Epicmafia

Let's talk. [Bigotry]

over 6 years

What a thought was going to be a dicussion on the EM front page turned out to become something else. When I decided to throw fuel into the fire, it ended up spiraling a bit out of control. So here I am writting this to outline my opinion and make some ammends.

So let's begin with some misconceptions and a little backstory...

Me & Racism

So I understand if you think I'm this white skinny nerd who's never dealt with racism before based on my opinion (if you've seen it.). However that's furthest from the truth. I'm hispanic, and have dealt with racism throughout my entire life, from a variety of races. When I was in school I would have the white kids push me around and ask me when I was going to "bomb the school" alluding my skin color to that of a terrorist. Black kids would ask me where my suicide bomb vest is, and Asian kids would play terrorist-like music around me.

Just a side note for this portion as well, I'm adopted, and one thing that stands out in my mind is an adult who asked my mother (a white woman): "Why the hell would you adopt a kid like that?". I've been attacked racially from people of all sexes, ages, and races.

How I dealt with it

Now you may be wondering why my opinion is like it is if I've experience this first hand. It's because I realized that those who would make these comments thrived on my reactions to them. When I began ignoring others, or even laughing at their face when they made those kinds of comments, I found that they slowly began doing it less and less. I was no longer giving them power over me and my reactions, and when they realized I wouldn't give them their reactions, they quit, and overtime I found that I was beginning to no longer find any offense in those actions by others.

This is why my opinion on how to give these words less power is to stand up to it. Don't give those who use derogatory words power over you by giving them the reaction they want. Let them know that those words hold no strength over you by calling them pathetic, shaking your head, and walking away.

Derogatory Words: Is it ever okay?

However, this opinion of mine does mean I am defending those who use racist / sexist / homophobic words. Anyone who does use these kinds of words is a pathetic person, and a pathetic person does not deserve the reactions from people that they desire from using these words and terms.

I remember seeing an image a couple years back of a man who did something sexist at a feminist ralley, and was swarmed and attacked by those attending at the time. He held the smuggest look on his face as he was able to obtain the reaction he wanted.

Those who do such things care only about your reaction and nothing else. Do not give them what they want.

Apologies

I understand that heated discussion on the front page made a few people angry. I truly apologize to any who were offended or upset by my words and later actions in continuing to throwing fuel into the fire. It was not my intent to anger anyone originally, but I got out of hand with it and ended up making posts which were distasteful.

Last Words

If anyone truly does wish to discuss Racism / Sexism / Homophobia / Bigotry / etc in depth with me, I will gladly do so with you in a more dialect oriented way. I do not wish to mute others opinions on the matter of fact, and feel as though if I learn what others think in a non-heated discussion, it may help me to understand the struggles others have gone through and how they have coped.

Thank you. ~Songin

blacksnakemoan

over 6 years

peach says

songin says

terrorist-like music

lol

Shoopie

over 6 years

Have you ever jumped into a pool and the water was so cold it hurt your nipples?

the worst.

Jeff

over 6 years

You not taking racism seriously? Why am I not surprised lol

Of all the things to say you think it's okay to troll about you chose...... racism...... sounds about white.

Jeff

over 6 years

Jeff you speak out sooo much against racism and homophobia it's unreal

Shoopie

over 6 years

I deleted what could be read. I don't mind tussling here you wanna tussle?

I won't take any of it seriously and I'll troll the entire way through. I'm down to breakdance though lets do it.

Maybe you can prove a point with someone who reads it and gives a sh*t.

Shoopie

over 6 years

You talk sooo much Jeff it's unreal.

Jeff

over 6 years

She literally deleted a post that said "Stop telling marginalized groups that they're not allowed to be
offended" and left up Dawson's comments that people should be allowed to say racist comments because they're "just words".

Interesting lol

Jeff

over 6 years

Apparently Shoopie finds the words "Stop being racist" to be a bit too SJW for the main lobby wall.

ImScummy

over 6 years

Jeff says

If someone knowingly spews something hateful they should be publicly crucified because they're a shïtty person. Simple.

I agree somewhat, but I think the internet is a bit too trigger-happy to avoid getting innocents get caught up in a witch hunt.

Jeff

over 6 years

If someone knowingly spews something hateful they should be publicly crucified because they're a shïtty person. Simple.

ImScummy

over 6 years

Sure, they're just words and the reaction is the responsibility of the target, but let me give an example:

A person gets cheated on by their SO of a month--another completely emotional situation. Would anyone blame this person if they felt upset by it? After all, their reaction/offense is "completely on them", right?

I understand that controlling reactions in situations definitely leads to less hurt, but when people DO have those reactions, should they be subject to ridicule for being "weak" or "easily offended", or--like in the cheating example--should the offense be completely understood?

**I'm not trying to equate cheating with slurs; I'm just comparing two emotional situations.

Shoopie

over 6 years

somethingwhatever says

i am bigoted against anglos, specially the english

Where I live, this is the song of the people.

I've been refused service in public restaurants for speaking english, repairmen and plumbers are late, and rude. I can't count the amount of times I've heard "It's quebec speak french" "Wow what a pretty girl too bad you're english" "english people are hicks" "english people are the crackheads in qc" "Oh.. english.. that explains the foster care"

ARGGGHHH

deletedover 6 years

i called someone's hair nappy, not realizing it's a word that was used to badly talk about black slaves and black women in general. i apologized, i did my best to rectify it. my comment was still racist, i just had no intent of racism. still was a racist comment. i called a black person a crackhead, apparently it's racist for some reasons i still don't know. do i understand it? no. did a black user tell me it was racist to them regardless and i stopped saying it when reported/asked? yes.

it's as simple as that. if someone is telling you words are HURTING them and their community and you invalidate them telling them that their feelings are WRONG then you are the one who is WRONG.

there's a lot of words across marginalized groups that i genuinely don't get why it hurts them but it DOES and the last thing any minority group needs is someone OUTSIDE of that group who has NEVER faced that discrimination or persecution to try to silence their feelings.