posted on December 4, 2000 08:28:00 PM
I have a first business as a web designer that I've had for five years along with my online auction business. I have a long-time customer of the Republican persuasion who likes to send me copies of the Christian-fundamentalist/republican chain letters that he gets in his mail addressed to him. I can't stand hate-mongers.
In the past, I have politely nudged him to stop sending me these hate-filled Christian chain letters, but recently, I had to draw the line. He forwarded to me what he felt was a good chuckle: a hate-filled garbage chain letter against Democrats. I wrote a somewhat strong e-mail back to my customer insisting that he stop sending me copies of his bigoted hate chain letters.
To make a long story short, he showed up at my office the other day with some changes to his business web site and began to prod me for my political position. I took his e-mail out and put it into a word processor and used the Replace command. I replaced Democrat with JEW and Democrats with BLACKS. I then asked him to read it. You know . . . it didn't phase him in the least. He didn't GET IT!
I couldn't care less about his politics so long as he leaves me out of them. But what really bothers me is the obvious number of hate chain-letters that used to target the usual minority groups now targets Democrats to de-humanize them. As if standing up for equality for all under the law and equality for all in opportunities no matter if you are rich or poor is some reason to reviled! What kind of country are we becoming?
posted on December 4, 2000 09:18:15 PM
It bothers you that hate letters are focusing on political groups/beliefs INSTEAD of on minority groups/ethic origins????
I would have no trouble looking the person in the eye and saying that if he/she wished to maintain the business relationship, not to send me either sort of chain letter.
posted on December 4, 2000 09:28:14 PM
Stockticker: this is the limits of posting on messageboards. Certainly I thought I had made it clear that I can't stand hate-mongers or their materials. The previous hate-mails were Christian-fundamentalist stuff in nature and I've long-since learned that you can't help those folks to discern Jesus' LOVE for humanity and their beliefs that Hatred is also a Bible Value.
What I find shocking is the new dimension: hate-mongering focused at mainstream political beliefs. If you look at propaganda put out by all sides during world war II, you see that in order for people to overcome their natural revulsion to killing their own kind, governments had to put out just this sort of crap in order to de-humanize the enemy, e.g. to make them not human and killable.
Of course, if you'd like to have a copy of the e-mail, you are welcome to it . . . request it at [email protected]
posted on December 4, 2000 09:29:06 PM
Good evening, Borillar,
Something about your post reminded me of Paddy Cheyevsky's immortal "Network" character, Howard Beal. I went off to search for something besides the "Mad as hell" quote because 'Howard' did -- at several points throughout that film -- describe exactly what this country has become, imo.
To my surprise (I'll leave the chagrin for you), I discovered this site:
It says more about people like your customer and their friends than anything I could've hoped to find. And the fact that it's not satire is most frightening of all...
posted on December 4, 2000 09:44:13 PM
That's a two way street. Many Democrats spread vicious hate-filled libels about the Republican party as well. Personally, if you feel that much passion in you that you would hate, I would prefer that you direct it at political movements rather than religous or racial groups, or at women, men etc. It seems slightly healthier (in an unhealthy way, of course).
posted on December 4, 2000 10:56:54 PM
Thanks, plsmith, for that link. I honestly do have it bookmarked for later reading. I did read about 10 paragraphs just now and it is interesting.
krs: I get that too. I used to be on AOL back when Clinton was in hot water and I was completely outraged at the Republiklans in congress who were using our dear Constitution as the biggest political ploy in this nation's history. I useed to get on those message boards and refute the Republican allegations. And you know what? I got branded a Democrat! I've never been a Democrat or a Liberal. But it seems that if you criticise the republican politicians and what they do, then you get labeled a Democrat and a Liberal.
