to be a nice person...
According to Beau, we have been using the wrong strategy to approach those people who are convinced that some LGBTQ people are the 'wrong kind of people'. He says that we need to go for the 'right to be left alone'. Apparently, it's something that American people in the countryside do quite often: what they see in their neighbor's side of the fence is their neighbor's business and no one else's.
We should not tell these people reluctant to accept any of the letters of the acronym that they are wrong. Nope. We should make them see that they're intruding into other people's liberties, one of the basic principles in the Bill of Rights: people should be able to do whatever they want, as long as they are not hurting anyone. This logic should be applied to the idea of being gender neutral, to the the freedom of Trans people to be who they are, to the cultural wars that are taking place in the country, even after we got marriage equality. Most anything, according to Beau.
Maybe that would be the way we need to talk to those people who keep talking about how terrible using people's preferred pronouns is, those people in the social media feeds who rant about kink in the Pride parades, those people who drone on and on about gender identity and those who maintain that the gender binary is sacred. Maybe they should realize that THEY are infringing on other people's freedoms and we should ask them how they'd feel about other people doing the same to THEM.
Maybe that's what we should start doing so they become nicer people.
Happy Pride.
XOXO
I can see this working in a lot of cases. One that it may not work is in the case of mask v. no mask. They can’t see that their not wearing a mask can be detrimental to others. And as the vaccine continues to roll out, though at a slower pace, those who choose to or must wear a mask my become the target of derision. His attitude of if it’s not hurting anyone, let them be, will have to be brought up constantly. And I still see some business here in Illinois still ask patrons to wear a mask, including Panera. I keep one handy because it is their right to request that. It doesn’t hurt me or others to put one on while I pick up my order.
ReplyDeleteXOXO 👨❤️💋👨
I kind of thought the same.
DeleteThe anti-mask crowd is usually anti-science too, so logic is not their forte. I'm still wearing my mask and will probably do it in closed spaces for awhile yet. Those COVID-19 variants look like they'll blaze a trail through the COVIDiots.
Some businesses still enforce it. When I see all essential workers maskless maybe I'll drop mine.
XOXO
The problem with this approach is that many such people actually do see LGBTQ+ people as "hurting" others -- God, religion, society, whatever -- which justifies acting on their bigotry (in their own minds). They don't see it as a neutral state of being.
ReplyDeleteCorrect.
DeleteTheir holier-than-thou attitude and their cognitive dissonance does not let them reason well (well, they think their sky daddy will protect them too, so there's that). Religion. Always fucking things up.
XOXO
He is right, but usually those who are so concerned with limiting the rights of other people have a very frustrating life.
ReplyDeleteHahaha
DeleteTrue! I always think that the bigots, the racists, the xenophobes, all the haters, in general have very tiny, dark lives. Their only joy in life seems to be to fuck things up for OTHERS.
XOXO
normal people are busy living their own lives and not limiting those of others. People with severe problems are busy solving their problems and don't have the time and strength to care about other people's lives
DeleteI have been saying that for years, "people should be able to do whatever they want, as long as they are not hurting anyone." Everyone is in everybody's else's business. If you aren't affected by something or your not losing sleep over it, then it shouldn't matter. The media is to blame for some of this, since they can't let anything be private anymore. I also agree with what Debs and Xersex say too.
ReplyDeleteIt's incredible how much all the bigots seem to be into other people's business all the time. They judge everybody (and raise money while doing so, natch). They also think that the government should regulate everybody's business but their own. Stupid motherfuckers.
DeleteXOXO
I love Beau! Love his way of thinking, it's a philosophy I have preached on my blog since it started. Sadly, Debra and Xersex are correct. Those who rant the most against others are the ones who preach the loudest about people infringing on theirs. But, it's still a good strategy and will actually work in quite a few instances. XOXO
ReplyDeleteI find him to be incisive and very, very smart.
DeleteHe covers it with a folksy demeanor, but the man is intelligent. But you are right. The bigots are the first to scream oppression when they cannot oppress somebody else. Ironic. This may work with people more salt-of-the-earth or those who wrap themselves in the flag when being assohles.
XOXO
I agree with Debra. People are using their "idea" of God to harm the LGBTQ+ community even while supposedly looking the other way.
ReplyDeleteOh, totally.
DeleteTheir cognitive dissonance is deafening. It's their way of life. Otherwise, they'd be conflicted for being so hateful.
XOXO
Hurt people hurt people.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely true.
DeleteBecause their lives are so absolutely miserable, they want to share that with all the world. I don't pity them, though. They don't deserve it.
XOXO
Bob and Deb are right. Quoting the Bible has always set the standard for not being nice.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I don't trust or like xtianists.
DeleteIt's impossible to reason with someone who thinks they're drinking the blood of somebody who died two thousand years ago, right?
XOXO
Great thoughts. Minnesota is a state where we have three, highly-populated urban centers and a couple of college towns - and everybody else. Rural folk here are as backwards and ignorant and full of themselves as those in the state of Alabama. But our urban population has enough weight and sway to keep tipping things to the liberal side of things. Joining that effort? The large corporations that populate this state. So, we are fortunate. If things were decided based on who has the most land? Minnesota would be as redneck as any Dixie-loving state. It's sad. Because they will not learn. They will not be told they are wrong. They cannot accept being wrong. So... why bother? You can't argue with someone who lacks the ability to do so. You're just going to end up shouting down a very, very long, deep storm pipe. So... we'll save our breath. Thanks for this. Nice thoughts. Kizzes.
ReplyDeleteI have only been to Minnesota twice. But I totally believe you.
DeleteThat's the way many states are in the United States. Once you leave the urban centers, it's bigotry and ignorance left and right. It's like a Stephen King novel waiting to happen.
Thank goodness land does not vote and the corporations in the state keep the bigots at hand, no?
I think Beau's right, but you have a point when you say one can't argue with someone who lacks the ability to do so.
XOXO
You all should leave us be.
ReplyDeleteTurns out, we are finding a lot of unmarked graves.
We won't be able to do anything about that.
That belongs to you