240,000 dollars awarded to man forced to cover Arab T-shirt

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Just because a man has arabic writing on his shirt does not make him suspicious. The saying was not meant for me or you or anyone who doesn't speak or read arabic. I wouldn't know what it said, and it doesn't matter. He can wear anything he wants on a plane. Would you feel the same if the writing was in yiddish, chinese, japanese, spanish, etc?

If it was Spanish I wouldn't feel the same cuz I could read it. And last time I checked it's been a while since a Chinese or Japanese person killed thousands of people using airplanes.

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them. But someone, from a religious background the same as monsters who devastated so many lives, doing something in an airport that is obviously for attention, makes me nervous.

My mixed feelings come from the way he was treated. Yes I think he did it for attention. No I don't think he should have been treated the way he was. I love having freedom of speech but I think sometimes people take it too far.

Out of curiosity, how would you feel if he was wearing one of those red bandana things around his head like the terrorists put on right before they took the planes over? Would that make you nervous or would you feel like "I don't wana racially profile".

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

If it was Spanish I wouldn't feel the same cuz I could read it. And last time I checked it's been a while since a Chinese or Japanese person killed thousands of people using airplanes.

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them. But someone, from a religious background the same as monsters who devastated so many lives, doing something in an airport that is obviously for attention, makes me nervous.

My mixed feelings come from the way he was treated. Yes I think he did it for attention. No I don't think he should have been treated the way he was. I love having freedom of speech but I think sometimes people take it too far.

Out of curiosity, how would you feel if he was wearing one of those red bandana things around his head like the terrorists put on right before they took the planes over? Would that make you nervous or would you feel like "I don't wana racially profile".

It actually wouldn't bother me at all. Did the terrorists wear shirts with arabic writing emblazoned on the front on the flights on 9/11? No, so it's like apples and oranges. This is no different than crossing the road to get away from young black men because you know that some young black men have mugged people in the past. At some point,you have to accept that you can't go around expecting all people different from you to be evil.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

If it was Spanish I wouldn't feel the same cuz I could read it. And last time I checked it's been a while since a Chinese or Japanese person killed thousands of people using airplanes.

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them. But someone, from a religious background the same as monsters who devastated so many lives, doing something in an airport that is obviously for attention, makes me nervous.

My mixed feelings come from the way he was treated. Yes I think he did it for attention. No I don't think he should have been treated the way he was. I love having freedom of speech but I think sometimes people take it too far.

Out of curiosity, how would you feel if he was wearing one of those red bandana things around his head like the terrorists put on right before they took the planes over? Would that make you nervous or would you feel like "I don't wana racially profile".

Your first sentence is what caught my eye. If you could read it...well if you could you'd feel safe. You have fear, which can be a healthy and natural thing, but I think it is misdirected here. It is okay to be scared in life, but it isn't okay to be irrational in the process. There were sarin gas attacks in Japanese subways that were considered a terrorist attack, and some people believe the actions of the Chinese toward Tibetans are terrorist acts as well; however you cannot ethcially and in good conscience associate anything Arabic with terrorism. If you went to school in Dearborn, and I know there are lots of Middle Eastern people and practicing Muslims in your community, you have to know some good people.

There are people in my church (locally, nationally, world wide) who are Middle Eastern and speak Arabic, not everyone is an Islamic extremist with fatwas and a jihad, I wish you could see that and let the hate and fear out of your heart, it makes me sad.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

If it was Spanish I wouldn't feel the same cuz I could read it. And last time I checked it's been a while since a Chinese or Japanese person killed thousands of people using airplanes.

White people killed thousands of American Indians, clearly they should be scared of me wearing a shirt that has English writing into a reservation.

Your ancestors fucking WORKED WITH THE NAZIS. This is such an inane argument I can't believe we're having it.

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them.

THIS INVALIDATES YOUR WHOLE POINT GAAAAH.

B

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

ut someone, from a religious background the same as monsters who devastated so many lives, doing something in an airport that is obviously for attention, makes me nervous.

If they're doing it for ATTENTION they are clearly not concerned with BLOWING UP PLANES. Remember how attackers keep a low profile, lest they be caught?

Do you see how illogical you're being here?

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

White people killed thousands of American Indians, clearly they should be scared of me wearing a shirt that has English writing into a reservation.

Your ancestors fucking WORKED WITH THE NAZIS. This is such an inane argument I can't believe we're having it.

My ancestors were Sicilian, not Italian.

And yes, had that happened right after the white people killed the Native Americans, hell yeah they should be scared. Should African Americans be scared if a skinhead came through their neighborhood? Should Jewish people be scared if a Nazi came through theirs?

Yes this has nothing to do with the topic at hand. But oh well. Being attacked for my thoughts and beliefs is fun.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

.....and I'm sorry, call me racist but.....

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

.....So I choose not to answer you anymore.

....I'm sorry but that's the living truth and I'm not going to be ridiculed for stating my thoughts and feelings on it.

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

But oh well. Being attacked for my thoughts and beliefs is fun.

Couple of things....

"Truth" and "fact" are not necessarily the same thing. One's "truth" can be absolutely ridiculous, and one can absolutely be expected to be ridiculed for it. Facts are not usually ridiculed, if you ask me.

Have you been attacked? I wouldn't say so -- I see a group of people who don't ordinarily agree with each other (or me) questioning your opinions. That happens to all of us every day on GC, no matter how hot some of us are.

I generally think you've said some pretty out there stuff, racially speaking, so this doesn't really surprise me that you would feel this way on this particular topic. But knowing how GC gets regarding these topics, maybe you want to craft your opinions in such a way that they come across as more intellectual than emotional.

I'm not saying that you sound stupid or emotional, but it just doesn't seem that your concerns are coming from a place that many people who have replied already can relate to.

Not that you're here to make friends or have people agree with you, it just seems like this whole thread won't end with any particular new understanding.

And if you've read this far, I just want to say that the term "joker" is stupid and should be abolished.

Thanks for your time.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

My ancestors were Sicilian, not Italian.

You ignored the substantive portion to focus on this?

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

And yes, had that happened right after the white people killed the Native Americans, hell yeah they should be scared. Should African Americans be scared if a skinhead came through their neighborhood? Should Jewish people be scared if a Nazi came through theirs?

This is an improper analogy, since you don't know whether a Muslim is an extremist. Instead you should say:

"Should African Americans be scared if a white person came through their neighborhood? Should Jewish people be scared if a German came through theirs?"

... because this guy is Muslim. He's not a Muslim Extremist (nee "Terrorist"), at least by appearances.

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

Yes this has nothing to do with the topic at hand. But oh well. Being attacked for my thoughts and beliefs is fun.

You're not being attacked, you're being questioned and asked to justify. That's OK - maybe I was a bit over the top, but when you claim something outlandish or beyond the pale, you'll have to defend the claim. This is a meritocracy, not Kindergarten - your ideas are not automatically "ok" just because they exist.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

You ignored the substantive portion to focus on this?



This is an improper analogy, since you don't know whether a Muslim is an extremist. Instead you should say:

"Should African Americans be scared if a white person came through their neighborhood? Should Jewish people be scared if a German came through theirs?"

... because this guy is Muslim. He's not a Muslim Extremist (nee "Terrorist"), at least by appearances.



You're not being attacked, you're being questioned and asked to justify. That's OK - maybe I was a bit over the top, but when you claim something outlandish or beyond the pale, you'll have to defend the claim. This is a meritocracy, not Kindergarten - your ideas are not automatically "ok" just because they exist.

You know what sticks out most in my mind "Red bandana things..."

Just....wow.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

You're not being attacked, you're being questioned and asked to justify. That's OK - maybe I was a bit over the top, but when you claim something outlandish or beyond the pale, you'll have to defend the claim. This is a meritocracy, not Kindergarten - your ideas are not automatically "ok" just because they exist.

Great paragraph.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

. That's OK - maybe I was a bit over the top, but when you claim something outlandish or beyond the pale, you'll have to defend the claim. This is a meritocracy, not Kindergarten - your ideas are not automatically "ok" just because they exist.

Says who she or anyone else has to defend their ideas or opinions on Greekchat.com? You dont have to agree with one's ideas or opinions. They have the right to those ideas or opinions. You can respectfully agree to disagree with them.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

Says who she or anyone else has to defend their ideas or opinions on Greekchat.com? You dont have to agree with one's ideas or opinions. They have the right to those ideas or opinions. You can respectfully agree to disagree with them.

Then what's the point of discussion?

Agreeing to disagree is for the birds. It goes without saying that you won't change people's minds. The point is to understand different points of view. That requires clear and concise expressions of the points of view.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Then what's the point of discussion?

Agreeing to disagree is for the birds. It goes without saying that you won't change people's minds. The point is to understand different points of view. That requires clear and concise expressions of the points of view.

i always figured it's to make people feel dumb for being wrong.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

Says who she or anyone else has to defend their ideas or opinions on Greekchat.com? You dont have to agree with one's ideas or opinions. They have the right to those ideas or opinions. You can respectfully agree to disagree with them.

They have a right to have those opinions.

That doesn't mean those opinions are right - no one has to defend their opinions, but if their opinions are poorly formed, based on something other than logic (like, oh, prejudice or fear or hate or ignorance), or otherwise wrong (both in the sense of "incorrect" and "not right"), there's no reason not to challenge those opinions.

You can choose whether or not to defend your thoughts/opinions/beliefs, but it's actually quite immature to say "But it's MY OPINION! I have a right to an OPINION!" as some sort of absolute defense to others questioning you. That's not how it works, and the faster we can disavow ourselves of this myth, the better discussion and communication will become.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

They have a right to have those opinions.

That doesn't mean those opinions are right - no one has to defend their opinions, but if their opinions are poorly formed, based on something other than logic (like, oh, prejudice or fear or hate or ignorance), or otherwise wrong (both in the sense of "incorrect" and "not right"), there's no reason not to challenge those opinions.

You can choose whether or not to defend your thoughts/opinions/beliefs, but it's actually quite immature to say "But it's MY OPINION! I have a right to an OPINION!" as some sort of absolute defense to others questioning you. That's not how it works, and the faster we can disavow ourselves of this myth, the better discussion and communication will become.

This post should be stickied somewhere by itself.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

They have a right to have those opinions.

That doesn't mean those opinions are right - no one has to defend their opinions, but if their opinions are poorly formed, based on something other than logic (like, oh, prejudice or fear or hate or ignorance), or otherwise wrong (both in the sense of "incorrect" and "not right"), there's no reason not to challenge those opinions.

You can choose whether or not to defend your thoughts/opinions/beliefs, but it's actually quite immature to say "But it's MY OPINION! I have a right to an OPINION!" as some sort of absolute defense to others questioning you. That's not how it works, and the faster we can disavow ourselves of this myth, the better discussion and communication will become.

Agreed 100%. Somehow the idea has developed on this site that a person has a right to state their opinions, but those who disagree have no right to do so. Where that came from, I don't know.

If you're going to air your opinions in public, and, specifically, if you're going to announce your opinions on controversial subjects, you have to expect that there will be someone who will disagree with you. If you can't accept that, then I don't know what to tell you.