distrusted ethnicity of the day) messing up the neighborhood!', then by all means, knock yourself out...
But those of us who can learn or have learned over time to accept and acknowledge each others differences, and still peacefully co-exist, will go on about our business and enjoy life, thank you very much...sorry for your luck, but you don't get to make the call about who or who doesn't move to Charlotte, or WHERE they live when they get here...as if
This is the kind of stuff that I was talking about earlier. I find this rhetoric both juvenile and disrespectful. If others don't like diversity, they shouldn't be attacked for it and browbeaten into submission. Every person has their own level of comfort with different kinds of people. Acting antagonistically towards others with a different point of view isn't helpful to anyone and only drives the wedge deeper.
Supachai - I hardly view captaincatfish's comment as an attack, and it certainly didn't appear to be an attempt to browbeat anyone into submission. If so, that was a pretty mild browbeating. The right to speak what one feels goes both ways. You have every right to stand up and shout for those who don't like "diversity" (which, let's face it, you're referring to people who don't like folks who look different from them). You seem to take issue with anyone who doesn't agree with your point of view. But just like you can speak up for the people who don't want "others" moving in next to them, there are plenty of people who have no problem with "diversity" who will have their say as well.
I, for one, find it ridiculous that in this day and age people still put so much emphasis on a person's race. Decent human beings come in every color. And horrible, miserable human beings come in every color. The sooner more people come to understand that, the better off we will all be. Nobody knows anything about the character of another person simply based on their appearance alone. People fear what they do not know. And you're right, everybody has the right to dislike whatever or whomever they choose. But that certainly doesn't mean that I'm going to limit myself to only living in or frequenting areas where everyone looks just like me. How incredibly boring, not to mention unrealistic. As long as a person's narrow or bigoted mind doesn't turn into hateful action, then I have no problem with them. Let them feel what they feel and think what they think. I for one have no desire to try to change the minds of people who may find my skin too brown for their liking. My energy can certainly be utilized on more positive and productive endeavors, and in the company of people who realize that my race/color does not define who I am as an individual.
This is the kind of stuff that I was talking about earlier. I find this rhetoric both juvenile and disrespectful. If others don't like diversity, they shouldn't be attacked for it and browbeaten into submission. Every person has their own level of comfort with different kinds of people. Acting antagonistically towards others with a different point of view isn't helpful to anyone and only drives the wedge deeper.
Did you read the post I was responding to?
The poster I responded to was apparently commenting on the thread title, and after someone else had commented earlier upthread that they felt that Charlotte was becoming a nicer place to live, he says, either sarcastically or snarkily, 'not anymore', most likely because of said 'diversity'...
That was what prompted me to draft the response you have an issue with, and I'm not denying you the right to disagree with me...and you are right again about your other points---A) everyone has thier own level of comfort with other people...and B) it's not cool to act antagonistic toward others who have a different point of view...
However, there's a difference between not liking something or someone and arguing your point intelligently, and just being a snark-a** about it, which was how I felt that gentleman was addressing the situation, and why I responded thus with the portion of my post you quoted...
Now as to me retracting any of that post? Well, to quote John Wayne in 'Big Jake', after someone thought his character was dead---'not hardly'...
As I stated earlier, if you are on the oppsite side of an issue from me, and want to discuss stuff intelligently, then I'm there all day...if I'm found to be wrong about something, then I am man enough to admit my mistake, and I can and will and have apologized...
But not this time around...if he had an issue with diversity, and he had addressed it differently, then I probably would have just 'lurked' and read the thread further, and maybe responded later...but no, he wants to insinuate that because people of other races and ethnicities find Charlotte attractive, and are moving here, then suddenly, 'there goes the neighborhood!'? Uh-uh...close but no cigar...and I'll say it again---he nor anyone else can tell who and who not to move there, and I'm sorry if that bothers him, but the world won't stop turning because he's bothered...
And in the end, that has NOTHING to do with diversity, and everything to do with grown folk doing what they want to do, and not worrying about somebody's boxers being in a bunch because they have the gall to (gasp!) want to look at or live in 'their' neighborhood
This is the kind of stuff that I was talking about earlier. I find this rhetoric both juvenile and disrespectful. If others don't like diversity, they shouldn't be attacked for it and browbeaten into submission. Every person has their own level of comfort with different kinds of people. Acting antagonistically towards others with a different point of view isn't helpful to anyone and only drives the wedge deeper.
I know captaincatfish can speak for himself & does so better than I possibly could but I’ll have to chime in here. He responded to a post that I & I’m sure many others found pretty offensive whether the original post was made to be cute or snarky or whatever. I didn’t have the time nor energy to address the OP without being reactionary so I chose to move on & was glad to see someone addressed it much better than I could. The original post though reflects the sort of “there goes the neighborhood” mentality or in my case “these immigrants are invading” comments that I’m pretty familiar with being Latina. I have zero problem with people that aren’t cheering for diversity and I know that I learn from people expressing differing points of view. What I do have a problem with is people making ignorant or hateful comments simply because people ARE different from them; be it religion, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation or otherwise. You use the euphemism people “who don’t like diversity” but I think it’s more accurate to call the OP being addressed xenophobic which is why I disagree with you. I don’t begrudge the fact that people have every right to voice opinions like that but by the same token, people should not be surprised or offended when they are called out for what I personally see as bull****. I'm in no way trying to be antagonistic but like you calling it as I see it.
Last edited by Tarheelkid; 03-22-2011 at 07:33 PM..
Reason: Edited to add: Just realized I posted at the same time so not trying to browbeat but felt compelled to respond.
Supachai - I hardly view captaincatfish's comment as an attack, and it certainly didn't appear to be an attempt to browbeat anyone into submission. If so, that was a pretty mild browbeating. The right to speak what one feels goes both ways. You have every right to stand up and shout for those who don't like "diversity" (which, let's face it, you're referring to people who don't like folks who look different from them). You seem to take issue with anyone who doesn't agree with your point of view. But just like you can speak up for the people who don't want "others" moving in next to them, there are plenty of people who have no problem with "diversity" who will have their say as well.
My point is about the attitude, not the viewpoint. I just find that type of snark to be tiresome. I've listened to others with the opposing view and I can understand where they are coming from. I don't try to mock them with absurd hyperbole. As mild as you may have thought his statements were, it's part of a cumulative effort to characterize anyone opposed to diversity as close minded paranoids with no valid reasons to feel the way they do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mieux
I, for one, find it ridiculous that in this day and age people still put so much emphasis on a person's race. Decent human beings come in every color. And horrible, miserable human beings come in every color. The sooner more people come to understand that, the better off we will all be. Nobody knows anything about the character of another person simply based on their appearance alone. People fear what they do not know. And you're right, everybody has the right to dislike whatever or whomever they choose. But that certainly doesn't mean that I'm going to limit myself to only living in or frequenting areas where everyone looks just like me. How incredibly boring, not to mention unrealistic. As long as a person's narrow or bigoted mind doesn't turn into hateful action, then I have no problem with them. Let them feel what they feel and think what they think. I for one have no desire to try to change the minds of people who may find my skin too brown for their liking. My energy can certainly be utilized on more positive and productive endeavors, and in the company of people who realize that my race/color does not define who I am as an individual.
You make my point. Some people like diversity. Others don't. Why try to turn it into an issue of moral superiority? If a Black man likes living in a Black neighborhood is he bigoted and narrow minded? That's just his preference. Just accept it as such and move on. That's all I'm really getting at.
Actually, I think people opposed to diversity are narrow minded and need to get out more. I can understand opposition to a specific person. I don't understand opposition to entire groups simply because they are not like me.
And yes, if a Black person or Asian or Hispanic told this board they wanted to live around their own kind, I'd think them narrow minded too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Supachai
My point is about the attitude, not the viewpoint. I just find that type of snark to be tiresome. I've listened to others with the opposing view and I can understand where they are coming from. I don't try to mock them with absurd hyperbole. As mild as you may have thought his statements were, it's part of a cumulative effort to characterize anyone opposed to diversity as close minded, paranoids with no valid reasons to feel the way they do.
You make my point. Some people like diversity. Others don't. Why try to turn it into an issue of moral superiority? If a Black man likes living in a Black neighborhood is he bigoted and narrow minded? That's just his preference. Just accept it as such and move on. That's all I'm really getting at.
Yeah, I really didn't think it was a big deal. Others in the thread were commenting that Charlotte is a great place to live because it's now more diverse. He didn't agree. I thought his statement was pretty direct. He didn't call anyone names or attempt to put anyone down. So what was there to get angry about?
If you took it personally that he felt Charlotte wasn't great anymore because it was more diverse, then maybe you can understand how someone who has lived here his whole life might feel when others gloat about Charlotte's changing demographics.
Actually, I think people opposed to diversity are narrow minded and need to get out more. I can understand opposition to a specific person. I don't understand opposition to entire groups simply because they are not like me.
And yes, if a Black person or Asian or Hispanic told this board they wanted to live around their own kind, I'd think them narrow minded too.
I like living in a diverse area, because of my own personal selfish reasons. I enjoy meeting and seeing others from different parts of the world. I enjoy eating food from other countries. I like new experiences.
Not everyone is like me. Some people like being around others that are similar to them ethnically and racially. Some people feel comforted by cultural commonality. Maybe they aren't as adventurous. So what? I'm not about to look down on other people just because they don't see the world the way I do.
Isn't it usually the wheel that needs the grease the most, is the wheel that is less likely to get the grease. The people that need the diversity are less willing to accept it due usually to some preconceived notion. When will all of us understand that people are people? There are good and bad apples in every bunch. If only those people could lay down their prejudices and talk with people of different backgrounds, I believe they could find that there are some pretty interesting people that they could call friends.
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