# I may actually go insane with anger **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 18, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848 "2012-08-18T03:04:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/261 "2012-08-20T19:04:05Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > Well, YES, actually, it WAS my purpose, since they, themselves, were being racists. > > Do two wrongs make a right? No. I get that. However, let’s not poison the minds of foreign visitors against us, shall we? Slavery is not a Hindu’s fault. So you admit that you were being a racist and that it was unjustified. Your only point is that the object of your racism was racist first, and so you couldn’t help but respond in kind, even though you know it was wrong. Ok, then. I think we’re in agreement on what sort of person you are–you’re a racist. And we agree that racism is a character flaw (since you said "two wrongs don’t make a right). Where we disagree then is that you think such character flaws are simply to be accepted, and that remedying such character flaws has the correlate harm of making one more closed minded, and I think you’re a fucking asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/262 "2012-08-20T19:07:05Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > Who has a dashcam on their car? I wish everyone did. Sure would make my job a lot easier if I could get video of every accident I have to investigate. Nothing shuts a plaintiff up better than, “I’d like you to watch a brief movie…” Oh, and I don’t like weiner dogs (can’t spell dachshund), people that hit-n-run pets, or liars. Specifically, it’s the liars that make me love dash cams. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/263 "2012-08-20T19:07:19Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > So you admit that you were being a racist and that it was unjustified. Your only point is that the object of your racism was racist first, and so you couldn’t help but respond in kind, even though you know it was wrong. > > Ok, then. I think we’re in agreement on what sort of person you are–you’re a racist. And we agree that racism is a character flaw (since you said "two wrongs don’t make a right). > > Where we disagree then is that you think such character flaws are simply to be accepted, and that remedying such character flaws has the correlate harm of making one more closed minded, and I think you’re a fucking asshole. That needed to be said. Thanks, Ellen Cherry, for moving the thread to The Pit. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/264 "2012-08-20T19:08:43Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > So you admit that you were being a racist and that it was unjustified. Your only point is that the object of your racism was racist first, and so you couldn’t help but respond in kind, even though you know it was wrong. > > Ok, then. I think we’re in agreement on what sort of person you are–you’re a racist. And we agree that racism is a character flaw (since you said "two wrongs don’t make a right). > > Where we disagree then is that you think such character flaws are simply to be accepted, and that remedying such character flaws has the correlate harm of making one more closed minded, and I think you’re a fucking asshole. Yep, calling me names DEFINITELY shows that you’re open-minded. Maybe you’d like to throw me in jail. How about some electroshock therapy? The death penalty? Maybe kill my whole family. Hell, my whole town! Man, fuck off. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/265 "2012-08-20T19:11:03Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > So you admit that you were being a racist and that it was unjustified. Your only point is that the object of your racism was racist first Except the fact that he’s identified the races of the people involved (“HBCU” on the one hand and “Hindu” on the other hand), I don’t think he’s established that there was racism going on. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/266 "2012-08-20T19:11:56Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Profs wanting to take credit for student’s work, I thought, was a fairly common complaint. It sure is. Is that what you think happened here? It’s not. My friend’s advisor attempted to coerce him to commit an illegal act, one that happens to have a VERY high chance of being detected. If you think that’s the same as fudging authorship on a thesis, then…what planet are you from? ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/267 "2012-08-20T19:12:59Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Except the fact that he’s identified the races of the people involved (“HBCU” on the one hand and “Hindu” on the other hand), I don’t think he’s established that there was racism going on. I didn’t say it was a _good_ point, I said it was his _only_ point! ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/268 "2012-08-20T19:14:05Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > Yep, calling me names DEFINITELY shows that you’re open-minded. > > Maybe you’d like to throw me in jail. How about some electroshock therapy? The death penalty? Maybe kill my whole family. Hell, my whole town! > > Man, fuck off. Yes, clearly I’ve gone off the deep end. What was I thinking, over-reacting like that? So unlike me! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/269 "2012-08-20T19:15:09Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > It sure is. Is that what you think happened here? It’s not. My friend’s advisor attempted to coerce him to commit an illegal act, one that happens to have a VERY high chance of being detected. > > If you think that’s the same as fudging authorship on a thesis, then…what planet are you from? You seem to be under the mistaken impression that we approve of what these “HBCU” folks allegedly did. We don’t. We just aren’t clear what it has to do with their being members of the “HBCU” ethnicity. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/270 "2012-08-20T19:16:44Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Except the fact that he’s identified the races of the people involved (“HBCU” on the one hand and “Hindu” on the other hand), I don’t think he’s established that there was racism going on. Yes, because there’s no such thing as reverse racism. Dude, you’re killing me. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/271 "2012-08-20T19:20:52Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > IIRC, the OP didn’t feel the need to identify the race of anyone else in the story. Not the neighbor, not the driver, not his own. Only the “LAN.” That he didn’t feel that “large angry man” would have been sufficient to get his point across speaks volumes. Other than this guy being a former cop, he could well be my brother-in-law, who lives just a little north of Atlanta, and claims to not be a racist. He has to point out that poor people there are black, frequently, and makes it a point to say that the people working at the airports are black, etc., etc. as in “these are ‘make work’ jobs for blacks.” Not that “these are ‘make work’ jobs for poor people” or even why having employees in the airport is “make work” and why he never seemed to make that comment in the Salt Lake airport where these employees are white. So, yes, I’m not surprised that the OP feeds the need to specifically identify the race, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear him say he’s not racist. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/272 "2012-08-20T19:22:55Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > You seem to be under the mistaken impression that we approve of what these “HBCU” folks allegedly did. We don’t. We just aren’t clear what it has to do with their being members of the “HBCU” ethnicity. Allegedly? If only you knew someone who actually tried to get a degree from this particular university, you’d not say this. Everybody who’s spent much time enrolled there either 1. Knows it happen, and deplores it 2. Knows it happens, and accepts it 3. Knows it happens, and believes it’s right. None of that I care about. MY issue is that my friend is from INDIA, bitches. Slavery is not his fault. He could have gone to another school, and not dealt with this nonsense. We dragged him into OUR mess. I don’t condone racism, but…what I am supposed to say to the guy to change his mind? What can I say that will change his mind? You people seem to think his racism is such an awful thing…give me a way to change it. My guess is that none of you has the slightest idea how to do this, and _I don’t either_. Admit your lack of ability in this area, and move the fuck on. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/273 "2012-08-20T19:30:21Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > It sure is. Is that what you think happened here? It’s not. My friend’s advisor attempted to coerce him to commit an illegal act, one that happens to have a VERY high chance of being detected. > > If you think that’s the same as fudging authorship on a thesis, then…what planet are you from? Then you haven’t explained what happened clearly enough. Regardless, I don’t see where “nigger” comes into play here. (ETA: Just saw post #242. Looking through it now.) ETA2: Rant makes a little more sense now, but I still don’t see “nigger” as much as “nepotism.” ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/274 "2012-08-20T19:38:16Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > Allegedly? If only you knew someone who actually tried to get a degree from this particular university, you’d not say this. > > Everybody who’s spent much time enrolled there either > > 1. Knows it happen, and deplores it > > 2. Knows it happens, and accepts it > > 3. Knows it happens, and believes it’s right. > > None of that I care about. MY issue is that my friend is from INDIA, bitches. Slavery is not his fault. He could have gone to another school, and not dealt with this nonsense. We dragged him into OUR mess. I don’t condone racism, but…what I am supposed to say to the guy to change his mind? > > What can I say that will change his mind? You people seem to think his racism is such an awful thing…give me a way to change it. > > My guess is that none of you has the slightest idea how to do this, and _I don’t either_. Admit your lack of ability in this area, and move the fuck on. First, I don’t think you know what “allegedly” means. It doesn’t imply that what you said _didn’t_ happen, just that _our_ knowledge of it comes from what you have told us, not from direct experience. _Of course_ if we had first hand knowledge we wouldn’t use the word “allegedly.” That’s what it means! Secondly, what the fuck does any of this have to do with using racial slurs. I agree that the situation you describe is deplorable, and I’m sorry that I don’t have any advice for fixing it. I understand that you were angry. My point is that non-racists don’t use racial slurs _even when we’re angry!_ Not even when we’re angry about something we can’t fix. In fact, not even when we’re angry about something terrible that happened to one of our Indian friends and don’t know how to keep him from forming his own racist beliefs because of the actions of someone else who was a different race from either of us and it’s a really bad problem that everyone knows about and he’s an _Indian_ for crying out loud and doesn’t deserve it because he isn’t responsible for slavery and how can anyone tolerate it and by the way the person who did the horrible thing we can’t fix is BLACK and we’re really mad and it’s not like we were talking to anyone in public it was just in private with our wife so what do you care and it’s all a big terrible mess. Nope, not even then! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/275 "2012-08-20T19:39:59Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > Allegedly? If only you knew someone who actually tried to get a degree from this particular university, you’d not say this. > > Everybody who’s spent much time enrolled there either > > 1. Knows it happen, and deplores it > > 2. Knows it happens, and accepts it > > 3. Knows it happens, and believes it’s right. So, in addition to not understanding what “however” means, you also seem not to understand what “allegedly” means. > [@](#): > > None of that I care about. MY issue is that my friend is from INDIA, bitches. How is that an issue, exactly? > [@](#): > > Slavery is not his fault. What does slavery have to do with anything? And how can you be entirely sure that slavery isn’t his fault? > [@](#): > > He could have gone to another school, and not dealt with this nonsense. We dragged him into OUR mess. Who’s “we,” kimosabe? By the way, do you think this sort of misbehavior is limited to HBCU’s? Or to the United States? Someone from India is going to be well acquainted with academic corruption. > [@](#): > > I don’t condone racism, but…what I am supposed to say to the guy to change his mind? Apparently the only way is to … condone racism? > [@](#): > > What can I say that will change his mind? You people seem to think his racism is such an awful thing…give me a way to change it. > > My guess is that none of you has the slightest idea how to do this, and _I don’t either_. Admit your lack of ability in this area, and move the fuck on. Your Hindu friend’s racism is his own responsibility, not yours or ours. He’s not at the table here. You are at the table, however, and you do have the capability to deal with your own racism. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/276 "2012-08-20T20:06:23Z")
Do we have any kind of verification that **ducati** is _actually_ a retired cop? Because man, everything about him just screams ‘wannabe’ in the worst way. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/277 "2012-08-20T20:24:17Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Do we have any kind of verification that **ducati** is _actually_ a retired cop? Because man, everything about him just screams ‘wannabe’ in the worst way. No proof, but given the connection between a guy from India and some other racist’s wife, I wouldn’t be surprised some other nut wanders into this thread claiming patent infringement. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/278 "2012-08-20T20:26:08Z")
I keep coming back in here to see how the Hindu is connected to all of this but I can’t quite seem to figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/279 "2012-08-20T21:00:33Z")
It’s amazing the lengths some people will go to in an attempt to justify their racism. \< rolls eyes \> And like was mentioned by someone else, although I’ve used many a disparaging term to describe others in my life, it hasn’t been particularly difficult to refrain from using any bigoted ones. Funny that. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848/280 "2012-08-20T21:03:58Z")
If any of you had a good point, the trolls are ruining it through guilt by association. Or maybe you could just recognize that _real_ racists are a much bigger problem than someone who occasionally uses a racial epithet in private. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-may-actually-go-insane-with-anger/631848.md?page=15)