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Post by ladytera on Sept 21, 2008 3:24:24 GMT -5
Can I start another argument? This has been touched on a little elsewhere, and Bubba's Dad mentioned it might be an interesting topic of discussion, but never got around to posting it. So, what are your thoughts on minority rights? Do you believe in gay rights, women's rights, African-American rights, Hispanic-American rights, Native American rights, etc., et al, and on and on? If so, state your reasoning. If not, please expound. All thoughts are welcome, but be prepared to support your position, otherwise, you will be burned at the stake.... Oops, the evil fingers took over my keyboard again. bad finger, bad finger
Sorry, it's late again, as usual, and I'm a little silly. But the question isn't. So please have fun, share, and be ready to be argued with! I look forward to another stimulating conversation (I hope).
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Post by Bubba's Dad on Sept 21, 2008 16:02:13 GMT -5
In a country in which we (most of us) believe that all are created equal and are treated equal under the law, then we can not have minority rights as a separate but equal part of our system. Minority rights should not be a factor, other then to say that minorities have civil rights, the same civil rights that the rest of us have. Martin Luther King Jr. never marched for "black rights", he marched for equal rights for all, civil rights. Even the Constitution, when amended after the Civil War, did not give African Americans any special rights, it simply stated that they are citizens of this country, having been born here, and that as such civil rights as defined under the Constitution will be extended to them. It took many years for the extension to be upheld.
If a black man, or a poor woman, or gay man is denied the opportunity to exorcise their civil rights, then that is wrong. To demand some kind of extra rights under the laws of this country because they belong to a minority is also wrong. This is also why I feel all hate crime laws are wrong as well.
On a side note, I do not believe in the concept of minorities out side the political realm any how, after all, gay, straight, black white, green, man or woman, we are all Americans. We are not African-Americans, white-Americans, well you get my point. The whole hyphenated naming of people is just one more attempt by the liberals to divide us, and it works. That is why I am openly called racist because I promote the old guy who happens to be white, or Pale-American for president and not the young leftist who happens to be, well, African-American.
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Post by keyodie on Sept 23, 2008 21:05:42 GMT -5
I already touched on this in another thread, but I guess I'll repeat for the sake of conversation.
^Up there I mentioned that I think gay rights is different, but I would be against gay rights if they started trying to go beyond just marriage and into rights that the majority doesn't have.
Oh, and I apologize if anything I say is incorrect. I'm not exactly an expert on the subject.
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sakaido
Journeyman
Ryuichi+Coffee=Best icon ever.
Posts: 111
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Post by sakaido on Sept 28, 2008 20:14:07 GMT -5
I totally agree with bubba's dad.
That's all I can say.
If you're born here, and live here. You deserve the same right as everyone else.
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Post by keyodie on Sept 28, 2008 21:04:46 GMT -5
On a side note, I do not believe in the concept of minorities out side the political realm any how, after all, gay, straight, black white, green, man or woman, we are all Americans. We are not African-Americans, white-Americans, well you get my point. The whole hyphenated naming of people is just one more attempt by the liberals to divide us, and it works. That is why I am openly called racist because I promote the old guy who happens to be white, or Pale-American for president and not the young leftist who happens to be, well, African-American. Are liberals really responsible for the hyphenated naming of people? Could you elaborate a little more on that? Just one thing-- I really doubt that the hyphenated names are what divides the people. It just takes time for people to change. People are much more open now to different ethnicities and sexualities than they were a few years ago.
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Post by ladytera on Dec 29, 2008 17:32:57 GMT -5
Are liberals really responsible for the hyphenated naming of people? Could you elaborate a little more on that? I don't know if liberals started it. I do know that they take advantage of it. They are always discussing people in terms of groups, and not just ethnic, sexual, or gender, but class wise too. If you listen to their speeches and promises, you will hear a lot about what they want to do to help this group, that group or the other group, instead of what needs to be done for the country as a whole. Sadly, you hear more and more of that creeping in on the Republican side as well. It's actually not about being open or accepting. When you define your self, or allow others to define you, by your skin color, your gender, your sexuality, your socio-economic level, or whatever else, which is what is done when you hyphenate names like that, you lose a piece of who you are. If you look at yourself as an African-American for example, and the prevailing sentiment in the culture around you is that African-Americans are poor, disadvantaged, and unable to succeed without the assistance of the majority (or the evil white folks, who are the only ones referred to simply as Americans), then you first have to overcome that perception of yourself, and others perception of you before you get to the same starting point. It can be done, but why give yourself the extra handicap? If instead, you see yourself as an American, with all the rights and responsibilities that that title entails, you start off the same place as every other American, with the opportunity to rise as high as you can, put forth as much effort as you want, and succeed or fail on your own merit, without worrying about the color of your skin, or if your genitals are an inny or an outy. Labels matter, as I've said elsewhere. Why should anyone allow themselves to be labeled as less than they are?
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