(11-02-2016 11:55 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(11-02-2016 11:44 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-02-2016 11:23 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  In the conversation with George and I was talking about his examples that were extreme. You really think there are substantially more people on the left that that do things like call others "white motherf..." and who tell others they have no opinion because they are white?

yes.

Quote:Because those are the extreme examples of the left that really are apt comparisons to the actions on the right that I mentioned, which have been seen and documented at Trump rallies. I think both sides of the political spectrum have members that act on the extreme, and I don't think one side has a significantly larger amount of crazy.

Well, I seen no large scale amount race-baiting and personal violence, just a few isolated incidents played up on the media. But the left is seemingly united in defining the racist, xenophobic right as deplorable.

Quote:I find it ironic that you complain about one-off instances being used to paint a broadbrush of Trump supporters, yet you do the same with the left. While the left is often more cognizant of the issues associated with being PC (not using language that may offend [see Master's titles at Rice], gender neautrality, race relations, etc), there are millions of people on the left who are not militant about these topics and just happen to fall on on side of the spectrum.

Try using a non PC term and watch the reaction. I am glad you agree the Trump supporter things are one-offs, but I disagree that PC reaction from the left are equally one-offs.

Quote:I find it likely that your interactions with Obama and Trump supporters support your views because that's how bubbles work, and we all live in one. I know that the vast majority of Trump supporters aren't out there yellow Jew-S-A, and at the same time, a majority of Clinton supporters aren't in the streets yelling things like about persecuting white, male, Christians. My guess is that you view some actions on the left and more extreme then I do, which is why you have the opinion that there are more extreme lefties than righties.

We are both in bubbles, but yours is more truthful?

No, Clinton supporters are not in the street yelling things about persecuting white Christian males, they are on the news and in the courts making their points.

I am not worried about the extremists as much as i worry about the broader movement. If there were thousands chanting Jew-S-A offsetting the thousands saying "you are deplorable", I would consider the extremism more balanced. Remember, my first quibble with you was over the statement that the two sides probably make up the same percentage.

BTW, what is the PC way to say "Master" now, and what happens if you say "Master"?

Rice Masters just voted 7-2 (2 abstained) to change the term Master into something else. One of the motivations was because of the historical context it has with slavery.

And regarding the bubble, I don't think mine is more right. I do think that I recognize the bubble better though, and that is likely due to my line of work. My friends are generallly left leaning, but I work in a industry that is surprisingly conservative and I work with a lot of blue collar guys. I've heard plenty of racist and misogynistic things said about Obama and Hillary (drillers LOVE to talk politics for some reason). I mean, if they didn't like Obama just because of his policies, why did the N-word get thrown around when talking about him so frequently? But here's the thing, I recognized that that drill crew was not EVERY drill crew, and that more likely than not, the majority of conservatives were like those I worked in the office with. However, one interesting thing is that, as the polls show, most of the people who would fall into the driller category are Trump supporters (white, non-college educated) while my coworkers and people like my father, and likely you (white, college educated) aren't fans of Trump.

But anyways, back to the bubble. My work pushes me outside of my bubble regularly, so I try and remind myself of that when talking in sweeping generalizations.

And I guess if you're not as worried about the extremists as much as the broader movement, did the Birther Movement give you pause?

I thought it was silly, as the location of birth is unimportant if the mother is an American citizen. As for as i am concerned, if you are an american citizen when you draw your first breath, you are a natural born citizen.

So are the guys racist because they are blue collar? No educated people would talk that way, right?

My experience with blue collar over the five plus decades is that there is a lot of talk, but when push comes to shove, people act like people. maybe they just need retraining in the proper way to speak and think.

But I think a lot of things are silly. The master, as in a college master, goes back to a English history that has nothing to do with slavery. More Downton Abbey than plantation. I would be bound to disagree (can I say bound?). Let me know what nonoffensive term is chosen.

Still, I am more concerned with the disapproving looks I would likely garner if I inadvertently referred to the Master at my college fifty years ago. will I be considered a racist, yet again?

People saying racist things in a work environment is not the same thing as opposing Obama just because he is black. I expect we will now have four to eight years when if we opposes President Clinton's policies, we will be called sexist. And I oppose a lot of her pronounced policies.

Still my basic disagreement with you is on perceived volume on either side. I have given my perceptions, you have yours. We will neither be able to convert the other, I think. Let us each go on our own way respectfully. But next time somebody chides you for using the wrong word, think of the source. I prefer to remain the Master of my fate, the Captain of my soul. Oops. Sorry about that.