(October 14, 2013 at 7:53 pm)Brakeman Wrote: Before you totally stomp his grapes, consider that the change from a propagandized social bigot to a understanding believer in full equality is achieved in a series of several steps. Most of us old enough to remember know that homophobia was not a self-acquired position, anymore than racism was. It was pushed through social peer pressure. It was reinforced from the churches and families. As one falls away from the towed line, one slowly self corrects as one learns more and contemplates more from a position of equality.
I was raised in a Southern Baptist preacher's house and you can best dern bet that I was a homophobe for years.
It takes time to unlearn all that one has learned.
I suggest that we not harshly attack anyone who is not concretely on the other side of the fence but argue and explain why they are so wrong.
P.S.
Oops.. I just his following post.. nevermind..
Well you lucked out. And sure you should be more understanding for those who don't know better, like you didn't know better. But it is also insane to expect simply being nice all the time will work in the context of every situation. It doesn't.
Just like this person, I think it is perfectly ok to say about the Taliban who shot Malala for merely wanting an education (you are fucking cowards). Not for their sake, but to wake up the people who have the chance to pull their heads out of their ass like you did and turn the tables on those within their ranks.
I think it takes both depending on who when where why and CONTEXT of situation.
I am not going to coddle this guy's insecurities. He needs to grow up. Gays don't want more rights or special rights, period. Just like it is not wrong for girls to want an education.
