Alive and Well

In recent years the move to have a more civil and politically correct society has, in my opinion, done nothing to actually cure race relations in our Nation. Instead, it has only turned it into a closet issue where racists feel not that they should amend their hateful ways, but that they can no longer spew their hatred openly. So what is a blatantly racist person to do? Turn to the internet.

I have written on the Rants and Raves section of craigslist.org previously but I feel like I should comment again on a string of shocking and racists post currently on the Denver site. I feel fixated on these posts because I believe that they reflect the current state of our society and culture as a whole.

First, because of political correctness, people no longer feel comfortable being out about their racism. Of course, the racism of the past is still quite alive and well in our Nation. Only people no longer feel comfortable speaking their racist views aloud. However, the relative anonymity of the internet allows people to express their views openly. The freedom to express one's point of view isn't limited to racism. Internet posters often tackle issues of sexuality, gender, nationality and political ideology. These rants are not limited to targeted "free speech zones" like craig's list either. Often reading other sites, such as movie responses on IMDB, one can also find language that people would not feel comfortable to express face to face. So instead, they post it on the internet.

Second, the "shock and awe" impact of the language some of these posters use is another example on how the dialogue surrounding real important issues that face our Nation have been reduced to utter insanity. In a world where Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and Micheal Savage run the airways and drive the political dialogue, it isn't surprising that race relations are reduced to name calling. Instead of actually addressing the issues at hand, we can rely on childish responses and the fact that we can always fall back on spin, infancy and outright lies when we need to.

Third, one of my largest criticisms of those who espouse hate often only feel comfortable doing so from the back of the room where they can safely toss hate bombs and run. I am reminded of a rally we held on the CSU campus on National Coming Out Day several years ago. A group of GLBTQQS students gathered on the stump to talk about NCOD and what it meant for us to come out of the closet. The talk turned slightly political when a small line of College Republicans standing at the back of the crowd wearing "God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve, Support Amendment 2" t-shirts were invited to stand before the gathered crowd and share their comments. They declined the challenge and chose instead to continue to stand in the back and attempt to intimidate those of us who were willing to stand up before a crowd and speak our minds. They, like many of those who share their views, were afraid to speak them aloud before the very people they would silently protest.

That is the difference between the current progressive and the neoconservative movement. As progressives, we are more than willing to stand up and publicly declare our beliefs and challenge those who oppose. We believe in open dialogue between ideas and that great things can come from open and honest discussion on the issues that face our Nation and World. I am very frustrated by the students in my college courses who will voice their disagreement with what the professor is saying quietly, privately but not openly in class. Instead, they will retreat to their neoconservative strongholds and complain about how their liberal professor is indoctrinating young minds to the liberal point of view.

My challenge is this, if you disagree with what I write, speak up. Don't just read and silently complain; sign your name and send me your email address. We can open a discussion and hopefully both learn more about ourselves and what we believe. Then I would imagine we would be on the road to a better Nation. I know it is difficult for someone who has been told that dissent and critical thinking is the devil's right hand to break out of that and think on your own but some of the Republicans and yes even NeoConservatives that I respect most are the ones that do just that. If we all take a moment of our day and speak out engage in discussion then maybe we can move beyond our labels and come to a consensus and find that we probably agree more than many would think.

And that is Today's Warm and Fuzzy Thought