Most of us realize that bigotry has become more visible in the US than it used to be, which is why I chose this series and am providing atypical commentary with it.
This set of posts reminds us of the related issues and provides tools so we never need to condone bigotry by our silence and thus help it grow. It also provides guidance to help us eliminate unintended bigotry from our choices (e.g., saying nippy for chilly or calling someone a slavedriver, etc.)*.
No Place For Hate
101 Ways You Can Beat Prejudice!
http://archive.adl.org/prejudice/print.html
Guest Post: Ending Silence to End the Bigotry
http://wildhunt.org/2014/09/guest-post-ending-silence-to-end-the-bigotry.html
On being good
http://afsc.org/friends/being-good
Ending racism starts with accepting bias
Bias is inevitable; racism is not.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/colorstruck/201005/ending-racism-starts-accepting-bias
Speak Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry
https://www.splcenter.org/20150126/speak-responding-everyday-bigotry
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nip
BTW I’ve been present when Japanese-Americans were offended.
11 Responses to “Terse Tuesday Tidbits March 29, 2016”
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Cross posted to Care2 at:
http://www.care2.com/news/member/663679641/3968628
No Place for Hate: I loved this and shared it on Facebook.
Wildhunt: I didn't know what to make of this one. I had no idea there was an organization for Heathens. That is what my mother called us when we misbehaved.
On Being Good: I can relate to this one. Being good is my sister's job and she works very hard at it, to the extent that she exhausts herself in the process. I was older than her, but always the challenging kid who never knew when to keep her mouth shut.
Psychology Today: I know very few people who are not biased in some way.
Responding to Everyday Bigotry: It is sometimes very difficult to call out a person for their bigotry, and sad to say, I will ignore it if I know it will do no good to argue. I am lucky that my best friend does not have a bigoted bone in her body and we freely talk about how we can handle things. If it is someone I really care about I will tell them how I feel, otherwise, I let it go.
Wikipedia: I never knew that "nippy" came from that source.
Thanks, Judi, this post took a lot of work.
You are welcome Edie.
Being good is a view we often want to hold of ourselves or family members or friends and somehow bigoted choices do not align with the definition of good we often have and so denial or inability to admit to it is often what happens.
I read a story not long ago of a black woman pumping gas in a mostly white community. A white man in a large truck began intimidating stares and body language. Another white man who was observant communicated he had her back as he engaged her in idle conversation until the intimidating man drove off. Sometimes it doesn't take words even to express that we disagree.
Too true, we all need to remember this.
"Heathen" is an interesting word. Since it is (and has been for time out of mind) used almost interchangeably with "pagan," which is definitely from the Latin "Paganus" (living in the country, ina rural area) it may refer to people who love "on the heath (uncutivated land)." Or it may not. There are also Gothic and Greek possibilities.
The use of the term "nip" to refer to "a chill in the weather" goes back to 1610. The Etymological Dictionary suggests that referred to its "biting" or "pinching" effect on vegetation. The adjective "nippy" with the same meaning goes back to 1898, and I see that "Nip" as a slur was in use by 1900, so there may well have been some ugly cross-pollination there. I never heard of it, but there are lots of things I've never heard of. [Then, of course, there's "nip" as a measure of srong drink, originally spirits, but it has now descended in the world to include coffee. See Nestle's "Nips" Coffee Candy. Or don't. I got some at a dollar store during an "off" period of the Nestle boycott. They are tasty, actually come in multiple flavors, but can be hard on the teeth.]
As JL points out, what is in the speaker's mind may be irrelevant if a listener is hurt. Look at all the dog-whistles we hear now and how ill mannered they are! And actions may speak much louder than words.
I fully agree with the caveat that Republican jand Bagger jokes are not bigotry. Being a Republican.
How many Republicans would it take to screw-in a light bulb?
They would never try. They love being and keeping you in the dark.
What's the best solution for the Bush family?
Manditory condom use.
LOL…thanks TC
HA, HA, TC !!!
JL's Post:
No Place for Hate: Very good link, passing this on to others as well.
On being Good: My story is similar to this story, and I have found, being older now, that I am a person unto myself. I don't have to prove anything to anyone about anything anymore, unless I choose otherwise, and I feel better for it. It took many years of abuse growing up, to come to this personal decision. LOVE this quote in the story: "Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn't you – all of the expectations, all of the beliefs – and becoming who you are." –Rachel Naomi Remen.
Speak Up: When I was still working @school, I would canvass the cafeteria or the halls, and just listen to the students. If the student(s) would comment about another, in a derogatory way, we, as a group, would try to get to the root of the problem, by talking to them, letting them know that it's hurtful to the other. I have no problem speaking out to help others. I've spoken out, as I know how it feels, so I'm an advocate against this kind of biased behavior.
Great thought provoking links today, you did a wonderful job on it too!! Thank you, JL for this.
You are very welcome Pat!
Thanks for an exceptionally interesting read, Judi.
I could relate to most, but not quite all of it; cultural differences between Europe and America got in the way, I guess. The most important message from all these articles is that everything starts with awareness. You need to become aware of your own biases, and yes, we all have them, and the fine line where bias crosses over into bigotry before you can make others aware of their biases gone bigot. Otherwise your just a hypocritical bigot and that's even worse in my book.
Excellent summation Lona!