Valerieblaise, many of your remarks were not only completely unfounded based on what I was saying, but were downright insulting. I presented opinions in a civil manner, and you decided that because you didn’t agree with them, that was an excuse to ridicule me and distort my remarks.
Nowhere in that thread did I attempt to publically shame anybody. I never advocated the practice of exclusion in any area; I don’t believe in making things “fair,” (as used by you) by excluding people based on physical characteristics. I believe people should be given opportunities based on merit. But I also believe that if YOU want to give someone an opportunity based on physical characteristics, that’s your right. The point that I made and then re-made is that the fact that it’s acceptable to help certain ethnic groups and not others is a social problem.
This judgment of my character is completely baseless and insulting. You’ve essentially called me a racist, which I am not. I never said anywhere that I was being deprived of liberty, nor did I advocate depriving anyone else of liberty.
I’ve never watched Hee-haw, never passed out drunk, and I am certainly not “white trash.” You’re guilty of the same kind of irrational prejudice that I advocate eliminating. It’s disheartening.
I don’t think that it’s written anywhere that you could not set up a scholarship fund (or other helpful program) with your own money (or other private money) and determine the recipients in whatever way you wanted.
I don’t think anybody said you did. . . .maybe I’m just misreading the quotes.
Perhaps more importantly: Why a new thread in The Pit if you’re not going to throw in some personal attacks, some goat-felching, or at least some gratuitous “scabarous pustule” references? I mean, couldn’t you have posted this in the actual thread that you’re quoting from?
Hmmm. I’m not quite sure how to respond here - I really do NOT see why this called for a new thread.
Yes, you did present your opinions in a civil manner. Yes, I responded in a rather insulting manner. I took advantage of the forum we’re in. I don’t think I “distorted” your remarks so much as took them to what I see as the next level, though. I’ve never in my life heard anyone complain about the UNCF or NAACP (it ALWAYS begins with, “If you started something like that for white people, you’d be called racist”) without following it with comments such as, “I don’t get why they get to use the word ‘Negro’ and I don’t,” or “How come they can call themselves ‘Colored People,’ and I can’t?”. You see, you basically sounded all sorts of bent out of shape about something I’ve only ever heard complete racists get worked up about. So yes, I assumed you were a racist. Maybe it was a knee-jerk reaction. I won’t deny that w/o some further thought - I know I’ve been exposed to a lot of racist people, and I DO bristle when I see some of these tired old comments coming.
You claim that you’re not a racist. Fine. I’ll accept that if you accept that you were completely off-base with your remarks in reference to the UNCF. Tomndebb gave you many examples of comparable scholarships, so you must see that you were incorrect with, “…it’s acceptable to help certain ethnic groups and not others is a social problem.”
I fully apologize if I misjudged you. I’m not SO jaded that I can claim to have heard it all… but up to this point, I’ve never met anyone w/ views similar to those you stated that didn’t at least have racist leanings. It strikes me as false when someone claims ignorance of, say, the Irish-specific scholarship funds available. But if I was wrong, I was wrong. I can live with that.
As for the rest of it… well, I was being… um, “colorful.” That’s what we’ll call it.
