"proud to be an American"

[Hobbs]

Choosing to hate someone for their beliefs isn't a conditioned response.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

It can be if it's the prevalent common thread connecting many if not most of the people who're negative towards you. Once a pattern is set, human nature (and animal instinct, for that matter) tends to follow it unless there's a serious and noticeable change. Combine that with the unavoidable dose of confirmation bias, and there's every reason in the world for smiley to dislike a christian when that's the most he knows about someone. What would be immoral is acting on it.

[elsporko]

Are you saying racism is okay until the member of that race proves they are good enough? Smiley knows there are gay Christians. Why is it logical for him to hate them?

[Fryk]

Exeactly. Sir Integra, I am hiring you as my personal translator. The pay will be 5 internets and an "attaboy".

If you had the same people abuse you all your life, day in day out, then I would submit that the choice has been largely taken from your conscious hands. And that's all I'm going to say about this, since I'm starting to feel like I'm putting words into smiley's mouth.

[Hobbs]

I've recieved racism from whites, yet most of my friends are white. My grandparents raised me to think that whites couldn't be trusted; that they would only want my money and land. That still didn't affect my attitudes. I know some of them have radically prejudicial attitudes, and considering my profession, that prejudice is also towards homosexuality. I still don't hate these people, because I know that to hate them would make me just as evil as them.

To Smiley, I would say, "On the road towards revenge; you must first dig two graves."
-Confucious

[smileyeagle1021]

To Smiley, I would say, "On the road towards revenge; you must first dig two graves."
-Confucious

I've been in a grave before... most people call it the closet... that is one grave I would gladly trade for another if it would mean the downfall of those who wish to keep all others in their grave closets.

[Hobbs]

I've been in a grave before... most people call it the closet... that is one grave I would gladly trade for another if it would mean the downfall of those who wish to keep all others in their grave closets.

'Tis more noble to forgive, and more manly to despise, than to revenge an Injury.
-Benjamin Franklin

[Gravekeeper]

Quote a Day calenders aren't going to solve smiley's, nor the US's problems. ;p

[Hobbs]

Quote a Day calenders aren't going to solve smiley's, nor the US's problems. ;p

No they won't, but neither will people hating people for the sake of hate.

[Gravekeeper]

No they won't, but neither will people hating people for the sake of hate.

I don't think he's hating for the sake of hate either.

In all blunt honesty, watching this thread, a few people have straight out proved smiley points whether they realized it or not by presenting the very mentality that's led to his opinion.

[Hobbs]

I don't think he's hating for the sake of hate either.

In all blunt honesty, watching this thread, a few people have straight out proved smiley points whether they realized it or not by presenting the very mentality that's led to his opinion.

And what mentality is that?

Despite the 'conditioned' responses one might take from recieving abuse/discrimination, it's a choice to hate or not. A conditioned response will only tell you to avoid certain people/places, it won't control a rooted feeling like hatred.

[Gravekeeper]

And what mentality is that?

What advice has he received so far? That if he doesn't love it, he should get the hell out. That if he has a problem, its his obligation to somehow change the country. That he should join the military ( The hell? ). That he's a coward. That he should be loyal to his country regardless of how his country and its people treat him.

That mentality.

America is not special. It is not paradise. It is not Shangra-la. It is not God's personal country on Earth. It wasn't founded as a Christian Nation(tm). It's just another country. Better then some, worst then others. Simple as that.

[smileyeagle1021]

America is not special. It is not paradise. It is not Shangra-la. It is not God's personal country on Earth. It wasn't founded as a Christian Nation(tm). It's just another country. Better then some, worst then others. Simple as that.

addendum-
And a lot (granted not all) of people with the attitude of love it or leave it feel that if you don't love it, that it obviously isn't something wrong with the Country, but something wrong with YOU.
Don't like that you can get fired for being gay, well that's your problem, not ours.
Don't like that politicians have to have platforms of discrimination against gay people in order to get elected in many parts of this country, well, sorry, but again, that is your problem, not ours.
There is a representative in the Utah senate who has point blank said that homosexuals are the greatest evil and largest threat against this country and that he would do anything to protect us from them.
He was reelected, people's response "well, you should have voted for the opponent."
Umm, sorry, he won by a landslide number one, my vote wouldn't have made that much difference, and number two, he isn't my district so I can't vote against him... of course, this is my problem for not doing the impossible and keeping him from office.

[elsporko]

Nobody said hating gays is cool. People said hating all Christians due to the actions of a few is not cool. Just like how hating all gays is not cool.

[Hobbs]

What advice has he received so far? That if he doesn't love it, he should get the hell out. That if he has a problem, its his obligation to somehow change the country. That he should join the military ( The hell? ). That he's a coward. That he should be loyal to his country regardless of how his country and its people treat him.

That mentality.

America is not special. It is not paradise. It is not Shangra-la. It is not God's personal country on Earth. It wasn't founded as a Christian Nation(tm). It's just another country. Better then some, worst then others. Simple as that.

It is his obligation to fight against it and try to change the country. That's pretty much one of the founding principles of the United States; that you can voice your opinion and change your country if you want to. I don't remember seeing anyone say he should join the military though.

Smiley, I'm sorry that guy got re-elected. If he'd been in my district, I would have done the same. How do you think I felt when Rick Perry got elected again the past (not current) governor's election in Texas? It sucked. Stupid Kinky Freidman[sic] is to blame for that mess. Hopefully we can get rid of him this year.