A Big Step Forward!

[gekkogecko]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/

[Aqua]

Indeed!

Let's hope the forward momentum continues.

[wyndhy]

i disagree. i get a bug up my ass about (insert whatever cause, race, religion, food, creed, habit, commodity, or idea) special months. january to december - decent american month.

[Scarecrow]

i disagree. i get a bug up my ass about (insert whatever cause, race, religion, food, creed, habit, commodity, or idea) special months. january to december - decent american month.


I have to agree with wyndhy, all of these special day are pulling this country apart in stead of uniteing the USA.

[Lord Snow]

I understand the need for learning of the struggles and trials of other cultures. However, I don't see a point in dedicating a specific "holiday" for it. Instead of learning about black history in depth during that one month, why not just add a more in depth discussion during the normal curriculum? Same thing with any other (insert your choice here).

[Oldfart]

We are getting more of these racially specific themed days and weeks.

They are neither inclusive nor helpful.

[gekkogecko]

But the point is, these "special" days do need to be set aside, because the groups they are set aside for have been at one time or another (and often, still are being) targeted for specific forms of hate and/or oppression.

It is not devisive in any way to set aside a time to recognize their contributions to our society.

It is in fact, devisive to pretend they don't exist, or that they have not contributed.

For those who practise the oppression of which I speak (I am not necessarily including any of the people who have replied to this thread in this category), it is even worse to pretend that these various groups haven't been the target of such oppression.

[Oldfart]

Acceptance that oppression happened is an acceptance of reality, but the drive to institutionalise the oppression ends up with the permanent justification of inequity. Israel is the shining, but by no means only, example of this. Today's arrogant Sabras have been raised in an atmosphere of superiority, with very few game to push at their attitude.

The Irish were oppressed, but beyond St Patrick's Day they are mainstream.

Catholics and Protestants were oppressed (they burned each other at the stake), but with the exception of those inexcusable marches in Northern Ireland (we're not totally pure yet), mainstream.

Positive discrimination is an excellent way to level the playing field, but when the field is level, let it go.

[scotzoidman]

What I see:
It's just the one month, chosen as such in honor of a nice round-number anniversary; we won't be going back to do it again year after year (at least I hope that's the intent), & the subject group has not yet, IMO, quite achieved the level playing field in this Year of our Lord.

What I feel:
Setting aside a day, month, year, or millennium for this particular oppressed minority isn't gonna change the minds or hearts of the people who most need an attitude adjustment; kinda like the bird I flipped to the asshole on the interstate, it's a nice empty gesture that did nothing but make the source of the gesture feel better.

:2cents: