stupid bigoted chain emails!

Blargh!

My wife forwarded an email she got today from a small business owner we know in the rural Dayton area, and it was the typical bullshit crap about how (a) Obama is the antichrist because he is of Muslim descent and (b) how we should profile Muslim men because of various terrorist activities in the Middle East, and finally (c) about how we don't really know Obama and that he is a Muslim sleeper agent or some similar ignorant bullshit.

Anyway, we each sent a reply to all. Hers was brilliant; it began by showing that the Book of Revelations does not, and could not, warn against the antichrist being born of a religion that was not around at the time. Then she mentioned that Obama is not even Muslim. Then she reminded everyone that (I forget the exact stats) just because 80% of serial killers are white men does not mean that all white men should be treated as serial killers. It was well written.

My response was far simpler. I told him (and everyone else on the list):
Jim, I know you meant well, but there are many Muslim American men who have died for our country. I have friends who are Muslim who are very patriotic, some of whom are business owners like yourself, who value the diverse customer base they have.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/54557.html





I actually got a response back from someone I did not know thanking me. I would like to think that maybe something in there sank in, whether it be to check your material before you look like a fool, or perhaps that Muslim Americans also are giving their lives for our country, or even just the idea that a smart businessman doesn't alienate his customers like this. I know I won't buy a single thing from him unless I hear something, and maybe not even then - I have no desire to give 1¢ to a bigot.

Congrats, Jim! You've lost at least three customers.

because they know I will just embarrass them with facts in front of their entire mailing list. I am fairly polite in that I don't start these things, but I will respond, and deal with hateful lies swiftly and factually.

we past this stuff. I say that the republicans scare people stupid. Appropriate for Halloween,huh?

I have been making an effort to be more polite in my responses, and to try to emphasize that it's not too late to stop being a moran. But in nicer words. :D

Seriously though, I do want the divisiveness to stop, and admit to occasionally being guilty of it myself. I do think they started it decades ago, but that's no excuse. We need to come together as Americans. On the bright side, there's a guy in my local scooter board who IS a good guy, and who I have been trying to convince to vote Obama. I thought I had him a couple of times, and I do think some of it may be sinking in, but who knows. He's scared of the whole "Socialist" meme thing now, but he is at least willing to have a rational and adult conversation about it, so you never know. And he is sick of Bush, although it's hard for him to admit.

I thought we were past national bigotry. We have lost so much since from Republican rule. I hope we can regain want we have lost when and if the democratic party has the power to restore our country.