Writer Joseph Forrest with his father
I grew up in Tennessee on the banks of the Tennessee River. My familial ancestor helped form the Ku Klux Clan. My whole upbringing was steeped in this divisive social mentality of “Us vs. Them”. I rarely saw black people where I lived and those that I did see kept to themselves. Even as a young child, this bothered me. The fact that I was supposed to consider someone with a different skin color as a lesser being made no logical sense to me.
My whole upbringing was steeped in this divisive social mentality of “Us vs. Them”.
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When I finally ventured out on my own into the real world, I experienced so many cultures I couldn’t begin to list them here. It was an eye-opening experience, and while I found discrimination everywhere, I found more that were accepting and willing to share their culture with me. One thing that I did find, from shepherds in Afghanistan and sushi chefs in Japan to a fellow drinker in Ireland, is that people all want the same things: to feel safe and accepted.
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This made me completely disown that part of my upbringing. I can’t find it in myself to hate someone because they’re different in some way. It also makes me one of the odd ducks in my family that doesn’t support that tiny-handed, Tribble wearing Oompa Loompa that’s running for President. I’m cool with that.
There is a thread of fear that is woven inside of us. It’s a fear of the unknown. When our hunter-gatherer ancestors used this instinct, it was essential in order to survive. Fear is still a healthy emotion as long as it doesn’t rule you.
Discrimination—against people of varying genders, colors, sexual orientation, class, and such—is based in fear. People still fear what they don’t know and there are thousands and thousands of con artists out there preying on that fear to push profits and agendas. All you have to do today is tune into the news and you find one of our Presidential candidates pushing fear as a tactic to get elected to the highest office in the land.
For those of us who still want to live in a sane world, this madness is building to a crescendo that is hard to ignore. So why can’t we stand up and speak for those who have no voice? Why do we find it so hard to intervene when we see such injustice?
We need to get off our ass and do something, because if we keep walking down this road, there will be worse tragedies.
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Personally, I believe we find it hard to step in and say something because that means we have to put our beliefs out there and they become concrete. You have chosen a side when you perform an act of intervention. With that comes a certain amount of responsibility and consequence that an individual would not have if they were to remain silent.
Today, when I hear disparaging remarks thrown in anyone’s direction, I say something about it. I choose a side. I stand up for others because it’s the right thing to do. I speak out because if they have no voice, why not give them mine?
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We need to teach our children that it’s not okay to hate someone simply because they’re different. While this may seem like a daunting task, all you have to do is set an example. Show them what it means to be a compassionate, good person.
Finally, we need to get active. I’m a firm believer that once you recognize something as evil, you should do everything in your power to fight that evil. Discrimination is evil. We need to pick a side and stand up. We need to volunteer for organizations fighting the good fight. We need to protest. We need to write to our leaders. We need to get off our ass and do something, because if we keep walking down this road, there will be worse tragedies.
Let’s be heroes. Let’s make a difference. Let’s change the world.
Photo: Joe Forrest
Then being as a Hillary supporter, I would think that it would bother you that one of mentors was Hillary Clinton speaking highly of a former Klan Member. Former U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) was a card-carrying member and recruiter for the KKK. In the 1940s, he obtained the KKK rank of “Exalted cyclops” and spent decades promoting their vile, racist message. And he took part in what was – at the time- the longest filibuster ever against the Civil Rights Act. Also Mr. Quigg, the leader of the Klan’s California chapter, announced last month that he had abandoned supporting… Read more »
Please show me the quoted line where I say I’m a Hillary Clinton supporter. I’ll wait.
Oh, I never said that, did I? Please find another bridge to troll under. This one is full.
Nice try … if you aren’t a Hillary supporter, why didn’t you speak out against BOTH of them? In so far as my being a “troll,” … not worth addressing.
Because while I think Mrs. Clinton is a corporate fed shill who’ll deliver what her masters ask of her, I believe Mr. Trump is a walking harbinger of a world left in tatters.
The world will continue to spin with Mrs. Clinton. Mr. Trump is a World War waiting to happen.
You’re being rude doesn’t help your message of peace love and eternal happiness.
As Tom did above, you’re putting words into my mouth. No human will ever live in a world of complete peace, love, and happiness unless that’s part of the next life. There will always be challenges to overcome. Ridding ourselves of our failed and reprehensible cultural patterns while embracing the cultural patterns that enrich life for all is the very definition of social evolution, and it’s what I believe we should strive to achieve. Also, I am rude. I’m not ashamed of that. I’m not here to change minds to be absolutely honest. I’m not here to engage in contrarian… Read more »
“…oversensitive man-babies.” is not something I would expect to see written on a site that promotes the diversity of men in today’s society. “contrarian debate” is what you see, having a discussion is what I see. A discussion that no one else is having? But you choose to cut that “conversation” short, and you have every right to do so.
Yes, well, I’m unapologetic about who I am and I, seemingly like yourself, call it like I see it. If guys are acting like a bunch of man-babies, I’ll say it.
You are who you are and shouldn’t apologize for who you are. I’d just ask that you be a little more discerning as the the label(s) you may use toward men. You are clearly a person who has another persons best interest in mind but some terminology used with some men may turn them away then draw them in. Being blunt and not mincing words can be and often times is refreshing.
Good advice. I’ll keep that in mind.
Wow …. 0 for 2
Hi, Tom. How have you been?
I’m doing well, thank you for asking.
Know that I don’t dislike you. I disagree with you, but I don’t dislike you. I don’t even really know you so that’s not possible anyway.
Back at you Joseph. We only know each other based on limited written dialog.
You keep hitting me with tough critiques, my man. I may respond like an asshole, but I do appreciate your reading and commenting.
Instead of complimenting Joseph for posting a positive message, you have chosen to play politics. You make the assumption that Joseph is a Clinton supporter, yet he hasn’t even mentioned her. You don’t mention the conservatives (not to mention other Americans) who continue to oppose Trump. For the record, I’m opposed to both of them and won’t be voting in November. Robert Byrd is dead. David Duke, who strongly supports Trump, is alive and kicking. Not to mention all the other white “nationalists” whose political affiliation is Republican. Does this fact bother you? Did you ever have a problem with… Read more »
I like you, Bill. You send powerful messages. Thanks for commenting!
@ Bill The issue is that you can’t defeat a candidate by not voting, therefore, since the author has decided not to endorse a candidate (at least on this forum), nor has he found it necessary to oppose any other candidate (at least in this forum) we can surmise that he finds the remaining candidates including Clinton acceptable. The problem is as always at least Clinton has supported and failed to oppose when she had the ability to do so, discrimination. We see discrimination in VAWA where DV victims who are CIS, white, men are excluded from some of the… Read more »
John, you’re making a lot of assumptions about me. You know what they say about people and assuming things, yeah?
You’re welcome to clear them up if I’m incorrect.
I really don’t want to argue or anything like that, but no, I don’t support Mrs. Clinton either. I will have to make a choice though and I will choose what I believe to be in the best interest of our nation and ALL of the people who live in it. I do agree with several of the statements you made about Mrs. Clinton. She has had numerous opportunities to stand up for what’s right and chose not to do so. I just can’t see an America worth living in if Mr. Trump is elected. That’s not the nation I… Read more »
@ Joseph Forrest
“I will have to make a choice though and I will choose what I believe to be in the best interest of our nation and ALL of the people who live in it.”
Isn’t that the problem we all have? We have a finite number of choices and need to decide on what’s best. I’m not certain though that Trump is the most discriminatory (for lack of a better term) of the candidates although I’m completely unfamiliar with Stein and Johnson.
I agree. I hate to vote for “the lesser of two evils” but I simply cannot fathom a world in which Donald Trump is the President of the United States. The man is a racist fool who is supremely unqualified for the role of Commander in Chief. There is nothing that would destabilize the world more short of complete and total economic collapse. Based on the way Trump runs businesses, it’s not a stretch of the imagination that he’ll cause an economic collapse.
I have often found that criticizing one candidate leads to everyone assuming that we are naturally for the other. Sometimes, it isn’t like that. Am not an American but I have sensed this in India and in Singapore as well. Hope for the best!
Thanks for the comment, Susheela!