I should know better than to click any post about Coulter by now.

[darkmaestro019]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5346105

And we've been through this, till we're blue in the face. An entire thread about this was why I finally got off my ass and signed up to respond to things here instead of just lurking.

Here where I'd like to imagine I'm not surrounded by phobics, haters, gender oppressionists, and the sorts of people who dehumanize, disrespect, and mock.

I feel SO very welcome and included in this lovely bastion of freedom and respect and diversity, where people who may not even BE gender variant are called freaks, "it" she/he, Tran Coulter, Man Coulter, Ann the Tran/Man Coulter....on and on for an entire thread.....my, I can't wait to go to a meetup and see what the DU members call me!

Oh, wait, it's only OK to do it to the enemy?

It's not ok to treat ANYBODY this way, to their faces or behind their backs. It's shameful and it is not what I thought the Democratic party was about.

I ignored the main poster, then un-ignored it to see if anyone called anyone on it, and I'd be sitting here all night if I tried to persuade my slow-ass computer to ignore every single poster who's said something utterly vicious and hateful about her--about her GENDER, about her physical secondary sex characteristics, with nary a peep about the reasons I hate her--her politics, her lying, and her whoring for the Right. You know, the Right who wants all of us freaks tied to fences or reprogrammed or shot for not looking and acting the way we're told in some book to act and look.

This is why I really don't leave my house. I'm sick and tired of being attacked, directly or indirectly, for existing.

[Patchuli]

1. It's not OK to do it to anyone

and I see it here too but truthfully, we Dems/progressives/liberals have been under attack for so long by the Rightwing, that it's down to kneejerk defense. Please do not defend Ann Coulter's hatred towards us. I didn't appreciate her referring to those of us who treehug and believe in being kind to people and nature as "hippie pie wagons" and to herself as a "pretty girl." I would love to pie her for it. But you have to remember, people blow steam off here. We have lots to be upset about and like you yourself said, you shouldn't even bother to click on links about people who hate us. You might find me slamming Bill O'Reilly for wishing harm to my part of America. Would that bother you after knowing that O'Reilly told Al Qaeda to go "go ahead" and blow up San Francisco?

Are you with us or against us? There is plenty of hate on the right towards us. We are all just human in the end. Go listen to what the Free Republic have to say about Democratic Underground. I guarantee you won't like it you are that fairminded!

BTW, welcome to DU.

[darkmaestro019]

3. Let me clarify: I despise Coulter utterly

and there's no defense whatsoever for her actions, beliefs, statements, books full of lies....on and on and on.

But no matter how much I hate W, for example, I wouldn't blow off steam by calling him a cracker or a breeder, or any other dehumanizing name for traits that he cannot help. Ken Blackwell is a sorry waste of protein, but that doesn't make it all right to N-word at him.

That makes us what the enemy is, and that makes the idea of opposition sort of a moot point. And it makes a joke of our assumption that we have the real moral high ground. How many queer lurkers wander off to lurk somewhere else because of this sort of thing?

And I understand blowing off steam, but if you poke a thin veneer of civility and you find the same poison underneath that we're supposedly opposing--steam-blowing or not--then we have a lot farther to go than I'd feared.

[Patchuli]

5. I have to admit

that I have heard rumours (however, true or not) that Coulter is a transsexual, if so fine. I think if she is demonized for not being honest about it after calling others on their honesty about their own private business (like Clinton) is because it really looks hypocritical on her part. She needs to quit attacking others based on physical appearance or risk attack, however rendered, to hers.

However, yes it would be nice if attacks were centered on opinion and not appearance. It will work great both ways!

Upon edit: it would be nice if no one attacked anyone and that is really what I'd like to see.

[darkmaestro019]

9. Takes one to know one, lol

The physical attributes she really does have--adam's apple, bone structure--may be due to transgenderedness, or intersexedness, or a high testosterone level, low estrogen levels, or she may just be a woman who happens to have secondary characteristics that look more like what we expect males to have.

I think there's something to it, and I suspect that's WHY she's so violently anti-diversity--projection and a little self-hate, maybe.

If someone had anything definitive I'd say it'd be fair game to attack her for Uncle Tom-ness (forgive, but I can't think of a better way to say that) but not for her condition.

[Catfight]

2. Well said, a little manners go a long way, from all people. Welcome

to DU and I hope your post opens some eyes. nt

[darkmaestro019]

4. Thank you: and yes, exactly--manners.

Still glad to be here and not going anywhere, but I'd be doing the party I consider my own no favors if I didn't call this stuff when I see it. I'm not the first to do it, either, but I guess it needs to keep getting done : )

[Dora]

6. I hate it too.

There are people here like that. It sucks but it's true. You'll also find compassionate, funny, and interesting people. Stick around.

I'm content just to hate her for what she says and what she does. That's plenty enough for me.

Welcome to DU. I hope you find a place for yourself here.

[darkmaestro019]

12. Thus far, I'm glad I said something--and the worst people I've seen here

are better than the best I've seen at many many other political type forums. I'm not going anywhere : ) I wouldn't know what to do with myself without DU.

[Somawas]

7. I used to do that. Until I saw a post similar to yours about two months

ago. So I apologized for having done it and have not done it again. I agree that it is a slap in the face to transgendered people. And I'm just not going to do that. I'm sorry I did it. At best it was a cheap laugh at the expense of the GBLT people here. Certainly not at Ann's expense. Because even if she lurks here she never saw it; or if she did, she didn't care.

I think progressives need to start acting like the grownups. Can't get in the gutter to fight because the wingnuts do it.

[darkmaestro019]

10. that must've been the post that made me join : )

I can't remember who it was but she outed herself to present why this distressed her. I guess we'll bang this drum till people are sick of this song.

[Meldread]

8. I agree.

Although I am not Transgendered I have noticed this going on constantly. Not to defend those who do it, but you have to remember that most of them *ARE* straight. While they would most likely defend the rights of LGBT people, they are still programmed with the bigotry of society. It is unfortunate, but it's true.

[darkmaestro019]

11. It IS true, and the purpose of places like this

is to deprogram a little, maybe. I tried not to be snarky and vicious (hard to help when your feelings are hurt) but maybe someone will think of it differently next time.

I'm guilty of being a narrowminded fk at Christians and I'm trying to evolve on that front, I suppose if nobody had any growing left to do we'd all be dead. : )

[Patchuli]

13. Oh dear

I'm a church-going liberal Christian! Don't snark me please! O8)

[darkmaestro019]

14. I'll try to control myself : )

Christians like you and John Shelby Spong and Cindy Sheehan are teaching me that you really can't know much about someone by their label(s)--you have to know them by their actions : )

[Patchuli]

18. That was really nice of you

and I feel very flattered.

I am put to the test in my own personal life as is everyone. My beloved stepdaughter and my brother in law are gay. I love them and I think my Lord God loves them just as much as I do. As for doing wrong per the Bibles teachings, I've been just as guilty of that as anyone no matter what path we take. Christians were commanded to LOVE your brother and sister as you love yourself and Jesus and NOT to judge, and anyone who doesn't follow that teaching is a words only bullsh*t Christian.

[Meldread]

16. Yeah, I have the same problem.

Living in Rural Southern Virginia - the state that houses both the stronghold for Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, it has tended to leave me a bit jaded toward the entire Christian religion. However, like you, I strive to be as fair as possible and not demean or insult someone's religion just because of a lifetime of bad experiences.

I don't think it is anyone's intention to cause harm, but... well... we are all filled with bias forced down our throats by society and life experience. Ultimately, I believe our own worst enemy is ourselves. If we can grow to love and accept ourselves for who and what we are, it really won't matter what other people say or think about us.

[darkmaestro019]

19. that's a hard place to get to--

"If we can grow to love and accept ourselves for who and what we are, it really won't matter what other people say or think about us. "

But necessary....I can't imagine a worse kind of slavery than people who go "What will people think?" What do you care? I value the opinions of those I respect--not of any random person, and not the proverbial "neighbors"

But judging everyone who considers themselves Christian based on those wingnuts is the same evil as thinking all Muslims are terrorists, or all GLBT people are rapists, etc....on and on...people mistake "ye shall know them by their works" I think...I don't think it's meant to lead to across-the-board generalizations.

It sort of astounded me to meet close-minded, obnoxious, judgemental GLBT people in a few support groups; learning experience. One would think that a minority population would oppose this type of thinking as the very root of so many evils, but it's hard to see the gestalt when you're down in the trenches. There's a you-know-what or two in every group, it's not the group's fault.

It requires something like constant viligance to resist, though--thinking in an Us/Them way is natural, and trusting no one but your own tribe is natural too--but the world changes faster than we do, and we're not little roving tribes anymore.

[Catfight]

15. Rex Ray? That's hysterical Meldread. Is that an actual play or

show? What a great idea for a sitcom. I bet if you wrote a pilot with that premise and had him married and flamboyant thinking he's 'converted' it would be hysterical. DU still remains a collective of the smartest people on the 'internets'.

[Meldread]

17. It's just a cartoon/comic strip.

I can't take credit for it, though. You can click on the picture to view the comic. It was produced by Betty Bowers Productions, for the B.A.S.H. (Baptists Are Saving Homosexuals) section.

Betty is a fictional satirical woman who believes herself to be "America's Best Christian", and the site is a mockery of Christian Right Extremists.

The cartoon was sent out in an e-mail, and I thought it was funny because at the time we were (and still are) dealing with a lot of ex-gays.

You can check out her site for a bunch of laughs. It's good for anyone who enjoys religious and/or political humor.

http://www.bettybowers.com/