I promote my post in ECs's Current Events, World News & LGBT News. The well written article writes about a white supremacist and he converted to being more accepting of others. I see parallels between white hate in America, contempt for others, and hate and contempt towards LGBT people. Some points from the article: Why hate? Because I was taught to hate. Is the hate based on fact? Na, it's just so, because I says it is. (What do you call that? Stupid?) My feelling: I dwell on hate because I'm one of those who asks, "how did America get here?" Hating LGBT people. And who is responsible? And whom ever is responsible, are they owning up to how they have destroyed peoples lives? And what can be done to promote a non hate agenda? http://emptyclosets.com/forum/curre...s/223820-white-supremacist-changes-views.html
Hey brainwashed, I don't understand and honestly I don't think I want to. But right back through history you've always had groups of people hating other groups of people. I put it down to a fear of the unknown, not understanding, not bothering to find out, just ignorance. I suppose in the greater scheme of things we're a fairly new group and it's gonna take people a while to come to terms with us Sure how long did it take for women to get equality or blacks? How long were the Jews persecuted or the Christians? It's never ending. There's a lot of humans who are just close minded and ignorant and they pass that on to their kids and problem continues. Still the lgbt community have come a very long way in recent years. Where I live in Ireland sane sex marriage was voted in last year. Twenty years ago there's no way that would have happened. We need to focus on the positives. Look at the love, not the hate!
I agree with Keith that many times hate and intolerance comes from fear of the unknown and fear of the "other." I also think those who feel powerless are more likely to be hateful toward others. They make themselves feel more powerful by infringing on others. It's a way of basically saying, "Yes, I have it bad and have little power, but I'm better off than that group, than that 'other.'" It also stems from ignorance. That is why education is often the antidote to hate, because it is systemic. People are taught to hate, so they have to be taught better. We have to provide that better, higher education of love.
That's so true Ksatt, I definitely think as you mentioned insecurity plays a part also. In a strange way there's probably an element of jealousy. Maybe they envy that lgbt people can be happy and proud in the face of such adversity. It's like the class bully picking on the brainy kid. It's probably just because the brainy kid makes the bully feel stupid. Not right but that's what happens. Completely right though - education is key.
