Today on: Oh No You Didn't
So, most of my flist knows how much FAIL most of my biological family is.
Now that mom's dead I have, thankfully, not had to deal with my mother's side of the family too much, because they thought I was a nappy-headed porch monkey long before they had a legitimate excuse to never speak to my liberal ass again.
The conservative uncle and I still speak on rare occasions as he's my only informant on some of the children in the family. The communication is often one-sided, through email or text message, or a few sentences of updates on a particular family member. Civil but as clipped and quick as possible. Every once in a while, he slips some over the top political crap in there. I hold my tongue as I have held my tongue all my life, but now it's because I have better things to do than argue with a bigot.
Today, while reading my email at lunch, after anthropology class of all things, I get an email from him that is nothing but angry propaganda against Islam... that he is asking people to forward.
> ------Original Message------
> Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:05:36 -0700 (PDT)
> Subject: Fw: Unbelievable
> USPS New 42-Cent Stamp!!! Celebrates Muslim
> holiday.
>
> If there is only ONE thing you forward today... let
> it be this!
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of Pan Am Flight 103!
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the World Trade Center
> in 1993!
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the Marine Barracks in
> Lebanon !
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the military Barracks in
> Saudi Arabia !
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the American Embassies
> in Africa !
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the USS COLE!
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM attack on 9/11/2001 !
>
> REMEMBER all the AMERICAN lives that were lost in those
> vicious MUSLIM attacks!
>
> Now President Obama has directed the United States
> Postal Service to REMEMBER and HONOR the EID MUSLIM
> holiday season with a new commemorative 42 Cent First
> Class Holiday Postage Stamp..
>
> REMEMBER to adamantly & vocally BOYCOTT this
> stamp, when you are purchasing your stamps at the post
> office.
>
> All you have to say is "No thank you, I do not want
> that Muslim Stamp on my letters!"
>
> To use this stamp would be a slap in the face to all
> those AMERICANS who died at the hands of those whom this
> stamp honors.
>
> REMEMBER ~
> Pass this along to every Patriotic AMERICAN that you
> know and let's get the word out !!!
>
> Here is something to chew on...
>
> They (MUSLIMS) don't even believe in Christ, &
> they're getting their own Christmas stamp! BUT, don't
> dare to dream of posting the ten commandments on federal
> property! This is truly UNBELIEVABLE !!!
There was a back and forth with us, me stating how deplorable it was, and him stating he was "neutral" and only forwarding information. Really? JUST forwarding information, on a subject that you're "neutral" on, but that the information clearly leans to one side on? Why would you encourage people to do something you don't feel strongly about?
Oh, that's right, because being faced with the facts may reveal that either you're a bigot or you're a simpleton that can't think for themselves. I had to wait several minutes to type a response back to him because I was so livid. Why does he think I want this? Does he really think, if he was going to change my mind, that he'd accomplish it this way?
Past all the hatred, I can see the point. If you don't like the stamps, and you know other people who probably would, there's nothing wrong with sharing the information with them about the release. There's even nothing wrong with telling people how to avoid getting them.
It's the insinuation that all Muslims are murderous zealots. It's the statement that using the stamps-- (a stamp, really?)-- is somehow disrespectful and unpatriotic. (Can it make you a terrorist, too?) I could probably go on, but the thing that made me crack up the most was the complete ignorance of Islam. Perhaps Islam doesn't regard Jesus the same way Christianity does, ie as their savior and deity, but "doesn't believe in Christ" wouldn't quite be accurate.
Also, this entire 'boycott' is about the fact that there will be a USPS stamp for a Muslim holiday. Wouldn't that mean that they're not getting a stamp from Christmas, but likely for the equivalent of Christmas in their religion?
Somedays I can't believe I fell out of that tree. GUH.
Now that mom's dead I have, thankfully, not had to deal with my mother's side of the family too much, because they thought I was a nappy-headed porch monkey long before they had a legitimate excuse to never speak to my liberal ass again.
The conservative uncle and I still speak on rare occasions as he's my only informant on some of the children in the family. The communication is often one-sided, through email or text message, or a few sentences of updates on a particular family member. Civil but as clipped and quick as possible. Every once in a while, he slips some over the top political crap in there. I hold my tongue as I have held my tongue all my life, but now it's because I have better things to do than argue with a bigot.
Today, while reading my email at lunch, after anthropology class of all things, I get an email from him that is nothing but angry propaganda against Islam... that he is asking people to forward.
> ------Original Message------
> Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:05:36 -0700 (PDT)
> Subject: Fw: Unbelievable
> USPS New 42-Cent Stamp!!! Celebrates Muslim
> holiday.
>
> If there is only ONE thing you forward today... let
> it be this!
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of Pan Am Flight 103!
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the World Trade Center
> in 1993!
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the Marine Barracks in
> Lebanon !
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the military Barracks in
> Saudi Arabia !
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the American Embassies
> in Africa !
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the USS COLE!
>
> REMEMBER the MUSLIM attack on 9/11/2001 !
>
> REMEMBER all the AMERICAN lives that were lost in those
> vicious MUSLIM attacks!
>
> Now President Obama has directed the United States
> Postal Service to REMEMBER and HONOR the EID MUSLIM
> holiday season with a new commemorative 42 Cent First
> Class Holiday Postage Stamp..
>
> REMEMBER to adamantly & vocally BOYCOTT this
> stamp, when you are purchasing your stamps at the post
> office.
>
> All you have to say is "No thank you, I do not want
> that Muslim Stamp on my letters!"
>
> To use this stamp would be a slap in the face to all
> those AMERICANS who died at the hands of those whom this
> stamp honors.
>
> REMEMBER ~
> Pass this along to every Patriotic AMERICAN that you
> know and let's get the word out !!!
>
> Here is something to chew on...
>
> They (MUSLIMS) don't even believe in Christ, &
> they're getting their own Christmas stamp! BUT, don't
> dare to dream of posting the ten commandments on federal
> property! This is truly UNBELIEVABLE !!!
There was a back and forth with us, me stating how deplorable it was, and him stating he was "neutral" and only forwarding information. Really? JUST forwarding information, on a subject that you're "neutral" on, but that the information clearly leans to one side on? Why would you encourage people to do something you don't feel strongly about?
Oh, that's right, because being faced with the facts may reveal that either you're a bigot or you're a simpleton that can't think for themselves. I had to wait several minutes to type a response back to him because I was so livid. Why does he think I want this? Does he really think, if he was going to change my mind, that he'd accomplish it this way?
Past all the hatred, I can see the point. If you don't like the stamps, and you know other people who probably would, there's nothing wrong with sharing the information with them about the release. There's even nothing wrong with telling people how to avoid getting them.
It's the insinuation that all Muslims are murderous zealots. It's the statement that using the stamps-- (a stamp, really?)-- is somehow disrespectful and unpatriotic. (Can it make you a terrorist, too?) I could probably go on, but the thing that made me crack up the most was the complete ignorance of Islam. Perhaps Islam doesn't regard Jesus the same way Christianity does, ie as their savior and deity, but "doesn't believe in Christ" wouldn't quite be accurate.
Also, this entire 'boycott' is about the fact that there will be a USPS stamp for a Muslim holiday. Wouldn't that mean that they're not getting a stamp from Christmas, but likely for the equivalent of Christmas in their religion?
Somedays I can't believe I fell out of that tree. GUH.