# Smapti is Pitted **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 21, 2014, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907 "2014-05-21T08:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 73
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1441 "2015-01-04T23:52:53Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > You have attempted to polish the “intolerance of tolerance” turd that stupid-ass conservatives have become fond of lately. > > We should teach children to not harm others and to not harbor irrational hatred of others. Racism harms others. > > Expressing your gender preference harms nobody. > > ETA: And your response, denying your attempted analogy, is cowardly and fucking stupid. Are you suggesting that there are fundamental differences between racism and transgenderism? Are you then further arguing that any analogy between the two is irrelevant to the point of absurdity? Moreover, did you think that any interrogative from me denying acknowledgement of an analogy was intended to be taken literally? Wow. I just can’t even… ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1442 "2015-01-04T23:54:26Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I’m not sure what an anal oogee is BTW, not sure I want to speculate. Sigh. $20.00, same as in town. Put the gown on, lie on the bed, and someone will be with you shortly. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1443 "2015-01-04T23:58:35Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Are you suggesting that there are fundamental differences between racism and transgenderism? Are you then further arguing that any analogy between the two is irrelevant to the point of absurdity? > > Moreover, did you think that any interrogative from me denying acknowledgement of an analogy was intended to be taken literally? > > Wow. I just can’t even… When the snark goes 360, sometimes it’s not even recognizable as snark. I still have no idea what your point was with the racist daughter story, nor do I understand your point now. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1444 "2015-01-05T00:00:04Z")
> [@grude](#): > > While the N word has staying power, the only place I’ve heard the rest is in really old media like 70s and before, or real old people. > > Your daughter either had odd taste in media, or hung out with old racists. > > (yes I know it is a joke) Well, I probably didn’t spend as much time researching racism as I might have, but I felt the scenario lacked the intellectual heft that would have justified spending any real time on it. As it was, it took me almost fifteen minutes to type. At least one term I only ever heard on, “All In The Family”, so your sourcing is accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1445 "2015-01-05T00:04:32Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > When the snark goes 360, sometimes it’s not even recognizable as snark. I still have no idea what your point was with the racist daughter story, nor do I understand your point now. It’s a real thinker, I know. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1446 "2015-01-05T00:22:26Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > It’s a real thinker, I know. Maybe we’re all just idiots, or maybe your point wasn’t as clear as you like – care to enlighten us? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1447 "2015-01-05T00:25:59Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > When the snark goes 360, sometimes it’s not even recognizable as snark. I still have no idea what your point was with the racist daughter story, nor do I understand your point now. It didn’t make sense to me, either. The little dialogue seemed to support **Smapti** , by justifying the parents’ authority to compel behavior changes in the child. Just as they can insist the child not practice racism, so **Smapti** supports the parents’ right to compel the child to “practice” behavior aligned with their physical sex. When **Grotonian** ended his parable by claiming he disagreed with **Smapti** , many of us were left wondering why he constructed a parable that was so strongly supportive of **Smapti** ’s viewpoint. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1448 "2015-01-05T00:28:15Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Lighten up, Francis, this is the Pit. Standards of literary and intellectual rigor are lower here. Except that they aren’t. You can just get away with calling people pissants. If you say something stupid here, _you still said something stupid_. And brother, that was some atomic-grade stupid. Pissant. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1449 "2015-01-05T00:57:32Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > It didn’t make sense to me, either. The little dialogue seemed to support **Smapti** , by justifying the parents’ authority to compel behavior changes in the child. Just as they can insist the child not practice racism, so **Smapti** supports the parents’ right to compel the child to “practice” behavior aligned with their physical sex. > > When **Grotonian** ended his parable by claiming he disagreed with **Smapti** , many of us were left wondering why he constructed a parable that was so strongly supportive of **Smapti** ’s viewpoint. Because **Smapti’s** view resulted in a dead kid. He was wrong. The father realized, too late, that he would have preferred a live racist to a dead one, and he blamed himself for not being supportive enough of the racism. He should’ve listened to the expert, not his own moral compass. **Smapti** was wrong. (I want to point out, though, I didn’t read anything **Smapti** wrote as being intolerant of transgendered people. He refused to modify his definition of sex/gender and was excoriated for it. I didn’t read anything that said he was morally opposed to transgendered people, or anything they do. His argument, as I read it, related to accuracy and definitions.) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1450 "2015-01-05T01:02:13Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Lighten up, Francis, this is the Pit. Standards of literary and intellectual rigor are lower here. Not generally, no. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1451 "2015-01-05T01:03:03Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Except that they aren’t. You can just get away with calling people pissants. If you say something stupid here, _you still said something stupid_. And brother, that was some atomic-grade stupid. Pissant. I consider name-calling to be of lower literary and intellectual rigor. Although with your reasoned and erudite use of, “pissant,” I believe I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1452 "2015-01-05T01:04:28Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > (I want to point out, though, I didn’t read anything **Smapti** wrote as being intolerant of transgendered people. He refused to modify his definition of sex/gender and was excoriated for it. I didn’t read anything that said he was morally opposed to transgendered people, or anything they do. His argument, as I read it, related to accuracy and definitions.) Except to suggest that they’re delusional. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1453 "2015-01-05T01:42:12Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Are you suggesting that there are fundamental differences between racism and transgenderism? There are clear differences between using racial slurs and expressing a preferred identity. > [@](#): > > Are you then further arguing that any analogy between the two is irrelevant to the point of absurdity? Are you not clear on the many differences between using racial slurs versus expressing a preferred identity? How is this even difficult for you? Were you born stupid or did you have some exposure to a neurotoxin? > [@](#): > > Moreover, did you think that any interrogative from me denying acknowledgement of an analogy was intended to be taken literally? All I can do is work with what you present. You seem to be mentally challenged and potentially disposed to racist sentiments. Furthermore, saying “what analogy?” is not discernibly clever or funny, so the best explanation was that your post was sincere. > [@](#): > > Wow. I just can’t even… Craft a meaningful analogy? Think very fast? Wipe without assistance? ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1454 "2015-01-05T01:50:07Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > There are clear differences between using racial slurs and expressing a preferred identity. Are you not clear on the many differences between using racial slurs versus expressing a preferred identity? How is this even difficult for you? Were you born stupid or did you have some exposure to a neurotoxin? All I can do is work with what you present. You seem to be mentally challenged and potentially disposed to racist sentiments. Furthermore, saying “what analogy?” is not discernibly clever or funny, so the best explanation was that your post was sincere.Craft a meaningful analogy? Think very fast? Wipe without assistance? Why can’t you just leave me to my grief and let me bury my daughter in peace? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1455 "2015-01-05T02:51:55Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Because **Smapti’s** view resulted in a dead kid. He was wrong. The father realized, too late, that he would have preferred a live racist to a dead one, and he blamed himself for not being supportive enough of the racism. He should’ve listened to the expert, not his own moral compass. **Smapti** was wrong. But the father and mother, in your parallel analogy, are right. It is their proper duty as parents to teach their children not to be racists. That can be done without driving them to suicide. Your false equivalence is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1456 "2015-01-05T02:56:09Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > But the father and mother, in your parallel analogy, are right. It is their proper duty as parents to teach their children not to be racists. That can be done without driving them to suicide. > > Your false equivalence is stupid. No duh. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1457 "2015-01-05T02:58:00Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Why can’t you just leave me to my grief and let me bury my daughter in peace? Well I think you should make sure first none of the surrounding graves contain black people, ask the cemetery workers to be sure. You don’t want an angry ghost on your back! ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1458 "2015-01-05T03:33:54Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > No duh. Okay, whatever this all is supposed to be (thoughtful argumentation, pointed send-up, performance trollery, wild haymaker defensive effort), you just don’t seem to have the stuff necessary to pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1459 "2015-01-05T04:29:39Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Okay, whatever this all is supposed to be (thoughtful argumentation, pointed send-up, performance trollery, wild haymaker defensive effort), you just don’t seem to have the stuff necessary to pull it off. Seriously. Take him out, coach, and bring in a closer. He’s just throwing grapefruits up there. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1460 "2015-01-05T04:42:15Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > (I want to point out, though, I didn’t read anything **Smapti** wrote as being intolerant of transgendered people. He refused to modify his definition of sex/gender and was excoriated for it. I didn’t read anything that said he was morally opposed to transgendered people, or anything they do. His argument, as I read it, related to accuracy and definitions.) Yeah, but refusing to modify that is about the same level as “look, I ain’t got no problem with gays as long as they don’t go kissin in public or nothin’.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907.md?page=72) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907.md?page=74)