Teleen's Journal

[Error: unknown template qotd]I would erase the intrinsic idea that most human beings have that anyone "Other" is someone to be feared.  I know the place where it comes from is one that helped our ancestors to survive (because it told us that the thing that went "bump" in the night might be a bear coming to eat us or that a stranger might be a drain on resources already stretched thin by subsistence living), but I'd truly rather that our species never have made it to this point, instead of us being sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and generally horrible to anyone who doesn't fit within our specific definition of "normal" (which is something that literally varies from person to person and no one really has set values for anyway).

( Cut for length and mentions of harm. )

Bottom line:  I would erase all of the excuses and justifications that people use to rationalize hurting those who are different from them.   

God Vs. $20 

When I first saw the post about this in antitheism, I couldn't bring myself to watch the video past the first minute, but then  rpeate made this comment and I had to watch it to see if I could find evidence to call bullshit on this sentence in particular:

No, if they had scribbled out the word "God", Mike would likely have said, "Their faith is secure," and not posted the video.

I figured that since I was going to have to watch it, I'd also transcribe it.  This was partly so that I could have ammunition to pick it apart and partly so that I could distance myself from what I was seeing.  Even so, there were times when I literally broke down crying while watching this. 

However, my tears were rewarded as sure enough, as I was transcribing, I found the proof that rpeate claim that Mike wouldn't have posted the video was complete and utter bullshit.

Towards the end, Mike says, "And don’t let it be said that I’m unreasonable.  We finally came to an agreement, but in hindsight it just looks ridiculous and childish.  I mean, they’re still selling out. They’re still taking the thirty pieces of silver."

So yeah, I'm calling bullshit over there. 

( For those who are interested, here's the transcript. Never having done one before, I hope you find it legible.  )
ETA: I went back through the video and cleaned up a few parts.  It's still not word-for-word, but it's a lot closer than it was.  I also added a couple of additional sporks.

ETA 2: Mike came over to the original post in antitheism to play.  Here's his comment thread.

ETA 3: This got linked on unfunnybusiness on journalfen for anyone who wants to see more discussion.

Inspired by more than one comment on the post that this post links to, I'm finally going to weigh in on the whole anti-PC, thought-police, this-word-has-another-meaning-and-no-one-can-own-a-word, I-don't have-to-change-simply-because-you're-offended school of thought.

I'm going to begin by saying that I'm guilty of using pretty much every word that is at issue at one point or another, some as recently as last year, so I'm not saying that I'm not in a glass house here. 

However.

For those who are against changing their language to remove certain words from their vocabularies because another person is offended by it, I ask the following question:

Who does it hurt? 

Seriously, who does it hurt to make the effort not to use words that others have found offensive?  I know that it's an effort to do so, so I guess someone could argue that it's hurting them by virtue of the fact that changing one's vocabulary and deleting certain words is hella difficult...  Well, I have to say that it's more difficult in the offline world, but online?  It's as easy as being careful of what one types.  I realize that for some, who type as quickly as they think, that could be a challenge, but seriously?  Who does it hurt?  Why is it such a big deal to just not be an asshat when someone asks you to do so?

( Cut for possible triggers and an incomplete list of incredibly offensive slurs that everyone should know not to use. Ever.  )And because I've been educating myself a bunch lately, here are a bunch of links that all say all of this a lot better than I just did.

101 Primer

sparkindarkness' entire journal.

Read all of that and then come back to discuss, if you wish, :).

ETA: Proof that not being an asshat is an ongoing battle: Weak is ableist.  Thank you to 51stcenturyfox  for letting me know, :).

ETA 2: My comment thread on the post that started all of this is here. 

ETA 3: Drama communities are probably not the best place to start, lol, but if it were not for them I never would have found most of this stuff out, which is why I mentioned them.  The best place to start is with the 101 Primer and go from there, :).

This post has now been edited because my essential message was being lost and I was doing more harm than good by defending my position on one phrase.  Most of the comments regarding that phrase have now been screened.  I'm not a PoC, so my feelings on that phrase don't matter whatsoever and continuing to argue about it only detracts from the essential point of what I was trying to say. 

I apologize for the drama.

For the record I am US-born, white, queer though I easily pass for both female and straight, and able-bodied.  I have no personal experience with physical, racial or ethnic discrimination and I apologize for speaking for those groups as if I were personally invested in those particular slurs not being used.

The areas in which I have personal experience and/or a personal investment include: feminism/sexim, sex work, body image/food, sexual freedom, BGLTQP rights/homophobia, bullying, child abuse, the US foster care system, the US health care system, PTSD, anxiety, depression and mental health.  

Yeah, yeah, I know, it's kind of funny that such a rabid atheist is saying the first part, but here's the thing:

"Muslim Terrorist" on Air Malta Plane Turns Out To Be Carribean Christian

When you say that one group is somehow scarier than another just because of the god they pray to (or what they look like or how they act), mistakes like this will happen, especially if you have the racist viewpoint that anyone who looks a certain way belongs to that faith. 

( Cut for length and futher discussion. )

This isn't rocket science.  It's shit that all of us have been told at one point or another and yet we keep spreading that same fear of anyone who isn't heteronormative, white and Christian.  

People suck. 

Ganked from rm, though I deleted one sentence, paraphrased another and added one more, :).

So there's an LJ meme about your holiday wishlist.

The wishes can be anything from small and with no obvious monetary value to unlikely and/or extravagant. The idea is that I post mine and you post yours, and if people are inclined some of those wishes may just come true. For example, if you have a leather jacket you don’t want or a gift certificate you’re never going to use, that might just be the thing that could make someone else's holiday.

Anyway this is an entirely guilt/obligation-free/why-not sort of thing.  Just a bit of whimsy, and I do not expect nor require anyone to participate, :).

If you have already or do post one of these in the future, please comment with a link so that everyone can spread the word around.  Remember: one person's trash is another person's treasure, :).

( Cut for my list, an incredibly vague trigger and my thoughts on this time of year, :). Happy Holidays! :) )  

I hope that everyone is safe and happy for this season and beyond and wish you all Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards Everyone, :).

Thank you all for being my friends, :)!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but men are human beings, right?  Which means that the following sentence:

plus he is not attracted to the male species.

is incorrect or at the very least, incomplete.  One could say, "He is not attracted to the male OF the species," or, "He is not attracted to the male of the Vulcan species." (Note: I did not see this line in a Star Trek story - Vulcan was just the most ubiquitous alien I could think of.)

However, saying, "plus he is not attracted to the male species."  breaks my brain for one very simple reason:

MEN ARE NOT A DIFFERENT SPECIES!  IT'S MALE GENDER, NOT SPECIES.  

( Okay, this started off as a mini-fanficrant and turned into a continuation of my "Am I Third Gendered" post, so, um. Yeah. That happened. I'm still confused, still questioning and still unable to figure out which box to check. The LONG exploration of that confusion is under the cut. Also, I have a strong feeling that some may find parts of this triggery or offensive and for that, I sincerely apologize. This is what my brain spat out. Read at your own risk.  )

I'm feeling frustrated and even more confused than when I started this, so here's where I am for now:

I think that I'm a human being who honestly doesn't care about genitals or gender identity as anything other than an aside to who someone is as a person.  I feel that biology dictates only what we allow it to and that, we as a species need to move past worrying so much about biology if we want to continue truly evolving beyond our animal roots.  

Taken from John Scalzi's post here lined out and amended to reflect my reality.  Got the idea to do it this way from kadymae.

 

( Cut for length, but I highly recommend taking a look. )

Ku Klux Klan Plans Rally To Support Anti-Gay Counseling Student.

I shouldn't be laughing, but seriously?  I have to wonder if the fact that the KKK is holding a rally in her honor might not be enough to show this young woman that her path is not the right one.  

If the KKK held a rally in my honor I'd be out in front of it with a change of my entire belief structure faster than you can say "Gay Marriage"!

If this doesn't cause her to seriously re-examine her life and the choices she's made therein, I weep for her future and the future of all those like her.

ETA: Someone on facebook pointed out that she should see it as a 'sign'... 

Well, as a follow-up to this post, I've gone ahead and created a safe space for atheists, safeforatheists. 

Given that there will be no smut, I've labeled it 'adult concepts', so pretty much anyone above the age of reason may join. 

If you are religious, you are still welcome.  However, any attempts to try and convince members to change their way of thinking will be considered trolling - this goes on both sides, btw, ;). 

I figured that there was no use whining and whining about how there are no safe places for atheists when it's so flippin' easy to create a community.

All posts will be locked members-only because a) membership is going to be pretty open, b) I want to protect the privacy of what anyone might say there and c) I want everyone to feel free to say pretty much whatever they want within the topic at hand. 

As far as submitting membership requests go, when you submit your request to join, if you look human it will be approved.  The moderated membership is mostly to keep out bots, though if 'I love Newt Gingrich with all my heart' is somewhere on your profile, I'll probably watch you for a while once you're in, ;).