Rant #4

Anubis · Post by **Anubis** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:07 pm

((we need a rant forum))

Okay i just need to say some thing about this. People are just too sensitive!!! Like when the police put crosses on the roads to commerate the deaths of their fallen comrads where they died on the line of duety, but the over sensitve athiests get offened by a cross and try to get them to take them back down! and when the churches put out the nativaty scene around chirstmas time then they do what they do best COMPLAIN!!!

And at my school the teachers are not allowed to say Merry Christmas but have to say happy holidays. because some on over sensitive A hole got offened.

trying too make every one happy is never going to happen! our nation is a melting pot of races cultures and people. making one group of people happy is going to *sarcatic tone* offened *sarcastic tone* another group. like if the athists are happy the christians are not. to tell you the truth if somebody comes up to me and says have a happy Hanukkah to me I wont be the lest offened it won't bother me at all.

Making every body happy is not going to work just leave things alone and just Shut up! If you don't like some thing just leave. don't upset people because you have a problem with some thing. Its just a fact of life that some things are going to suck just accept it and leave every body alone

and don't give me the consitutional right of freedom of speech bull. Taking a stand is one thing but making a jack a** out of your self is completely differant. so please don't make things worse then they have to be, and just suck it up.

outwarddoodles · Post by **outwarddoodles** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:34 pm

((we need a rant forum))

Actually no, I fear that might encourage rants, and when someone starts a topic that's really angry, the replys are more likely to be flames. Though I want for people to express their concerns, I also wish for the forum to keep the friendly atmosphere that it has.

But anyway, to the topic at hand:
I agree.

Yet, I disagree at some of the things you've mentioned.
Someone who is an atheist is just as likely to whine and moan as anyone else as any other religion. Don't steriotype and complain about people of one religion.

Its just a fact of life that some things are going to suck just accept it and leave every body alone

Actually, no, I won't. I refuse to accept that people suck and can't be changed. I think the best thing to do is to do something so that we may help change what ever sucks for the better.

I also think that comment is contridicting to the purpose of your post. You posted to inform people on your thoughts, no? You most likely wanted to inform people of your thoughts of a solution for the better of us, no? If you didn't care, instead of telling us to be happy, you would of just did what you suggested; shut up and do nothing.

white · Post by **white** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:57 pm

Also, freedom of speech works both ways. If someone is offended you're free to ignore them and keep saying whatever you like.

Anubis · Post by **Anubis** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 9:17 pm

outwarddoodles wrote:
((we need a rant forum))
Actually no, I fear that might encourage rants, and when someone starts a topic that's really angry, the replys are more likely to be flames. Though I want for people to express their concerns, I also wish for the forum to keep the friendly atmosphere that it has.

But anyway, to the topic at hand:
I agree.

Yet, I disagree at some of the things you've mentioned.
Someone who is an atheist is just as likely to whine and moan as anyone else as any other religion. Don't steriotype and complain about people of one religion.

Its just a fact of life that some things are going to suck just accept it and leave every body alone
Actually, no, I won't. I refuse to accept that people suck and can't be changed. I think the best thing to do is to do something so that we may help change what ever sucks for the better.

I also think that comment is contridicting to the purpose of your post. You posted to inform people on your thoughts, no? You most likely wanted to inform people of your thoughts of a solution for the better of us, no? If you didn't care, instead of telling us to be happy, you would of just did what you suggested; shut up and do nothing.

One the first thing i was jus saying

but what i ment was telling people to suck it up you don't need to like every bit of the world, thats what i ment. and what i said about the athiests was accidental what i ment that i din't mean it to sound like that (i realy need to proof read my posts)

Nishah · Post by **Nishah** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 9:59 pm

As i cannot speak for the general US-feel of this problem, I have experienced that most of these problems stem from an abundance of rights & a to great sense of personal value....

if anyone feels like this should be expanded upon, please ask (pm/mail), cause I don't wanna stuff this placer full of sociological ranting.... unless that's the point ?

outwarddoodles · Post by **outwarddoodles** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:08 pm

One the first thing i was jus saying

but what i ment was telling people to suck it up you don't need to like every bit of the world, thats what i ment. and what i said about the athiests was accidental what i ment that i din't mean it to sound like that (i realy need to proof read my posts)

I think the best thing to do to have others look at your seriously is to treat what you say seriously. You don't want what you say to be offensive, it should be in everybodys interest to make what they say constructive.

if anyone feels like this should be expanded upon, please ask (pm/mail), cause I don't wanna stuff this placer full of sociological ranting.... unless that's the point ?

If it's constructive, I say go for it. You're perfectly welcome to say what ever you feel is appropeit. Just make sure to keep things flame-free.

Ink · Post by **Ink** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 2:44 am

Regarding sensetivity -- The world has begun a downward spiral into the abysmal notion of safety, security, sanitation, order and the unreasonable lack of risk. Difference has turned us against ourselves in many ways.

We all can complain about how schools or organizations handle it but in the end how it is done is how it is done. You can spend your time rallying troops and sometimes it might work.

I've seen it fail enough times too, though. People, especially youth, forget the esteem brought with change. Change, difference -- as much of a melting pot that we say we are we are afraid of such dynamics. Afraid of confrontation of them and the risk that uniqueness brings.

In the end the war between our want for difference and our lack of true acceptance is a paradox. The only real cultural thing we can do is take a step back, yes back, from the whole picture and survey the field to help core a plan of what needs to be done for honest ethics sake. Yet always remember a few things:

Always try to look at life from the other side of the fence.
Being a polite and educated tourist is never a bad idea. Even in your home area.
Being different in this merged world doesn't give you any rights because we've all got our anti-conformity gear stuffed in our closet somewhere.
There is a difference between being happy and being comfortable. The latter should be avoided because it tends towards tunnel vision and an expanding beer belly at an annoying rate. As much as this is a personal thing, it has results on the outside world.

All of these ideas have a theme in perspective of issues: Acceptance. Understanding. Tolerance. And Motivation...

These are words we misuse today because with them comes risk and something that might get you to sit up rather than sit back. Treading lightly is not what acceptance and understanding or tolerance all come together as. And with how America is today... we find our lounge chairs far too comfy -- though I blame us, not necessarily the chair.

You will not change other people as who you are today unless you are in a position to do so. That meaning that that person is going to listen to you, is going to hear you out.

Rants are good only if they are fruitful, so in this case -- write someone. Talk to someone. Ask them what the meaning is of cultural acceptance and sensativity to each other is and where the line should be drawn. Bring up these issues and embrace them as an intermediary. Avoid cutting the legs out from anyone unless their actions are borderlining unethical (breaking laws in this culture, hurting people... ethics can get fuzzy, if it get fuzzy there's probably a mountain of books out there to help you un-fuzz it a little).

I understand your point of view and the fact that I understand people who want to find acceptance are human and they, given the benefit of the doubt, forget to accept others on the way in to fight their battles. This happens, we all do it. It's learning and then teaching these facts to others in the future that is the most valuable of processes.

And, hell, it's the only way to get anything done in this world...

Nishah · Post by **Nishah** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:11 am

Okay... flame free it is....

Where i work i get confronted with the reasoning of "I feel this is violating my rights, thus I refuse..."
Usually this boils down to people having signed contracts that they did not read and suddenly assume that the very fact of their ignorance will give them a getaway... As soon as you imprint the notion that it was their responsability to read what they sign, they start lobbing lawyers and consumer help groups at your head that start the same reasoning.... and they get away with it 'cause the larger companies have to be selective which cases to persue and which not...

This is directly related to their perception of personal freedom... 'I don't agree, thus I contest/fight that issue..." - regardless of correctness.... because they are convinced that is part of their rights.
People who think like that will relate that to any part of their life... as soon as they feel their "self" to be infringed upon, they lash out with refusal to accept and lawsuits....

It is my convition - utopic right-winged, I know - that the canceling/supressing of that sort of freedom is the key to solving that untill such time that people learn responsible behaviour - in the previous example, when said person knows you're gonna come break his fingers if he acts like a prissy child over the contracts, he's gonna damn well read befiore he signs.... thus ensuring that everyting goes as it should have in the first place...
Since general kind sensibilisation doesn't work (trust me on that) I opt for the reactive punishing...

*hoping it was flame-free...*

Renorei · Post by **Renorei** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:10 pm

I should be able to say 'Merry Christmas' to anyone and everyone, whomever I want to, on any public or private outlet.

This is why:
Christians celebrate Christmas. It's a Christian (or pagan, if you prefer) holiday, and I am a Christian. I picked this religion. Nobody held a gun to my head and told me I had to be Christian. True, my parents were Christians, but that doesn't automatically mean that I had to be one. I could have chosen to be a member of any other religion, or no religion at all. And that same right applies to anyone else. If you are raised Jewish, you can become Christian. If you are raised Pagan, you can become Christian. If you are raised Hindu, you can become Christian. Or vice versa, or any other combination of religious conversions.

By saying, 'Merry Christmas', I am inherently expressing my belief in Christianity, just as somehow who says 'Happy Hanukah' is inherently suggesting their belief in Judaism. By saying such things, we are declaring our religion and our support for it, and also our appreciation for our religious holiday.

If I walk up to someone and say, "Green is the best color", and they happen to prefer blue (or are colorblind, or hate all colors), have I somehow violated their rights? No, I am merely expressing MY opinion. A right to which every American is supposedly entitled.

Wishing someone a merry christmas isn't violating THEIR rights. It's ME, expressing MY rights to express my opinion. And if any person of any other religion came up to me and wished me a happy whatever day, I wouldn't be the least bit offended. Just because I don't happen to celebrate a particular holiday, doesn't give me the right to be angry or feel violated because someone else does.

Shadow Wulf · Post by **Shadow Wulf** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:25 pm

You want to know whats stupid, Before we use to say Merry Christmas every year, now its Happy Holidays, I just htink that down right rediculous.

Set · Post by **Set** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:42 pm

You're right. People are too sensitive. It often gets made fun of on comedy shows.

"T'was the night before a non-denominational winter holiday..."

(By the way...rant forum = bad idea, especially with me around. Ask the mods at furtopia what that'll get ya.)

Scott Gardener · Post by **Scott Gardener** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:56 pm

I'm a Pagan, and I wish people Merry Christmas. People are just used to the name "Christmas," regardless of the religious elements. A few people do wonder whether I celebrate it; I answer by reminding them who first invented the thing.