"Fear is what drives prejudice." I read these word today written by a "gay girl"

[Mountainman]

She writes for the Santa Barbara Independent. If you want to read her stuff I think you can go to independent.com/gaygirl and her email is [e-mail]. Her name is Penny Patterson.

Here is what she was saying. She's talking about the film, "The Bible Tells Me So."

"The film concludes that fear is what drives prejudice - there is always a need to create an "other" in order to foster solidarity within the mainstream. In the past, that other has been blacks or women and now it's gays. .............. the sin is not being gay but rather the intolerance of those who are."

I think most of us would agree with that and that the right has used that fear and prejudice meme for political gain for too long.

This year it will be used again only this time the fear and prejudice will be centered around illegal immigration. And we will fall all over ourselves to distance ourselves from illegals and go right along with the repubs saying, no not me! You've seen it with the attacks on Hillary for not saying she is against drivers licenses for illegals.

My question is why we can be tolerant of one group, gays and not as tolerant to illegals. I already know what the answers will be but I don't buy them.

Aren't liberals more compassionate than the right? Aren't liberals smarter than the right? Than why can't we see what's happening and not fall for it?

Why can't we see that we as working class people have more in common with the illegals when it comes to life's struggles than we do with the right wing?

I would think a liberal solution to the immigration problem would envision a world were all workers united and made a better life for each of us rather than let the repubs, the corporations and the right wing use us and the illegals as tools in their self centered grab for power and wealth.

[Ian David]

1. Fear leads to anger...

"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you. "
-- Master Yoda

[unpossibles]

3. I must not fear

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.


I agree that fear drives bigotry and intolerance. Heck, I think fear drives milder forms of intolerance, such as when someone makes fun of someone else for dressing differently. That person is perhaps afraid to break the social norms and jealous/afraid/distrustful of those who do break the social norms. When I used to look a lot "weirder" than I do now, I had many people tell me they wished they had the guts to dress like that, or have hair like that or whatever.

Of course, it was more likely that instead of saying that, they'd throw things at me or just stare and lock their door as I walked by. It was sometimes funny, but it got old quickly.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

2. I don't oppose immigration, I oppose exploitation.

We have deliberately created an underclass of people to do disagreeable jobs for low pay and no benefits. I don't care where they are from or what their immigration status is, that is wrong.

I agree with you on uniting workers. If we're going to have global trade alliances, then there should be global labor alliances as well.