How does this happen? Chick-fil-A branded as anti-gay?

[Kidlicious]

So what now, you're calling me an Uncle Tom?

I almost choked on my food when I read this. I have no idea what you are refering to.

You're right, I've never been a black person. I've never spent a day in their shoes. But I have read things written by black people. Specifically some of the people that I have considerable respect for what they have done and what they have written. One of my favorite books, (and requested gift), is the autobiography of Clarence Thomas. "My Grandfather's Son". I don't have many books down here with me right now (my library is mostly still up north), but that is one I have on my shelf here.

I use it in my classes sometimes. I'm going to quote for you part of the autobiography, to get a better idea of where I am coming from and why.



And that's that point I am trying to drive home to you. You believe that all black people believe as you do, that government is benevolent, and that they have the best interests of the black men and women of america at hand. And I'm here to tell you that this is just not so.

Clearance Thomas is so wrong here it's ridiculous. Blacks don't need freedom from government. They need freedom from hatred, prejudice, discrimination and violence among other things. Thomas is talking about his rich white friends. Your perspective is truly warped and so is CT's.

Maybe, I'm not a black man - but I do understand how the government really isn't interested in helping me. They are interested in trapping me, putting me in a box where they can control every aspect of my life. That is the price I would have to pay to go back into the system. Do you not get this Kid? Is this not getting through to you the expectations that the government has for deaf people?

Sounds like paranoia.

[Al B. Sure!]

I'm starting to picture Ben in a Guy Fawkes mask

[Ben Kenobi]

Thomas is talking about his rich white friends.

No, Thomas is speaking for himself. And for me. I feel the same way.

And that's the point - you say I know nothing about black people - and as soon as I quote one you say he is 'not speaking for black people'. That's bull**** and you know it.

All black people clearly have to believe the same things as Kidicious.

[kentonio]

No, you're just forgetting the part where Clarence Thomas is extremely rich and an *******.

[kentonio]

Then why does the average deaf person have a reading level of grade four, no high school education and no college?

If the government wants them to have a full and decent standard of living, why are they not educating deaf people?

I'll tell you why - because the government doesn't care. That is why they perpetuate a segregated system. That is why they cripple deaf people by insisting that they learn to sign. Most deaf people talk very poorly, if at all. The ones who do manage to learn how to speak are the ones who do that on their own time.

I was fortunate. I got out of the box.

After seeing what they've done, I just want the government to stay the hell out of my life.

None of that has anything at all to do with stopping discrimination. You've seen a system that doesn't work well and decided that instead of pushing to reform that system, you'd rather turn your back on it. That's fair enough, there's no obligation on you to do anything (although as a teacher I thought you might feel differently about it) but it makes no sense at all to say that because a government system failed you, there should be no kind of government protection or assistance for those who need it.

Generations of black kids suffered simply because the governments of the time didn't do a damn thing to protect them. If you feel like deaf kids are suffering for the same reasons, then why not get off your ass and do something about it?

[Zevico]

This whole controversy merely indicates that the progressive left have rewritten the dictum often misattributed to Voltaire.

"I may disagree with what you say, but provided it falls within the bounds of acceptable progressive opinion, I'll defend to the death your right to say it. Otherwise, you're fair game."

It is, naturally, a fine improvement on the original doctrine, because it ensures that the government protects our vulnerable minds from manipulation.

[Kidlicious]

No, Thomas is speaking for himself. And for me. I feel the same way.

And that's the point - you say I know nothing about black people - and as soon as I quote one you say he is 'not speaking for black people'. That's bull**** and you know it.

All black people clearly have to believe the same things as Kidicious.

Clearance Thomas doesn't speak for other black people in general.

[rah]

I'm not going to bother responding to most of your replies since all you do is try to put words in my mouth or ask questions that have nothing to do with my original statement.

Simply put, and you repeated it so you don't seem to be denying anything.

I think business owners should be allowed to run their business as they see fit.

This is the rational that many businesses used to discriminate against blacks in the 60's. A simple fact. Done.

I never cared why you said it and care even less now after pages and pages of your crap justifying why you think there is nothing wrong with businesses discriminating against blacks or which ever group of people they don't like. So don't bother. It's not going to change our impression of how big of a douche you are.

[Ben Kenobi]

Clarence Thomas doesn't speak for other black people in general.

I think he speaks for a helluva lot more black people than you do.

[Ben Kenobi]

None of that has anything at all to do with stopping discrimination.

Bull****! It's just not discrimination that you happen to care about.

You've seen a system that doesn't work well and decided that instead of pushing to reform that system, you'd rather turn your back on it.

Absolutely. I grew up with this crap. The system is broken and cannot be fixed.

there's no obligation on you to do anything (although as a teacher I thought you might feel differently about it)

I don't teach in deaf schools, and I teach privately. The system won't allow me to teach what I need to be able to teach to fix this, so I teach where I can.

but it makes no sense at all to say that because a government system failed you, there should be no kind of government protection or assistance for those who need it.

It's not just failing me. Don't you get it yet? I'm the goddamned exception. For every one of me, there's 10 kids stuck in the system. They are the ones I'm pissed off about.

Generations of black kids suffered simply because the governments of the time didn't do a damn thing to protect them. If you feel like deaf kids are suffering for the same reasons, then why not get off your ass and do something about it?

Why do you think I teach privately? So long as society believes that deaf people are cripples and need the benevolence of government in order to function, then yeah, we're going to be treated like china dolls rather than given responsibility.

[Ben Kenobi]

all you do is try to put words in my mouth

It's a logical statement that the statement, "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" is not racist, since you've admitted it can be used in a fashion that's not racist at all. You have no way of saying that the statement - in and of itself, is sufficient to prove racism.

This is the rational that many businesses used to discriminate against blacks in the 60's. A simple fact. Done.

And Joseph Mengele used science to performe atrocities. Does that mean that science in and of itself, is evil? No, hardly.

why you think there is nothing wrong with businesses discriminating against blacks

If you're going to quote me get it right. I said that businesses should be permitted to operate as they see fit. It doesn't mean that I think it's right that they exclude black people.

It's not going to change our impression of how big of a douche you are.

Oh, I found that out a long time ago when I gave you a gift out of kindness. I spent a lot of time coming up with the idea and working on it and trying to get other people to buy in.

Only to have you piss on me for doing it.

You really think calling me a douche has any effect on me?

[rah]

If you're going to quote me get it right. I said that businesses should be permitted to operate as they see fit. It doesn't mean that I think it's right that they exclude black people.

Again, thanks for showing that I was right. I don't care about your justifications. You think they should be permitted to exclude black people "if they see fi"t. Just like many claimed in the 60's and earlier.
Are you trying to deny that, because if so, you're doing it really badly.

And again, I never accepted your gift because I didn't want any future obligation that might have been attached. The fact that you keep bringing it up publicly in an attempt to prove your "kindness" confirms my initial thoughts about your motives and makes me glad I never accepted it.

And I really don't care how calling you a douche effects you. I do it because I get pleasure out of calling a douche a douche, which a majority of the people here will agree with.

[giblets]

Is it really that hard to just ignore this douche?

[kentonio]

Bull****! It's just not discrimination that you happen to care about.

No, it's exactly discrimination that I care about.

Absolutely. I grew up with this crap. The system is broken and cannot be fixed.

Don't be a child. Do you really think that deaf kids were better off back before the government started doing things to help them? When there were no special classes or help available, no protections and when deaf kids were just treated as retarded by everyone? You think you had it hard compared to them?

If America had the kind of system you keep saying you want life would be hell on earth for the disabled. No employment, no healthcare, no protection from discrimination. Why the **** would you want to put anyone through that kind of ****?

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

No, you're just forgetting the part where Clarence Thomas is extremely rich and an *******.

Name any national politician (or appointee) black or white who isn't.