What's with NEPA and racism/bigotry issues? (Scranton, Penn: house, neighborhood)

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

I didn't call you a racist because you don't like MJ or his music. WTF do I care what kind of music you like or don't like?

Like I said before - if you don't "like" gay marriage, fine. If you believe they shouldn't have equal rights, not fine.

I didn't say you called me a racist, but people would tend to just because I don't like something that is black. It has nothing to do with color and everything to do that I just don't like it, like MJ for example.

I believe everyone should have equal rights, but not because someone is gay or black, just because they are human beings first. I don't want people to push their sexual preferences on me and say they should be equal solely because of that.

[MovingOutOfNJ]

Originally Posted by go phillies

, BUT the vast majority of minorities that have come to this area are troublemakers (not all, but most)

please... prove to me that most minorities are troublemakers

show me the police stats..the census info.. that says more then 50% of minorities in NEPA are troublemakers...

[MovingOutOfNJ]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

Or the fact that all this Michael Jackson coverage that has flooded the media these last few days has really annoyed me. The man was a freak and I didn't like his music, it has nothing to do with race or the color of his skin, which in fact was white due to multiple bleachings.

completely agree-- not to get off topic.. there are way more important things going on in the news.. we can start with the 1/2 dozen other people who have died in recent weeks, or the Iranian catastrophe...or the ethnic cleansing in china... or the economy... or north korea firing rockets in hawaii's direction and north koreas assumed attacks vs US and South Korean government websites..

ANYTHING but michael jackson.

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

A part of me will still miss certain facets of life in NEPA---admiring the mountain backdrop from our hilltop home, hiking Ricketts Glen, enjoying La Festa Italiana, gawking at the mansions in Green Ridge, seeing old people trying not to break their hips polka-dancing at church bazaars in Dupont, watching the televised Scranton City Council meetings with a tub of popcorn, etc., etc. However, too many in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre have the "it is what it is" mindset and just settle for a mediocre quality-of-life when they can very easily have an outstanding quality-of-life if they'd stop being so darn opposed to progress and new thinking and welcome risk-takers with fresh ideas.

Greentown, I know you and I will never see eye-to-eye on this issue (or possibly any issue for that matter), but I don't seek to secure "special treatment." I want EQUAL treatment. Why is it that I can be drafted to be killed in a war, yet I can't voluntarily enlist in the military? Why is it that if I'm with my partner for 10 years I can't visit him in the hospital during a time of crisis while a newlywed couple that only knew each other for six months prior can see each other? Why can my heterosexual counterparts working for the Federal government have their spouses and children covered under their health benefits while I can't extend that same priviledge to my significant other? Why am I expected to pay taxes while being regarded as being of an "inferior" sexual orientation? For that matter why do I see opposite-sex couples kissing in public venues while if my partner (if I can ever find one) so much as held hands we'd draw ire?

I just can't believe none of that seems unjust to you. I'm not the typical boa- and tiara-clad, limp-wristed, "Pride"-filled, loud-mouthed gay guy. On the contrary I like sports (except for football because of how over-exalted the high school players are in NEPA), like cars, don't mind getting dirty, and work out daily. I don't try to do anything affectionate AT ALL in public out of respect for heterosexuals and people with children. I don't even support same-sex marriage; however, I DO DEMAND same-sex civil unions be legalized and won't stop bothering Republicans until they can tell me one NON-RELIGIOUS why I can't be joined in a civil union?!

Well said.....I said hopeless in the heat of the moment...discouraging would have beeen a better choice of words on my part...but I think you can understand the frustration...especially if one is older, I was 11 during Stonewall..... JEBUS I mispelled an awful lot...lol.

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

I'm not changing my beliefs that I have had my whole life just because some liberals say to be politically correct. I'm from the NY area and have been a life long conservative. Like you said, I'm tolerant to a certain degree, but don't tell me I'm racist or prejudiced because I'm against gay marriage, abortion and illegal immigrants. Or the fact that all this Michael Jackson coverage that has flooded the media these last few days has really annoyed me. The man was a freak and I didn't like his music, it has nothing to do with race or the color of his skin, which in fact was white due to multiple bleachings.

Jackson had Lupus disease and then bleached his skin to even it out...which obviously did not turn out well.....

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

I'm not changing my beliefs that I have had my whole life just because some liberals say to be politically correct. I'm from the NY area and have been a life long conservative. Like you said, I'm tolerant to a certain degree, but don't tell me I'm racist or prejudiced because I'm against gay marriage, abortion and illegal immigrants. Or the fact that all this Michael Jackson coverage that has flooded the media these last few days has really annoyed me. The man was a freak and I didn't like his music, it has nothing to do with race or the color of his skin, which in fact was white due to multiple bleachings.

I'm for equal rights...the right for a woman to make her own choices about her own body and against ILLEGAL immigration....see we agree on one out of three....LOL.........

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by PITTSTON2SARASOTA

I'm for equal rights...the right for a woman to make her own choices about her own body and against ILLEGAL immigration....see we agree on one out of three....LOL.........

If you're referring to abortion, that "choice" involves another human being besides the woman.

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by MovingOutOfNJ

completely agree-- not to get off topic.. there are way more important things going on in the news.. we can start with the 1/2 dozen other people who have died in recent weeks, or the Iranian catastrophe...or the ethnic cleansing in china... or the economy... or north korea firing rockets in hawaii's direction and north koreas assumed attacks vs US and South Korean government websites..

ANYTHING but michael jackson.

Exactly. Why can't we memorialize all our service who died for our country and our freedoms. Our public servants like the police and firemen who protect us daily. Not some perverted, freaky, overrated musician. Our country is falling deeper into doom and we're worried about Michael Jackson. Pitiful.

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by go phillies

If you're referring to abortion, that "choice" involves another human being besides the woman.

You're right. Doesn't the baby have a choice also. It's not about a woman's choice, it's morally wrong to kill a human life.

[mwruckman]

Originally Posted by Love2Golf09

Ok, I grew up in the Pittsburgh area where things are a bit different than NEPA. I see a fair amount of threads in the NEPA section, and I've heard a fair share of people on the streets, complaining about racism and bigotry in NEPA. A lot of times it's bizarre stuff, like "I was in this store...full of white people...and everyone was looking at me!" And then all of these self-righteous white people, nearly ashamed of their own race, apologize profusely for their fellow ignorant NEPAers. What's the deal here? How come nobody challenges these accusations of racism and bigotry? I know I have. I've told people that just because you're gay and someone cuts you off on the highway, doesn't mean they hate gay people. How would they even know you're gay?!?! And then several jerks will shamefully come forward, apologize for my behavior, and assure them that not everyone in NEPA is like me.

In Pittsburgh this behavior is not acceptable. If you call out the town for racism or bigotry you better have some damn good evidence to back it up. In NEPA, any wild accusation seems to be taken as the Holy Gospel. Things weren't always this way. Oh no. I remember years ago when I visited Scranton and they were the nicest people around, and knew it, so they didn't buy any of this crap. Something has changed now. People seem to be so weak, and ashamed of themselves and their community. It's sad. I see people that have lived here all of 6 months complaining about everything under the sun, and everyone puts their heads down out of embarrassment and apologizes. If I didn't know better I'd swear I was in NJ last week.

My family moved from Oregon to Penna in 1967. We lived Palmerton Carbon County. If anything before Palmerton lost its industrial base it was one of the richest communities in the area. Even so it was a very insular community populated by people who in many cases could trace there families to the founding of the town 75 years earlier, It had virtually no minorities (even today minorities account for less than 5% of the population) and it also had no Jewish people. My opinion is such people will only accept you on their terms and resent being forced to deal with strangers who don't understand the local subtilties. If you have a obvious racial feature it is easy to mark as a stranger. Whether this is intrepreted as bigotry is in the eye of the beholder. I don't feel this is solely a NEPA thing. Things were like this in Oregon sawmill towns and in the SW Missouri area my dad came from.