A few comments

Which no one needs to read. And mods may delete if they wish.

I was away a few days and all hell broke loose. Yesterday I finally read the Papa G banning thread, but by the time I got to the end it was closed. So although called out repeatedly I could not comment. And I wish to. Like I said, no one has to read.

Back on the old ESPN board more than a decade ago, Papa G started a thread saying Pat Tillman had been killed by the Taliban in Iraq. I asked, how could this be, the Taliban does not operate in Iraq. When repeating breaking news sometimes a detail is wrong, and of course Tillman was actually killed in Afghanistan. Asking the question does not deny his sacrifice or the tragedy of all the deaths. But Papa G lit into me. I was called hateful, lacking in compassion, vicious, and a few more I can't recall. I thought it was odd since it was so personal and so out of line. Over the years, if I had a dollar for every time Papa G called me hateful, usually after some innocuous post, I could retire. At no time, however, did I call him hateful. Or bitter. Or vicious.

And if I had a dollar for every time I've been insulted on this board I could retire rich. The misogyny on this board is so pervasive probably most of you guys don't even notice it (but Spud sure did; there is a reason the women all leave), that's just the way it is. It's hard to find a single thread without some sexist comment or reference. And the antigay insults are if not as numerous even more nasty because they are deliberate.

I don't like insults and name calling; when I see a thread that uses terms like "McMuffin" or "Obummer" I skip because I figure if someone can't make a point without reverting to junior high name calling it's probably not worth reading. But calling something (as opposed to someone) by its name is different. When someone says (often in deliberately offensive language) that some people, specifically including me, are disgusting, unnatural and undeserving of the rights they expect for themselves, IMO it is not out of line to call that bigotry. Because it is.

I reread the thread about the homecoming queen. Many people tried to explain the issues involving transpeople and were met with contempt. What struck me was that not one person said that while they personally may find transpeople strange or even disgusting, no one should tell a teen to commit suicide. Instead they said she deserved it. I was not wrong to say this is bigotry, but wrong to put names to the bigots.

I have bit my virtual tongue almost daily on this board. But we all have our raw nerves. For me, it's saying that my loved friend deserved to die of AIDS because he was gay. And sexual. I asked then if the poster had ever driven too fast or eaten a doughnut. Because we have all done risky and sometimes dumb and sometimes careless things. And sometimes found out too late. It's called being human. I believe some well known man once said something about not casting the first stone, right? For my comment, I make no apology and will not until I receive one.

And that's all I wish to say on the subject. Thank you for your time and attention.

 

My issue with the whole bigot thing is I seem to be lumped in with the people calling the homecoming queen out in contempt and hoping for suicide or whatever, when all I said was I had no problem with him being homecoming queen. Not in a vicious manner, but in the way I personally believe a he is a he when he has a penis. I also would have no issue whatsoever in calling someone a he if they added a penis like Chaz Bono. But until that happened, she was Cher's daughter.

 

If I said poor people should work harder to find jobs, and we should cut SNAP, what would that make me? "Fiscally conservative" When a label fits the rhetoric you speak, I think it's fair to recognize it. The social norms have shifted and things are becoming accepted in the US that may not have been before.

 

what about the testicles? What about hermaphrodites with penis and vagina? Do they get to self identify or is it just "shim?"

 

Somebody should mention it... dumb thread.

 

I think this is where you aren't grasping the entire concept. I didn't see any of the masses say they wished this teen committed suicide, but many said what responses are you to expect? The more people that know, the more opinions present itself. I think this teen just thought people were going to praise him for what he accomplished. Once it went south, he started crying "Why me?"

 

I don't understand what's wrong with MM's perspective re: reproductive organs? That's one of the long-defined/taught descriptions of male versus female. There's nothing wrong with that perspective, just as those that feel people are what they identify with. As long as the belief isn't defined out of hate, there's nothing wrong with it.

 

Repped.

 

Crandc, I enjoy your posts and we share more views than you probably realize, but labeling most of the board as mysogynists or bigots comes across as trolling or just hate speech to me ( and possibly others). Coupled with the manhater persona you (intentionally?) project in your posts it reads as the pot calling the kettle black.

Just because a word hasn't been "PC'd" out of use doesn't mean it's polite to label someone with it.

Everyone has their biases and likes and dislikes and areas of expertise and areas of ignorance. We all live separate lives and have experienced different things. That's what makes these boards interesting to me, I can always find someone who disagrees with me, often vehemently. That's where knowledge and realization come from, debating the opposing view.

I'd love to have more women posters here, but I think the sports connection sort of limits participation from the fairer gender.

 

crandc, I like and respect you, so I read your entire post. But I have to say....... if you want people to give you time and attention, you need to do the same for others.

You CLEARLY did NOT read Marazul's post. Your calculation to retirement is waaaayyyyyy off. Even with the dollars from the insults hurled your way, I think he made it pretty clear you're never going to retire (none of us are).

 

It's very simple: XX or XY chromosomes.

 

"You should make more posts in the thread where you claim it's dumb. That should help."

 

Maris, I did not say "most of the board" are bigots or misogynists, I did say sexism is pervasive on the board. Different thing. Many on this board are emphatically not sexist, but it's hard to find a thread without some sexist remark. Or expression of prejudice. Like calling a transgirl "he".

 

and XXY? or XYY?

 

So I am prejudice for calling the kid he? See i think you are way off base here and feel you are the one who is prejudice and hateful.

It might be short sighted or cut and dry, but IMO, if a child comes home from the hospital with a penis wrapped in a blue blanket they are a boy. if that child wants to change his gender and become a girl, more power to him, and from that point on she will be called her. I am not sure how that makes me prejudice. hateful or bigoted

 

Damn you , Maris..repped

 

I can see a bit of validity to crandc's rant, but as usual you look for an insult at every turn. If a person isn't 100% PC and liberal to the bone they are hateful..... Look, you have to come to grip with the fact people are different and not only are you 100% right, people can have a totally differing view and either be right or no one is right.

All in all, and again I don't disagree with all of your rant, it was pretty self righteous holier than thou stuff.

 

I have to inform you, even in dumb threads.

 

Fuck! I have some good retorts, nasty zingers to hurl at a certain poster, but alas, I'm not going to.

OK, this post is kind of all over the place, sorry.


crandc, You know well I agree with you.

What sucks is that I like to make jokes, jokes about everyone, sraights and gays, men and women, blacks and mexicans, but because I do believe there is real bigotry, sexism and homophobia on this board, i can't make light hearted humor because I don't want to encourage those sentiments as anything other than just a funny joke.

Honestly, I don't believe that most of the people in this forum would call Cassidy a guy, he, sir, mr, if she were here in person, because people wouldn't want to make her sad, angry or basically because you guys are not mean. So if this is true, why can't that courtesy be extended to people who are reading or posting, and just not use those terms in the first place. Tell the truth, you do use those terms because you find it fun to rile up the libs. This is what gets to me, I really don't think you guys for the most part, are the bigots, sexists or homophobes you express yourselves as.