I was just reading Ruben's post today.
He wrote how frustrated he was that he didn't speak out when people around him were making "offensive, idiotic comments", and it got me to thinking....
I recently saw a show on A&E about racism and the neo-nazi movement occuring in some of the southern States: Alabama was the particular focus of this show.
The A&E crew was given 2 months to interview and tape members of one of the larger groups (I can't be bothered to remember the name of it) that is spawning in the backwoods there.
All I saw was an hour dedicated to a bunch of un-educated, pimply-faced, scrawny teenagers drinking beer and slam dancing.
I saw a young man sitting on a BMX bike, holding a rifle; he was a 'guard' for the compound.
May I reiterate? He was on a peddle bike.
Their 'leader' was a ex-felon of undeterminate age who appeared to enjoy hugging his youthful charges a little to often.
The only thing they did with enthusiasm was yell the 'n word' and voice some filth about hangings.
Their sentences were made of little more than hate and the 'eff' word.
Oh, and they had a little birthday cake with Hitler's picture on it; they all saluted it before digging in.
So where am I going with this?
Well, Ruben, if I was to be put in front of a small gathering of those neo-nazi's, I don't know what I would say.
All my eloquent words and heart felt arguments would fall as snow on a raging volcano ; I would not be heard.
My heart would know, though. My mind would, too.
The friends I choose share my beliefs, and if ever I should have children, they too, would learn.
What to do with those who are full of hatred and ignorance?
I don't know for sure.
But sometimes, perhaps turning away is the best thing.
If you take away their 'audience', maybe you take away their power?
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14 comments:
I agree with you. These people are just venting hate for an audience. Take away their audience and these groups wither away and die on the vine like the rotten fruit that they are.
I also agree with you. Often my husband has had to hold me in check but age teaches you the common sense you espouse.
You're right, there are other ways to be heard that are more effective and not so confrontational.
Thanks for your comment! :)
Well said!
Hey...thanks for visiting...I saw the flu bug pictures and I feel for you b/c I think I have the same ones :(
Next time I get into my template, I'll add you to my links :) You've got some good stuff!
I am always torn. For me (key component here), if my brain will let me function ~ I get flabbgergasted easily ~ speaking out is the path that works. I don't yell, I don't confront, I'm not aggressive. I simply say something along the lines of "Those kinds of comments are really offensive to me and I would appreciate you not speaking that way in front of me." But it is a challenge every single time: will I make it worse? Don't they have the right to their opinions? And on and on and on... Still, I speak up ~ gently and with as much respect as I can muster ~ as often as I can. This is one of those times we all have to follow our own guts and do what is right for our own integrity. If walking away works, GREAT! If it doesn't, GREAT! So long as we can each sleep at night. Of course, that and a buck fifty...
I'm having trouble with this-only because your point is well taken-take away their audience, and who will they have to "perform" for...
Yet, I still feel it's wrong to not say ANYTHING. I'm not talking about if someone has a gun etc...those are extreme situations. But in everday life, when I hear people disrespecting others-it's hard for me to say, "Ah-they'll never change" and move on.
Because if they aren't made to change-if bad comments and disrespect becomes OK and acceptable-change will NEVER happen.
Hate will grow.
But if they had guns-yeah-I'd totally shut up.
Thanks for expanding on Ruben's post-It's always nice to hear more opinions etc...
I saw a play yesterday - Gem of the Ocean. Written by August Wilson, the play is set circa 1904 in Pittsburgh. The play doesn't deal with racism directly. Though the allusion is always there. Nor does it point fingers at individuals. It speaks about how helpless we are sometimes about our surroundings. And that sometimes we can make a difference.
Dave Chappelle was on Oprah recently, both talking about how in some of their attempts to expose or ridicule racism by showing it or putting it out there, the wrong audience, no matter what your intent, will still spin it to fit their purposes. Care and thought and caution needs to be taken in such circumstances. :(
Eloquently put; and that's hard to do for such a tender subject. I agree with you too, for what it's worth.
I am lucky enough to married to someone of strong opinions in the negative. I remind him frequently that hate is contagious and shouldn't be spread, he's not spewing his anti-gay opinions in public with others, but he is muttering loud enough for the kids to hear and it hurts me to think that our kids might pick it up and even that I didn't know about the hatred inside the gentle, and otherwise logical man that I married. He can have his own opinion, but he CAN NOT be allowed to teach our kids hate in any form.
The only time I ever saw neo-Nazis (outside of Germany) was in a pizza parlor at which I worked. A small group (about five) goose-stepped in giving the high-five salute, marched in a circle while shouting slogans (their voices overlapped and we couldn't make out anything they said), then stomped away. We were laughing for weeks.
Sometimes you can't ignore the hatred, it will just make things worse as some people will go to even more extreme measures to be heard. Some do not believe talking is enough.
Sometimes I feel this is a sad world we live in
I'm trying to remember where this quote (the post title) comes from. I keep coming up with John Lennon, but I'm not positive.
I read Rueben's post. Knowing me, I'm bound to say something scathing in that situation. I'm not very well known for keeping my mouth shut.
But, I immediately think after my macho mouth opens in my mind’s eye, doesn’t that give them the outlet they are looking for?. Both in giving them attention in the greater society and possibly opening the valve for the violence they espouse? It is hard to say what the right response is. You can’t say for sure until you are there in the situation.
Whatever we do end up doing, we can’t let fear choose our response for us. Whether we confront them or shake our heads in disgust and walk away, we have to choose it because it is the right response for us, individually, to make.
That’s all I’ve got to say on this.
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