# Yes. When YOU do it, it's still persecution. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 15, 2014, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162 "2014-04-15T09:06:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/121 "2014-04-17T16:25:19Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > I don’t want anything from you. And this, by the way, is patently untrue. But I suspect you know that. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/122 "2014-04-17T16:40:41Z")
> [@andros](#): > > I do. Why? I mean, honestly, what difference does it make what I’m doing? As I said, I don’t want anything from anybody. You assume I do, which is understandable if you assume “everybody does”, but that’s not any of my business. It’s what you choose, and I’m OK with that. If you think I’m lying, then you don’t need me for the conversation. You can simply write both sides and sign my name to whatever it is that you assume would be an honest response. Go ahead. I don’t mind. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/123 "2014-04-17T16:41:54Z")
> [@andros](#): > > And this, by the way, is patently untrue. But I suspect you know that. See previous reply. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/124 "2014-04-17T16:50:34Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > Why? I mean, honestly, what difference does it make what I’m doing? My curiosity doesn’t depend on whether or not it “makes a difference” what you’re doing. I want to understand what you’re doing and why, for my own selfish reasons. > [@](#): > > As I said, I don’t want anything from anybody. You assume I do, which is understandable if you assume “everybody does”, but that’s not any of my business. It’s what you choose, and I’m OK with that. If you think I’m lying, then you don’t need me for the conversation. You can simply write both sides and sign my name to whatever it is that you assume would be an honest response. Go ahead. I don’t mind. So you’d be perfectly content with no interaction? No responses? Being perfectly ignored? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/125 "2014-04-17T16:51:42Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > Ah - understood - too…happy, some would say. Perfectly understandable. In this society I’m supposed to be “keeping tabs” on everyone…“peeping”, really…or “spying” - fearing what others might be up to, worrying about what they think and generally being frightened and/or angry about it all the time, or, at least, most of the time. > > Do you have any idea how \*\*\*much \*\*\*time you can free up, how much more you can \*\*\*see \*\*\*or how much grief you can set aside by simply kicking all of that crap to the curb? > > People think they have to do all of that spying/keeping tabs crap to keep the world from “exploding” but the world \*\*\*is \*\*\*exploding and it’s exploding \*\*\*because \*\*\*people do that. Nearly everyone is on the defensive. “Kill or be killed.” - “Do unto others before they do unto you.” - “Better him than me.”. > > Here we are, part of a universe that’s been operating for God only knows how long - and \*\*\*fighting \*\*\*it,nearly every step of the way. Thinking it’s wrong and can’t possibly take care of its own, without our help. How \*\*\*absurd \*\*\*is that?!?! > > The universe is a _ **steam roller** _. It already has all the laws it’s ever going to have and there isn’t anything you can do about \*\*\*any \*\*\*of them. All of people’s discontent is created by _ **them** _, standing in front of this \*\*\*monster \*\*\*of a fucking _ **steam roller** _, crying and whining and trying to manipulate and “reason” with it. They get squished, hop up and run right around to get back in front of it. It’s what everybody does and teaches and has been teaching for all of man’s thousands and thousands of years of warring with one another _ **and whining about it.** _ > > What do you expect? It’s a fucking _ **steam roller** _! ROFL! Do you think it’s going to stop in its tracks and say, “Oh, you poor thing, I’ll recreate the whole of myself so I can go around you and send you some nice flowers…and a little hankie.”. That mechanism part of the universe _ **does not care! That’s not its job!** _ It’s just doing its thing, taking care of business and it’s SO much better at it than YOU are! You’re like a piece of pollen - what could you possibly know about running a fucking universe?!?! > > People worry too much. They don’t trust the universe- _ **THE UNIVERSE** _ for crying out loud!! They don’t trust it to do what it’s always done, which is take care of its business which includes you and everything \*\*\*about \*\*\*you. > > Yeah, I’m happy and no, it’s not drugs. Hey-hey, simmer down chatty Cathy. I’m not your therapist. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/126 "2014-04-17T17:05:50Z")
> [@andros](#): > > My curiosity doesn’t depend on whether or not it “makes a difference” what you’re doing. I want to understand what you’re doing and why, for my own selfish reasons. > > So you’d be perfectly content with no interaction? No responses? Being perfectly ignored? I’m yammering in a forum. The forum is doing what forums do. I don’t watch television, I don’t listen to the radio, I have four inconveniently located broken bones and limited mobility, at the moment. Forums are fun. I love people, I love trolls and I like to write about what interests me. I started my own thread so as not to interfere with what others are doing and if no one was responding, I might write and post anyway or I might simply find something else to do. I’ve been thinking about building a sort of top mast, with a moonraker and sky sail to use as a sort of privacy shade on my porch. I think I can manage it and might do that later. I bought some domain names and made some logos. I’ve done a couple of experiments, designed a cabinet for the cutest little ozone generator, redesigned my rocket stove and if people stop responding to this thread, I will not shed a single tear. Cross my heart. ---
**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:** [April 17, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/127 "2014-04-17T17:08:14Z")
The universe doesn’t care one whit about me. I don’t see why I should be particularly worried about it. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/128 "2014-04-17T17:13:20Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > The universe doesn’t care one whit about me. I don’t see why I should be particularly worried about it. Precisely. You’re off the hook. You don’t have to worry about what anything or anybody else in the whole of the universe is doing, ever again! Isn’t that awesome! Just let the universe take care of it all! ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/129 "2014-04-17T17:16:28Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Hey-hey, simmer down chatty Cathy. I’m not your therapist. 😛 Ooooh…simmering down…not \*\*\*really \*\*\*my thing…I don’t think I can help you there. You may have to avert your eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/130 "2014-04-17T17:26:09Z")
Oooh! And I found some black, foam-covered wire that I’m not sure where it came from, but I’m making some parkour stickmen. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/131 "2014-04-19T02:15:23Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > Don’t be daft. Most are just as silent and afraid as the boys, most thought it was rare and couldn’t possibly happen to them because they’re “one of the boys” and most occurrences are never reported. So the persecutors weren’t just persecutor wannabes? > [@](#): > > I think you’ve pretty much covered all of your bases. No matter what happens, you can legitimately say the \*\*\*most \*\*\*prized, social-approval-seeking term on the planet - “I was right.”. Well done!! Hope I didn’t spoil it for ya. I’m just telling you what we see here on an almost weekly basis. If you have some sort of unique insight or perspective, you have yet to share it with us. Other than chiming in and agreeing with previously made statements that rape in the military is attributable in part to a culture of tolerance, the only thing you add is a heavy dose of obnoxious. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/132 "2014-04-19T02:20:11Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Are you talking about Rev. James Smith Bush? Because “_I don’t care what anyone else thinks, because I’m authentic_” certainly predates the presidency (or life) of either of the Presidents Bush. (They didn’t call it “hipster” in those days, but people exhibited that personality trait. Heck, it was old and silly that there were people doing that schtick when I was a boy.) I meant on this board. But yeah, this personality trait is nothing new. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/133 "2014-04-19T02:33:44Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > LOL! It isn’t women that men are trying to impress. It’s each other. > > Men are \*\*\*told \*\*\*that women are the problem because it works wonders to get them to fall in line and focus on turning each \*\*\*other \*\*\*on. > > Who wants to be called “pussy-whipped”? ROFL! What better and faster way to “dick-whip” a man than to accuse him of being “pussy-whipped”? Instant putty in your hands. He’ll do \*\*\*anything \*\*\*to convince you he’s not “pussy-whipped”. All you have to do is threaten a man with the accusation and you own his ass. Poof! Like magic. > > You’ve been had. Are you saying that men rape women (or tolerate the rape of women) to prove they aren’t pussywhipped or to gain the acceptance or respect of other men? I’m gonna guess you’ve never been married or have had serious relationships. Accusations of being pussy whipped only works on a guy who thinks (or cares) that their independence is being challenged. It doesn’t work that well on a guy that has made a long term commitment to a woman (or at least it shouldn’t). ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/134 "2014-04-19T02:36:14Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > Ah! The very definition of “sissy”. You should listen to this guy - it’s WAY better to pretend and kiss ass. Otherwise, you might be the one who gets thrown under the bus, right? Plus, nobody’s gonna stand up and save your ass, so you BETTER pretend, eh? > > It’s always best to sacrifice somebody else. Lest you get a boo-boo on your little feelings. Wow, I never realized Tomndebb was kissing my ass before but now that you mention it, the guy follows me around like a puppy and is constantly trying to ingratiate himself with me. Frankly, I’m a little embarrassed for him. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/135 "2014-04-19T02:38:58Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > I understand the need to use big words to impress people but I was absent when they taught you that. And, of course, this particular thread DOES include several folks who don’t know what “persecution” means, so… > > But you go right ahead and I’ll pretend I’m impressed. It just dawned on me that you might think that we are all making fun of you because we are trying to impress one another and dick whip each other into persecuting you. Its not. We have each independently come to the realization that you are a boob. This could be forgivable if you are in junior high school or high school but otherwise, you’re just a boob. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/136 "2014-04-19T09:22:45Z")
“persecute” no longer looks like a word after seeing it so many times in one wall-of-text bout of verbal vomit. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/137 "2014-04-19T11:06:19Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > It just dawned on me that you might think that we are all making fun of you because we are trying to impress one another and dick whip each other into persecuting you. Its not. We have each independently come to the realization that you are a boob. This could be forgivable if you are in junior high school or high school but otherwise, you’re just a boob. Something new! I have never been accused of wanting, needing or seeking anything like forgiveness. That’s a new one. Where did you see that? In what I wrote - which part did you perceive as a request for forgiveness? Seriously. I’m asking. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/138 "2014-04-19T11:27:56Z")
I think those who “make fun” do so for the same reason anyone does. To “knock one down a few pegs”. Of course, if the other person were actually “beneath” you, there would be no need for it so perhaps you just want to make sure that \*\*\*others \*\*\*understand that you are the “superior”? Or maybe I’ve got it all wrong and you would provide the answer. Also, who is “we”? Someone else used the term and I meant to ask, but forgot. You said “We have each independently come to the realization that you are a boob.” Who is “we”? I understand that it’s an exaggeration, but which “we” do you believe you are speaking for? Seriously. I’m asking. Just for reference - when you read something I write and run through all of the “reasons” and “intentions” that YOU might have for saying such a thing - it would be a pretty safe bet that \*\*\*my \*\*\*reasons and intentions aren’t any of _ **those** _. I ask, because I want to know what you think. Granted, you can just lie, but that’s fine. I’m not picky. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/139 "2014-04-19T12:11:50Z")
What the hell are you even talking about? Seriously. I’m asking… …not really. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/140 "2014-04-19T12:50:34Z")
Roll it down, OP. The way you’re pulling and yanking, you’re going to stretch yourself all out of shape. This place can get hot, and if you tumble around for too long you’re going to fade. Maybe even disappear. Try to walk in someone else’s shoes for a while. Don’t be too short, and don’t try to cover up too much, or you’ll just look silly. No matter how unique you think you are, there’s bound to be another just like you. Do you cotton to what I’m saying, or is it still wooly? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162.md?page=8)