Tonight's experience at Food World

I went to the grocery store tonight (or last night if you prefer).

As you probably know, Tuesday night Alabama became the latest state to pass an anti-gay-marriage referendum. (I voted against it. And not all was bad about the election returns. Roy Moore and all four of his Supreme Court candidates went down hard.)

My cashier was a pretty white girl who looked to be about 19. I noticed even before it got to be my turn to check out that she was one of the friendliest cashiers I've ever come across. She was chatting with the black lady ahead of me, and making silly sounds at the baby. She just seemed like the sweetest girl, wanting to make everyone happy and at-ease.

When my turn rolled around, she was just as nice. She noticed the anti-George Bush t-shirt I was wearing, so I guess she figured that I was interested in politics. And she asked me, "How did that gay vote come out?"

And I replied "It passed with about 81%, I think."

She said "Oh. That means they can get married?"

I said "No. The amendment passed, so they can't get married."

Her reply was "Oh, good. I don't even think there should even be gay people"

I never, ever use profane language in public. Unless you count DU as in public. ;) Rarely, even in private.

However, I reflexively replied, "I don't give a fuck who people sleep with, everyone should have equal human rights."

A black guy behind me in line spoke up. He said "It is weird." I'm not sure if he meant that gay marriage is weird, or that hating gays is.

The girl laughed. I think it was nervous laughter about me saying, pretty loudly, the word "fuck" in the hallowed halls of Food World.

She said "Well, I don't mean any harm. I guess that's just the way I was raised."

I resisted the urge to ask her if she had been reared by a family of Klan members.

I also resisted the urge to ask her to go home with me to practice a little heterosexuality, since she feels so strongly about it. She was very cute, after all. :evilgrin:

Trust me. I've been around Mississippi long enough to learn. She would not have bothered talking to the lady ahead of you if she were raised to hate a person for his or her skin color.

Regardless, bigotry comes in all forms. If she believes that gays should not exist, then by logical extension she has implicitly justified mass genocide against an entire population of people for the mere fact that they're homosexuals.

Radical or strange ideas are not things with which I have a problem. It is intolerance that bothers me. If you don't like Democrats, for instance, then I'm fine with that, but if you dislike them to the point where you judge them worthy of being wiped off the face of earth, for instance, then I have a problem...a big problem.

My dad was actually, technically, a member of the Klan at one time.

He always railed against the "bullshit racists," but at one time, back in the fifties, you had to sign up with the Klan, and pay dues, to get a decent job in Alabama. Thank God those days are gone.

Doesn't think, doesn't care, just chews whatever she's fed and swallows it down. Her preacher/mother/father/teacher told her gays are bad, so bad they are. After all, she probably believes the world took seven days to build and that Jesus fed 10,000 people with a single Happy Meal, so her critical faculties are damaged beyond repair as it is.

I always find it depressing when nice people are also bigoted people. Seems a waste of a personality that could go to someone that really needs it.

and you know she has the capacity to be kind, maybe you should go back and try to educate her about gay people.
Just a suggestion. :-)

You're giving me ideas! ;)

She's probably not even registered to vote.

...than anyone else.........then, yes she did mean harm!! I know it's just an expression but I just wanted to clear that up.

Btw, that's great news about Moore!!

I didn't think that Moore would win, but I did think his acolyte Tom Parker would. But he didn't. :)

... this is STANDARD, people, not the exception.

EDIT: The (bad) politicians aren't making this shit up - this is what PEOPLE think. We need to change the PEOPLE.

Then I'd say, "That's what the nazis said, too! - are you a nazi?"


:wtf:

My answer to the "that's the way I was raised" excuse:

Me too, but then I grew up and started to think for myself.

Stops them cold every time!