Why is the first response to an opinion that disagrees with homosexuality to call that person blatantly ignorant and a bigot, but to make no effort to educate him or her?
2007-03-22 08:47:59 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
If educating a person won't work, why should you say anything at all?
2007-03-22 08:56:32 · update #1
At the heart of the matter is, do you think there are better forms of debate than just automatically playing the ignorance card? And if a person is just harassing you, why debate at all?
2007-03-22 09:37:27 · update #2
I have read very few honest and sincere questions about homosexuality here on YA. Most are tainted with bigotry.
I would never go into the Culture section and ask "hey why are all Americans fat".
These type of people are not looking for "education" they are harassing.
Yes, Banana we could remain silent. In fact most of the time we are so bored and tired of the crap, we do remain silent. However, gays are human too. We're not perfect. This Board with all the YA TOS and "political correctness" is sometimes overwhelming..even for us.
If someone asks a sincere question with respect I can bet that 95% of the gay people here would reply with due respect.
2007-03-22 08:57:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 0⤋
The thing with people who approach an issue that they are trying to understand and educate themselves about a subject is that they need to approach it with an open mind. If you make a statement about a subject that is anchored in absolutes you shouldn't be suprised if people don't think you are trying to better understand a subject. If your statements are in lock step with those of bigotted and blatantly ignorant people it is hard for us to see you as different from those who are bigotted and blatantly ignorant. In other words you might not be dressed in robes and a hood, but I can still think you are racist if you echo the racial hatred of the KKK.
2007-03-22 09:17:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do like the thought that Indy brought up. Silence *is* too often mistaken for agreement. We might look at the silence of the Catholic Church vs. Nazi Germany in WWII, or to not be so genocidal......let's look at Sir Thomas Moore who simply said nothing to Henry VIII about the Marriage Question (this time about one of Two Wives) until the King backed Sir Thomas into a religious corner and had his head lopped off anyways.
Silence does usually mean acceptance of an issue and if you don't speak up for something (and Bless it, I can't remember the gentleman's name) at the end, will there be anyone left to speak for us?
I agree that we can't teach the unteachable but we can still try not to curse the darkness.
Blessings.
2007-03-22 09:44:07 · answer #3 · answered by Mama Otter 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, here is the way I look at it, tell me if you think I am mistaken.
Getting hit with the homophobic stuff, insults, and condemnation is like being hit by a bat! If I get hit by 300 people walking by with the bat, when I see number 301 coming, the first thing I will do is to try to defend myself.
There ARE honest, respectable questions that people ask here, but like has been said before by many people, they tend to be few and far between. Should we be more respectful of these, probably yes. And I USUALLY try to be respectful at first. And I will continue to do that. But I DEFINITELY understand why people react the way that they do.
I agree that we should try to educate them. I do my best in a respectful way, when the question is respectful. But most of the questioners don't WANT to be educated, they want to insult.
2007-03-22 09:35:17 · answer #4 · answered by Tikhacoffee/MisterMoo 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ok, you are generalizing here. Maybe this does happen, but it is not automatically the first response. I ALWAYS make a habit of trying to tell someone how I see things, and why I disagree with them. Maybe you need to calm down a little bit.
2007-03-22 08:53:08 · answer #5 · answered by jjspike 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How many times would you suggest is the appropriate amount to attempt to "educate" those who disparage gays/lesbians?
Many of us have tried several times with these bigots. They return repeatedly to harass, insult, slander and generally spread hatred no matter what anyone says.
You can't educate someone who doesn't want to hear the truth.
You can't force someone to not be ignorant when they're so damned proud of their ignorance.
2007-03-22 08:54:14 · answer #6 · answered by DEATH 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
How do you propose that we "educate" those who post ignorant questions? Are we really suppose to be patient with people who post questions like "When will all gays die of AIDS?" or "Gays don't you know you're going to h*ll?"
Those people do not want to be educated.
If someone asks an intelligent question, then the responses are more accommodating.
2007-03-22 09:27:34 · answer #7 · answered by behrmark 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There is really nothing anyone can say about intollerance as a general statement except...that does show ignorance.
If someone dislikes another person who happens to be gay, on thier merits that is another issue all together.
2007-03-22 10:18:45 · answer #8 · answered by universatile love 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not everyone doesn't make an effort to try... in fact, I try, but a lot of people refuse to be reasoned with, they are too ignorant to accept something that they don't believe in.
2007-03-22 08:52:35 · answer #9 · answered by jedilounge1 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is so much information out there in cyberspace that if anyone wanted to learn about homosexuality or any other subject for that matter, all they have to do is look for it.
After all, they have found Yahoo answers, haven't they?
2007-03-22 09:43:47 · answer #10 · answered by jasgallo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋