Speaking of "spewing hate", all one has to do is read some of the comments on these threads to see hate, judgement and offensiveness at its best. I have some pretty strong views on these topics but cannot imagine expressing them as some here do. Euwah.

You're probably right, sixtyohno.

I read this entire thread. Now I've gone back to see the hate and offensiveness I've missed. Where?? Okay, there's judgement. I call that opinion.

I can't find the hate and offensiveness either. dsg2015 please explain.

I'm going to tell you what I think it is ...and I'm going to explain from neutral ground. When a news station that represents a certain party or when a public person is attacked that represents a certain party or when a strong belief is more associated with a certain party...people get offended. It's not always so much the differences of opinions but more to do with a lack of respect and the nonchalant way it's tossed about.

Yes, people take it personally. While I think most of us are capable of separating political opinion with which we disagree from the human being who holds the opinion, the feeling that we are devalued when our ideals are sharply criticized sometimes exists. I get that.

I stand by my opinion, but apologize if I caused offense by making it known.

Or when we're accused of being PC and of threatening the Christian social fabric because we try to respect all people? That kind of disrespect toward others?

What does it even mean when a conservative complains that we've become too PC?

I think the War on Christmas thing is dumb and I don't care about Starbucks cups. Businesses can do whatever they want.

My question, though, is: what is the difference between assuming all "right wing" people are racists/don't want to talk about race, versus assuming all (people of any specific race/ethnicity/demographic group) are (insert specific negative characteristic here)?

Is it an OK stereotype to say the entire "right-wing" dislikes companies because the company pays fair wages?

Why can we stereotype some groups of people but not others?

Mayflowers, It should mean the same thing for everyone. I know it doesnt from some on each side but everyone should have an opinion while at the same time being respectful. However, being that I seem to tic someone off dayily without even trying I'm probably the wrong spokesperson on the subject hehe.

beagle...it is not ok to stereotype anyone. That's just my opinion.

What does it even mean when a conservative complains that we've become too PC?

I don't think it is a conservative-complaint only.

Christmas cups- who cares... but the kind of thing described in this below Atlantic article is, in my opinion, crossing the line into very dangerous territory. But that's just my opinion.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/11/the-new-intolerance-of-student-activism-at-yale/414810/

I think you know that I'm speaking in generalities. But I haven't seen a Republican agenda that addresses race except to blame the problems on liberal policies. No candidate has come out in support of raising a minimum wage and Trump even wants to lower it. Or abolish it. Starbucks is disliked because the CEO is a huge Obama supporter.

I don't get offended if someone says NPR is liberal or Hillary can't be trusted. News organizations and politicians don't define my beliefs.

You can explain PC in your own words, Beagles. But did you see the Halloween photo of the two dressed as Mexicans in sombreros, ponchos, and holding maracas? People said it was offensive. Others said they were being PC. I'm not a minority but when anyone who is says they're sick of seeing themselves stereotyped, I'll take their word for it that that costume/joke/caricature is offensive. Ruins the fun for the non-PC Anglos though.

I don't get offended by saying some specific person or group (like Fox News) is right wing or liberal. But, it is different to say the entire right wing is (X bad thing). (Although I wasn't offended by that either... but I could see how it could be viewed as offensive).

(As an aside, I also think there's a fundamental misunderstanding of the right wing. For example, the right wing doesn't dislike companies that pay high wages because they don't believe the government manipulating markets to raise minimum wage is a good economic policy.)

I just don't think it's nice to attribute bad motives to people with different political beliefs. I don't think liberals are evil and trying to destroy the country, I tend to believe everyone wants to achieve the same positive aims and we just have disagreements about the best way to do it.

I don't really care what the political beliefs are of companies I do business with, personally. Businesses can do whatever they want, in my opinion, as long as they make a product that is useful and that adds some kind of societal value. But, both sides boycott businesses all the time for political reasons, that's not a particularly right or left thing IMO (see e.g. Papa Johns and Whole Foods).

I think the GOP is suffering terribly from the antics of Trump and Carson. Did you see Trump demonstrating how Carson tried to stab his friend and called him "pathological?" And compared him to a child molester? This is no longer about who might be a good president. It is about crazyland. ( I know I said no politics, but this is not politics. It is madness.)

I bet Ben regrets calling himself pathological in his own book and telling the world about the stab a friend incident (also in his book). Maybe taking honesty too far? It always gets messy on both sides when the race goes neck -n- neck.

But none of this crap is about how to get jobs, college, healthcare, taxes and terrorism. I have a plan is just dumb. Trust me. I will get it done. It's just a bunch of gotcha junk. And the religion stuff makes me sick. I don't give a damn what religion anyone is. Just separate it from my government. We believe in separation of church and state. There is no religious litmus test as some of our politicians try to force on us. Just as I don't care who you sleep with, marry, love etc. I've got to stop now before I become a crazy person too.

Actually, these are the type of comments I find offensive and disgusting and childish:

" THIS self-aggrandizing douchebag, "

"..he and his ilk repulse me"

"..making idiots important,"

"Whatever. You can't fix stupid.)"

"Those hypocrites who "

"what these foolish, self-serving loudmouths "

"The Facebook idiots"

" loudest redneck "Christmas" supporters"

And, yes, to this from Beagles: " I just don't think it's nice to attribute bad motives to people with different political beliefs. I don't think liberals are evil and trying to destroy the country, I tend to believe everyone wants to achieve the same positive aims and we just have disagreements about the best way to do it."

This entire conversation has become foolish and frivolous in light of what's happening right now in Paris.

I wish you all love and peace. Hug your families. Hold them close. Pray for our brothers and sisters across the Atlantic. Let's consider how we are one.

Ditto AuntJen.

This is so unbelievable and so sad. My thoughts go out to all Parisians.

Goes without saying.

Agreed auntj, very silly to attack each other over political sides when someday we might have to all band together for something horrifically life threatening. It could happen. Or I should say it could happen again only worse.

Holy moly, the news is reporting 140 killed. I am numb.

First curfew since 1944. Scary!

How horrible. I've never been able to understand how anyone can think that something will improve with mass murder. It is just too perverse to understand.

And...they are everywhere.

This is horrible. Fox News is speaking with Simone Rivera, daughter of Geraldo Rivera. She is in Paris for her junior year abroad, and was in the stadium when the bomb when off nearby. She is clearly distraught, and Geraldo is crying on camera as he is speaking to her, asking her to please, please stay off the streets. I feel so bad for him, getting all the terrible news, knowing his daughter is there. I would be out of my mind with worry.

They are not looking for "anything to improve with mass murder" ~ They are looking to terrorize .

They're saying this is the worst attack in Paris since WWII.

Very, very sad.

Yeah, some people are not problem solvers, they are eternal problem creators. They couldn't solve a problem if their life depended on it. But mess up lives, oh yeah, they are experts. Big men these terrorists--NOT. The sheer banality of evil. I think that's why they turn to terrorism, they are utter failures as human beings. So all they have left is maybe the jealousy of the complete loser mentality, anger and the desire to destroy. Well, at least that's what it seems like to me. And of course the recruiters feed their hate and circle the dregs always on the lookout to pull in the marginal, vulnerable ones . . .

It is truly incomprehensible. The terrorists - they're human. How can they not identify therefore with others who are also human? How can they fail to recognize that spark of identity - the same human longing, the love of parents and spouses and brothers and sisters and children? How can they be so INhumane? I can maybe understand one or two or even three of them. But there are so many of them. How did so many become so depraved, so evil?

As they were laying the groundwork to carry out these atrocities, did not one of them think, even for one or two brief moments, of what it would be like to have these acts committed against them or those they hold dear? Did they even once imagine their own mothers or sisters or children lying dead in a concert hall or blown apart in the street?

The answers will never come, will they?

aaaahhhhhh... I jumped on GW to take my mind away from the Paris attacks, and here it is here. My husband is scheduled to fly to Europe tomorrow for work and we have been having the same discussion we had after the 9/11 attacks. Do you refuse to let the actions of a few radicals alter your life in defiance of them, or do you hold back and let the authorities further investigate? My fear is that there are other terrorist cells waiting to act.

And I share the view of the poster above who wonders why a gracious wish upon another--whether it be Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Namaste, Happy Hanukkah, or Have a Good Day--should be interpreted as anything other than positive. "It's the thought that counts."

Yeah, I remember in the days before 9-11 all that was in the news was whether Congressman Conduit had slept with his murdered intern. Really important stuff like that . . . and yet for some, there's never a wakeup call to the preciousness of every moment, no matter how many tragedies they experience. Of course that is not everyone. Many people are inspired and inspiring, I have to keep reminding myself of that.

4boys2, yes I know that terror is their weapon of choice, but they are wielding it for some reason. It may not be a rational one, but to them it's a reason that justifies their action.

No one has told me to say Happy Holidays. But they've told me to say Merry Christmas, because, since they know I am not Jewish, I MUST be Christian. (This from a co-worker)

Political correctness knows no distinguishing features on either side of an often-imaginary aisle.

PS, edit, I call it a Yule tree, but that's my own thing. Call it what you want. I do say Merry Christmas on the date of that specific holiday. (And Happy Solstice on the solstice, and Happy Christmas eve on the 24th.) And if I can ever keep track of the date Hannukah falls, I wish a Happy Hannukah on that date, too. Otherwise, it is a bunch of different (if related) winter holidays.

Whatever people wish me, I accept in the spirit of their holiday or holidays. (I have run into one or two people who've returned my "Seasons Greetings" or whatever with a truly GRUMPY "Merry CHRISTmas" in supermarket checkout lines, hoping I'd make something of it. I just figure it's their incipient heart attack, not mine.)

PS, for those who celebrated it, I hope you have had a happy Diwali.

I apologize, dsg2015, perhaps this wording is less disgusting than "Facebook idiots" and "rednecks":

Some non high school educated people in the rural south (50% drop out rate) who tend to live out their lives on Facebook by posting the minute-est details of their daily existence and every stray thought that passes through their collective consciousness, post incendiary and unfounded accusations about imagined threats to a religion they profess but do not practice.

I worked in a bank and was told we needed to say Happy Holidays so all of our customers backgrounds were respected. This was mid 1980's, Ronald Reagan was the president and all of the officers of the bank were graduates of BYU.

That was the only time I was ever told to say anything in particular

How did I miss this thread?

...it's never too early to put the blame where it belongs. Who started it All!

Happy Holidays

Are we gearing up for the War on Christmas early this year???

Christmas in July!

Vgkg is a very witty poster in Hot Topics who followed the link to this thread from a post there.

Hey Veggieking - What are you doing over here? There's a thread about Hot Topics that might interest you over on the KT. But - fwiw - welcome!

I was curious why this topic was posted now, and then saw how old it was Curiosity increased and I clicked. Actually only scrolled down to see the rejuvenating post. I think it 's adorable and what a welcome distraction. (not familiar with vgkg but thank you!)

When I worked for Best Buy back in 2003, even if the customer says Merry Christmas first, you HAD to respond with Happy Holidays.

😂

Prophetic. Here we are and it's called COVID.

justerrilynn

Agreed auntj, very silly to attack each other over political sides when
someday we might have to all band together for something horrifically
life threatening. It could happen. Or I should say it could happen again
only worse.
November 13, 2015 at 3:58PM

This indeed is a bit early for the year, this thread revival. I say what I want to say. If it is December 25th, I say Merry Christmas. If it is December 21st (MY actual holiday) I say Blessed Yule or Blessed Solstice. Otherwise, since there are so many of them, I say Happy Holidays. However, I will note if a shop clerk says "Merry Christmas" to me at checkout, I'll parrot back with the same.

I hate seeing people bent out of shape over this "issue". The idea is that you are wishing someone something happy and joyful, or so I thought.

PS, I call mine a Solstice Tree. I'm quite happy to call yours whatever you want me to call yours, as you probably don't share my religion, and so yours is probably a Christmas Tree. And yes, those things I mail out early December I do inevitably call them Christmas cards (although I don't buy the religious ones), and I hope we are still able to mail them this coming December. (You hear me, USPS???). And I love getting any I get, no matter religious, spiritual, or just simply fun the impetus is behind your sending them to me...

Oh, PS, I would love to hear Happy Hannukah when it's that season. Not Jewish, either, but it would be worthwhile, and I'd extend back the same sentiments.