It’s not that I’m a bigot
I just want my country safe
So stop it with those photos
Of the body of that waif
Yes, of course, my order bans him
From the USA, but damn…
It’s not that I’m a bigot,
But, of course, we know I am.
It’s not that I’m a racist
I find prejudice a sin!
I just judge my fellow people
By the color of their skin
Or the country of their origin,
Or some marker of their race…
It’s not that I’m a racist
I just court my racist base
Oh, I’m not homophobic
I love lesbians and gays!
I’m just thoroughly disgusted
By their actions and their ways!
Hate the sin, but love the sinner,
Is my mantra. You can tell
That I’m not homophobic
I just think they’ll burn in hell.
It’s not that I’m a Nazi
Or am in the KKK
We are far too circumspective
To admit such ties today
I’ll emit my high-pitched whistles
And I’ll energize my base
But it’s not that I’m a Nazi
I’m just in the Master Race.
Yeah, it kind of sickens me to write this one. The kind of sick you feel when you read the comments sections, and see what people say, and want to reflect that. I mean, the urge is to hit “mute” when the people you disagree with are on TV; the urge is to only read the comments on sites you know are a haven for People Who Think Like You.
The advice you get here there and everywhere (love that song, btw) is to never read the comments. Unfortunately, if you don’t read the comments, if you don’t turn over that rock and see what is hidden beneath it, you don’t get to see the unabashed joy, the overt celebration, by bigots, racists, homophobes, etc., only *some* of whom are ashamed enough to start their comments “I’m not an X, but…”.
Yeah, well… read the comments. Look under the rocks. Shine lights on the crawly things. Keep receipts. Take screenshots of tweets that are likely to be deleted. Record things.
And this is a site worth visiting. Support one another, as best you can.
I wish to, more like I have to start out with the Sam Harris dilemma. He’s considerably the poster child of misguided intentions and wrong priorities. While he opposes the executive order on Muslim ban itself, his viewpoint is quite clear, that he still goes after liberals in a country that de facto doesn’t have a separation of church and state.
Your poem is on point, but I still feel it incomplete. Trump won by swaying the anger of people, that isn’t a GOP exclusive. I’ve visited the website, it’s informative and useful, especially from an external threat. However he won because the call was made from inside the house. Some social activists just feel they talked enough about bigotry, it’s time to target other things they don’t like, such as feminists and black activists. They don’t support Trump or Pence, but they also don’t want to see the problem, which is how he won. Tell a person long enough, that their country is great, and they can achieve anything, they won’t need outside voices to disregard those who live the problems.
This is the territory where the closest opponent is a fellow liberal, not a conservative. The sooner these problems will be analyzed and answers sought out, the better you can resist this presidency. My culture failed, because my kin likes strong leaders, and today, half of the opposition wants to be elected to use the autocratic tools honed by the government, the other half can’t get along with the alt right. There’s no elected official who wants democracy back.
We were in for a rude awakening here in Quebec that those people we wish didn’t exist and want to ignore do actually exist here too. What happened what practically in my own backyard (the shooting was less than a mile from my home). And apparently the shooter was one of those commenters you mention.
This is a global phenomenon and it feeds off from every speech and action. And nowhere is safe from it. People are marching and protesting against it but I wonder if it won’t embolden the scum instead of doing any good.
I have another comment under review. As it is, it will not be approved; as it is, it is word salad. If you are the person or organization that wrote this other comment (hey, if you are, you know you are), then you have another chance. So… try again. If you wish to. If the garbled phrasing is simply a matter of translation, try again. As is, though…. no.
This comment may mean nothing to most people. I’m sorry for that. It may mean something to one or a few people… that is my intention. Take your time. You have no guarantees, other than mine.
I did not expect this in my lifetime.
Just saying.
Well writ Digital Cuttlefish, well writ.
Also, FWIW, people who have been through the worst humans can do before, are extremely worried now & I think their voices should be heard :
Source : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/holocaust-survivors-donald-trump-immigration-ban-not-put-america-first-syria-refugees-fear-a7549286.html
I think Godwin’s law can go right out the window in present reality. Because these are actual fascists if not outright nazis we’re talking about here running the USA.
See also : http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatches/2017/01/31/lack-mention-jews-holocaust-message-intentional/
@Cuttlefish #3:
I’ve written it dead in the night, and I don’t represent any organization. What I said in a nutshell is, that your proposition is noble and necessary, but it still treats the problem as if there are 2 sides to the issue. The current administration had won because anger and frustration does not exist solely within the Republican camp.
For years, people representing a minority have moved past criticizing the current powers that be, and allied themselves with said power to bring down other minorities. In other words, resisting the power itself is but half the task if others within that resistance are willing to throw others under the bus. This administration represents angry conservatives and liberals, and when the latter will or could concede to temporary victories, the resistance falls apart.