I have been getting some issues regarding the context of my beliefs, so here goes.
I always try to respect everyone’s beliefs if they give respect to others. I do not have to agree with them as long as they are willing to respect my beliefs and are willing to discuss our differences respectfully.
I am not automatically your enemy and when treated as such will no longer respect nor really listen to you. I wish that were not true but that is human nature.
I am a liberal, morning, noon, and night. I have yet seen a thing a Conservative has ever done to further the plight of the common man,
Just because I am a liberal does not mean I embrace every liberal politician or political idea that presents itself. If the politician hasn’t thought out his/her plans and have not come up with something rational and is looking for sound bytes; screw them, and just because a plan is liberal and forward thinking, but does not meet the smell test nor is supported by that old thing call FACTS, I will not be behind it.
In short: I am a living breathing human being trying to respect others, hates being disrespected, is a diehard liberal, and has a brain.
I wish I was a mean and narrowminded as my detractors think I am. I could sleep better than I actually do because I wouldn’t worry so much about them misunderstanding me!
I hate the perception that people have of me when it is negative; not when I earn it but when it is based upon their perspective.
I have spent my life trying to do the right thing. I have lost jobs where I was the most qualified candidate because of affirmative action. I have lost out of a higher education because both I and my family could not afford it (this is before the modern student loan possibilities). There were no scholarships for underachieving white male fat boys from Northern California in the late 1960’s regardless of their academic prowess. I have lost out in promotions and raises because of lack of formal education. And when I got the education, I had reached the age where I was taken advantage of because of said age.
Through all of that, I created a pretty good life for myself and enjoy a comfortable retirement; save the loss of my heart and soul.
I do not spend a lot of time wondering about “what if”. Hell, I came from a family where graduation from high school was a goal and an achievement and I have a bachelor’s degree.
I had a very tumultuous relationship with my father, starting in the late 1960’s based in large part upon our different opinions on Civil Rights.
I have always supported the rights of others despite the very real fact that it has meant that I have voluntarily allowed myself to be discriminated against my whole life.
And before you diss me and bring up the past, I will grant you all of your complaints. But to paraphrase Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., “we do not inherit our ancestor’s actions.”
I have paid, albeit not in full, for my ancestors’ misdeeds. You are still holding me accountable for them and others too innumerable to count.
However, other than insensitivity (which I own) and misunderstanding (I will own this as well) and inadvertent condensation, what the Hell have I done. Why am I the enemy? I am retired. I spent my whole life trying to do the right thing. I grant you it is not enough. But people like me have taken this country a lot further than all of the generations preceding this and all too many of the people that have been affected positively, albeit dissatisfied with the progress, spew hatred on people like me who have tried to do the right thing.
I know I have not been perfect. No one is. But I am getting more than a little tired of getting kicked in the teeth for the effort. I do not want, nor expect, any thanks. Why? Because it is and continues to be, the right thing to do. But I cannot help but tire from being hated for the effort.
Here is a truth that I will get zero agreement with – and still I cannot shake the fact that I am right about it!
For those of you are any minority (of any kind – religious, racial, sexual,etc.) and you refer to someone like me in a stereotypical way (white male) with no other reason, other than you may disagree with me; how are you any damned different from the racist, misogynistic, xenophobic pigs I have been fighting my whole life?
Sadly, the answer is that you are the same kind of lowlife POS, with the added burden that you should know better from personal experience.
Some will argue. Some will ignore. Some will not understand what I am saying. Some will think I am dissing them. Generally speaking, anytime a person defends their point of view by making a personal attack at ANYONE based upon race, age, gender, religion, etc. without direct proof of negative actions on the part of said person – YOU ARE JUST AS BAD, OR WORSE, THAN THOSE YOU CRITICIZE (YOU SHOULD NO BETTER)!
(Note: I posted the above remarks regarding the insensitivity of minorities on Facebook and I got pushback because of them. It got to be a big bruhaha but I still contend that while I may inadvertently say or post insensitive things, I do it inadvertently until such time as an individual makes a racist remark [White Male] about me to justify their stand. I stand by it and will stand by it.)
To the oncoming generation: learn, or you may be standing alone.
I GUESS THAT IS ME
