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More frightening than UHC.. Michael Jackson... and Robbie's rat combined
- Thread starter Hypancistrus
- Start date
vetusvates
Gamaliel's Principle
All sarcasm aside, when it comes to this family, I am almost embarrassed by my indifference. I guess I look at things in life a little too selfishly, in that "How does it effect me?" Today....now....this moment....Or even tomorrow.....
I do marvel at people whose lives, by choice or by chance, are so very very different than mine.
Am I glad I'm not a member of this family? Yeah. Smelly kids all over the place. Wanting to be fed. Needing to go to the bathroom.
Am I glad they're not my neighbors? Big time. Way too noisy.
But I will say this, if they are using television or the internet as a vehicle to make money to continue propagating, or to harp on their religious beliefs, which also often means the silent smug implied condemning of what is "other" than their belief,.......then they are getting into the area that effects other people than themselves, like me.
At which point I would be driven to question their motives and if they are simply living their lives, or trying to 'deliver their message' to us.
Actively or passively trying to impose their beliefs is wrong either way. If that is what they're doing.
I would say I have had, and continue to have, an extremely diverse assembly of friends in life. I have been snickered at because I was gay. Shunned by the gay community because I had too many straight friends (yeah, how's that one for you?). And so forth, and so forth.......
But Sweet Nichole Marie (I don't know whether to call you sweetie, Nichole, or Marie), I have to look back at your post to see all the things that make you unique. I would really enjoy hanging out with you and listening to your world-view on things.
I do marvel at people whose lives, by choice or by chance, are so very very different than mine.
Am I glad I'm not a member of this family? Yeah. Smelly kids all over the place. Wanting to be fed. Needing to go to the bathroom.
Am I glad they're not my neighbors? Big time. Way too noisy.
But I will say this, if they are using television or the internet as a vehicle to make money to continue propagating, or to harp on their religious beliefs, which also often means the silent smug implied condemning of what is "other" than their belief,.......then they are getting into the area that effects other people than themselves, like me.
At which point I would be driven to question their motives and if they are simply living their lives, or trying to 'deliver their message' to us.
Actively or passively trying to impose their beliefs is wrong either way. If that is what they're doing.
I would say I have had, and continue to have, an extremely diverse assembly of friends in life. I have been snickered at because I was gay. Shunned by the gay community because I had too many straight friends (yeah, how's that one for you?). And so forth, and so forth.......
But Sweet Nichole Marie (I don't know whether to call you sweetie, Nichole, or Marie), I have to look back at your post to see all the things that make you unique. I would really enjoy hanging out with you and listening to your world-view on things.
Hypancistrus
New member
I was actually typing up a response to this when Tara yelled for me to come quick. We were advised to cut open the crestie eggs by Don at Sweet Arrow Reptiles at the show today... the first was dead in egg... the 2nd shot out of the egg like soap squeezed between your hands...
Suffice to say I am far to happy to argue these points anymore.
However, I will leave the tread with this quote from a poster that is placed in the lobby of the evening high school I teach for.
"If you are uncertain of the character of a person, examine the character of the people he calls friends."
I think, given the links I've posted from their own website, that this is very much appropriate.
sweet~nichole~marie
Tallulah's Mama
I have to say, me too! The house behind us has 3 or 4 kids but when they are all out in the backyard they sound like there are 19 of them! I spend all day around kids, I like to come home to a kid-free zone to destress and get ready to hurl myself back into the trenches the next day.
I always think it is so weird that a community that has to deal with discrimination all the time is sometimes as likely to be unaccepting of some people . . . but then I realise that we are all humans and flawed and can only strive to be perfect. I have gotten the same type of attitude from some members of the community for being bi, the-why-can't-you-just-make-up-your-mind-and-be-one-or-the-other-mindset ~LOL~ I just shrug and say I am an equal opportunity kind of person ~grins~
Why, thank you, Eric. I would like that, too. If you are ever in Oregon, be sure to let me know. We are only an hour away from the beautiful Oregon Coast and we get to see migrating whales during certain times of the year! And Portland is a very funky, queer-friendly (for the most part) place and that is only 45 minutes away!
Alastair is yelling at me from the living room about something in New Orleans, the insect-terrium??? Have you heard of it? Lots of insect exhibits (including dragonflies!!!) and he says it looks very cool. Maybe we will have to come to Louisiana soon!
And Nichole is fine ~LOL~ Nichole is my first name, Marie my middle name, and "sweet Nichole Marie" is Alastair's nickname for me. He's got this thing about rhyming and nicknames (all our pets have about 10 nicknames each) and started out singing to me "you are my sweet Nichole Marie, you are as sweet as sweet can be" and it just stuck ~LOL~
The_Thunderer
New member
Hmmmmm... I'm just glad that I don't link all my gay/lesbian/bi/trans friends in the same box - by association - as those who chose to be offensive and attack me for my beliefs.
Being Filipino, I've been discriminated against as well... by ALL sides (Black, White, Hispanic - even OTHER FILIPINOS). I'm glad that I can look at others from all those races and not associate them with those who were discriminatory to me.
Who amongst us would not be guilty by association with SOMETHING? I'm a Christian... do I get linked by that label with the extremists that exist in EVERY thing? Never mind that my wife and I take care of 13 kids also (most of which DON'T call me "dad" but I consider my own none-the-less)... so in that regard am I linked with the "extremist" Duggar family?
But, I guess that's why I'm me! It is a sad thing, however, to see that there are fewer with a mindset like my own than I once thought.
Unless I'm attacked, I don't attack. Unless I'm put down, I don't put down. Unless I'm provoked, I don't provoke. Live and let live.
Michael823
New member
Best post in this thread!
sweet~nichole~marie
Tallulah's Mama
But, don't you feel that if you see some one behaving in a morally unacceptable way, that as responsible members of our society, we have a duty to try to educate? Live and let live only goes so far . . . if I have a student who believes it is ok to bully another student because they are smaller/shy/a difference race, I can't stand back and say "Live and let live." Besides it being part of my job to step in and not allow that type of behavior, morally I couldn't just let that kind of behavior go.
I am sure that is not what you meant, but you have to be careful of phrases like that, they have such a bigger implication. Like . . . you realize a neighbor beats their spouse, their child, or their dog . . . wouldn't you call the police/child services/humane society, even
though "technically" it is none of your business?
As for your other statememts, I have to say I don't really agree with "don't put down unless someone else does it to me". If some one puts me down, I am not going to turn around and try to put them down in response. I think that is just escalating the issue and not really addressing the root of the problem. Why is that person putting me down? Are they insecure about themselves or feeling threatened by me? I'm not going to turn around and do the same thing to someone that I find unacceptable in the first place.
I work with a lot of low-income, gang affliated students who come from broken homes, abuse situations, and haven't really been taught how to deal with people except "well, if someone attacks or provokes me, I will meet them in kind". This just perpetuates these types of situations. I tend to have a lot of success with those students everyone else has given up on because I never treat them like they are just "gang-bangers". I am very patient with them and never meet their attitudes with one of my own. Over time, they start to realize that they can let down that wall that so many of them hide behind. I not saying that it always works, but the teachers I see meeting these kids with the same attitude the kids have never make that connection with them. It becomes a power struggle between them and it never works.
I try to accept people for who they are and recognize that not every one sees things the way that I do and they don't have to, but the problem arises when people who have different opinions WILL NOT accept those different from them and recognize that different does not equal wrong. Or their beliefs cause harm to another. Then I can no longer sit back and "live and let live".
It all goes back to humans not being perfect . . . as I tell my students, "a good student (and teacher!) is not perfect, but they try".
Every day I try to be a little bit better than the day before. . . I am not always successful, but at least the effort is there
Boy, this thread got very philosophically heavy. Isn't it crazy how that happens around here? ~LOL~
You know what song started running through my head? "C'mon people now, Smile on your brother. Ev'rybody get together. Try and love one another right now."
wade
Save The Humans
Whoa, wait a minute, isn’t that what started all of this to begin with? Who decides what is morally unacceptable? Is homosexuality morally unacceptable? It is to some. Is being Jewish morally unacceptable? It is to some. We can probably all agree on spousal abuse or child abuse, but the line gets fuzzy real fast.
This whole thread has been about weather we as morally superior people (because we have snakes) should look down on morally bankrupt people like the Duggars because the like the bible.
sweet~nichole~marie
Tallulah's Mama
True . . . I completely agree that we do have to be careful, but I think that there are some things that everyone (at least almost) agrees that are not acceptable. Usually they all revolve around vioence/harm. And yes, I fully realize that there are people who might try to say homosexuality causes harm to justify their intolerance, but I think there are enouogh people disagreeing with that and enough evidence to fight that one. However, most people would agree that murder does cause harm and it is unacceptable in our society. Having 19 children . . . some might see it causing harm, others might not, but that is why there is no law (in our country) about having lots of children. Now if they were is China, on the other hand . . . .
But, to have a functioning society, there must be some agreed upon acceptable and unacceptable behaviors or chaos rules. Perhaps "morally" was the wrong word to use, that can mean different things to different people. But there are standard societal norms. Who made those up? Where did they come from? Why are there laws against murder, rape, child abuse? Because most people recognize that they are somehow wrong.
Do I think the Duggar's decision to have that many children morally unacceptable? No, just environmentally irresponsible . . . and a little confusing. I am someone who never wants to have even 1 child, so seeing someone who has 19 is a little mind-boggling to me. Am I going to march over to their house and tell the wife to get her dang tubes tied? No, not my place. Am I going to express my personal opinion when the topic is bought up? Sure, I have that freedom and am currently avoiding lesson planning for the coming week so I might as well weigh in. Am I going to get angry at anyone who doesn't agree with me? Nah, I'm a big girl and can take it.
As so often happens on an internet forum (where you can't see facial expressions and hear tone of voice), someone makes a comment that they might have originally meant in jest or as more of an off-hand comment and people are suddenly up in arms. Then, as more replies appear, tangents are taken, ideas are sparked by random parts of posts, and the thread wanders. Then, someone remembers what the original post was about and ties a tangent back to it. ~shrugs~ such is the way of the internet ~LOL~ Sometimes it is fun and sometimes it makes me remember why I try to stick with the purely corn sections of the forum. So many times it seems too easy to argue with/get mad at/insult someone who is only a name on a screen, not a real person in front of you. (see, tangent again)
All I can say to everyone, is that most of us really have no idea who each other is "in the real world" from a few random posts on a forum. Everything should be taken with a pretty big grain of salt and a little more patience and understanding.
I am now going to go try to take photos of my dog in her new shirt that says "Real Dogs Recycle". It is pink and green and sparkely and she looks oh-so-cute in it. ~LOL~ Try to be nice to each other, there is enough grief in the world already . . .
Lennycorn
Just see the truth
Rich in KY
Fortunate Fool
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to The_Thunderer again.
bekers71
What addiction?!
I thought you were supposed to spell "filipino" with a "ph-"? Hmp..learn some thing new every day. Thanks Wade!!
The_Thunderer
New member
LOL. We actually live on a "campus" of the children's home we work at... so we don't have any "neighbors" that are "surprised" by all the kids (it all belongs to the children's home). Just recently, because of all the growth (well, previously recent growth) around us, we became almost like a gated community.Fred you guys must have the loudest house on the block
It is also funny that you mentioned "NOISE". I just got through telling my OWN 5 year old son and 7 year old daughter to stop being so loud as they played with two other also loud girls we care for. Part of being a "professional parent" is being able to deal with the noise... but it doesn't make the noise any less GRATING!!! :headbang::headbang::headbang:
Weird, huh? I'm a FILIPINO whose parents are from the PHILIPPINES. Filipinos actually are pretty funny in that they have pretty thick accents where "f's" become "p's" with a smattering of "ph's" in there as well.
Funny story... When I still lived at home, I had saved my money to buy a ferret. Since, at that time, you couldn't BUY a ferret in Texas, I had to drive to Las Cruces, NM. Soo, I told my mother that I was taking the car so that I could buy a ferret. She said, "Oh, it would be nice to have a "perret" in the house". I drove away, thinking to myself, that she heard me say FERRET (I don't have the accent), so she MUST know what I went to get. When I showed up with a weasel-like creature, she screamed at me and told me that she had gone to the store to price out BIRD cages. In her mind FERRET = PARROT since she had no idea what a FERRET was.
Okay, I guess you had to be there... but it WAS funny.More? Okay. Guess how a FILIPINO with a heavy accent would pronounce the words FINISH, IN FACT, FENCE, DEFENSE. You probably are right!!!
Finish would sound like male genitalia... in fact would sound like a harsh version of ImPACT. Fense would be pense and defense would be de Pense.
Last Filipino thing as I've gone WAY OT...
Use the word Pull 4 times in one sentence. EASY for a Filipino. "Paul, be careful, before you fall into the swimming pool." Underlined words can all be replaced with PULL. LOL.
Sorry, Lauren. Just poking fun at my idiosyncratic race. :crazy01: