On Using Insulting Names and Terms... "Don't Laugh At Me", by Peter, Paul and Mary

[bobbolink]

DON'T LAUGH AT ME
(Steve Seskin/Allen Shamblin)

I'm a little boy with glasses
The one they call a geek
A little girl who never smiles
'Cause I have braces on my teeth
And I know how it feels to cry myself to sleep
I'm that kid on every playground
Who's always chosen last
A single teenage mother
Tryin' to overcome my past
You don't have to be my friend
But is it too much to ask

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm the beggar on the corner
You've passed me on the street
And I wouldn't be out here beggin'
If I had enough to eat
And don't think I don't notice
That our eyes never meet

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind, yes, I think in a way, we’re all
I’m black, I’m white and I am brown
I’m Christian, I’m Jewish, and I am Muslim
I’m gay, I’m lesbian, I’m American Indian
I’m very, very young, I’m quite aged
I’m very wealthy, I’m very, very poor

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

My country ‘tis of thee
Oh, sweet land of liberty
It is of thee that I sing

http://www.peterpaulandmary.com/music/f-22-11.htm

[pacalo]

1. "Don't get your pleasure from my pain."

I've rarely known a happy, attractive person who felt the need to laugh at others. Those who enjoy laughing at others usually do so to detract from their own shortcomings; gives them a cheap sense of superiority.

:thumbsup:

[bobbolink]

2. I think you have that exactly right!

The unwillingness to give up using phrases that others find hurtful shows just what you are speaking about.

This is a song for "children", but it does seem apropos for so many who need to be reminded.

It is downloadable from the website.... it has been made into a school program...maybe your school would be interested in it?

Thanks! :yourock:

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Too bad more people don't live by this thought...

[Odin2005]

3. K&R

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. Wonderful words.

How many years has it been since those words were written, I wonder? And look at how far we've NOT come. :cry:

My son being the ONLY Jewish student in an entire school district, opened the door for many, many days of name calling and antisemitism. We know what it feels like to be the brunt of jokes and hatred based on nothing more than your religion.

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

Someday, maybe, things will change for the better. :hug:

[bobbolink]

7. "Someday, maybe, things will change for the better."

#1. We ALL have to press for it, for EVERYONE, not just for our own selves.

#2. We all have to understand that some things we take for granted as being OK to say, may be hurtful to others, and we need to be willing to hear that hurt and back away from our habits of speech.

Being obstinate about saying whatever we want to say is NOT peace. We can't be for peace in the world if we aren't willing to make peace with those close to us who are telling us we are hurting them.

:loveya: :yourock:

[MedleyMisty]

12. That hurts

But it's a conflict with your first point.

I lost a fair few friends earlier this year because I couldn't take their apathy anymore. And they told me I was hurting them, and I listened enough to at least leave them alone and cut things off and go my own way. Err...eventually.

But I guess - where's the line? Because I was making them uncomfortable, but on the other hand...it is morally impossible for me to be silent in the face of injustice, even if bringing it up hurts people. Which that's a general thing for me, but lately - when you're looking into the face of fascism, into the face of significant suffering and death, how are you supposed to deal with people who want to ignore it and just talk about TV or games or whatever?

I guess there has to be a place where you don't hurt them but you also don't violate your ethics, but I haven't found it yet.

[bobbolink]

15. I think that is an age-old struggle for people of conscience. And, it isn't as easy to do as it is

to say.

It hurts all the way around.

[Starry Messenger]

6. k&r

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. kick...

[bobbolink]

9. !!

:hi:

:hug:

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. :)

:hi::bounce::hi::bounce::hi::bounce:

:hug:

[bobbolink]

11. ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^

Good grief, lady.. where are you getting all that energy..?

If I tried to bounce, I'd be like the baby eagles doing a face plant in the nest!

:loveya:

[Lyric]

13. This is actually a country song, originally recorded by an artist named Mark Wills.

Also, you missed some of the lyrics. Here's a corrected version:

Don't Laugh At Me

I'm a little boy with glasses
The one they call a geek
A little girl who never smiles
'Cause I have braces on my teeth
And I know how it feels to cry myself to sleep
I'm that kid on every playground
Who's always chosen last
A single teenage mother
Tryin' to overcome my past
You don't have to be my friend
But is it too much to ask

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm the beggar on the corner
You've passed me on the street
I wouldn't be out here beggin'
If I had enough to eat
And don't think I don't notice
That our eyes never meet
I lost my wife and little boy
When someone crossed that yellow line
The day we laid them in the ground
Is the day I lost my mind
And right now I'm down to holding
This little cardboard sign.

So don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind, hey aren't we all?

(this part was added by Peter, Paul and Mary in their recording)
I’m black, I’m white and I am brown
I’m Christian, I’m Jewish, and I am Muslim
I’m gay, I’m lesbian, I’m American Indian
I’m very, very young, I’m quite aged
I’m very wealthy, I’m very, very poor

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

--------------------------------------------

The original was released in 1998. Peter, Paul and Mary did a cover later when they were choosing songs for their "Songs of Conscience and Concern" album.

Some country music is truly worthwhile, even some of the modern songs (like this one). I wish more people knew that.

[bobbolink]

14. Thanks for the info. What is important is that people take the message to heart.

The name-calling here is worse than childish.

[Lyric]

16. Indeed, and I agree. I just thought you might like to hear the whole thing.

The original is very good too, if you don't mind country music.

:hi: