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morbidimpishfae March 31 2007, 22:27:49 UTC
It's a bit more then semantics, but I'm not up to a brief sociology lesson today.

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morbidimpishfae March 31 2007, 22:36:05 UTC
Yes, but why did you listen why I told you and not when recorded_time did?

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morbidimpishfae March 31 2007, 23:30:48 UTC
Then you fail sociology 101 today.

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catchstars March 31 2007, 23:04:07 UTC
The difference between fat discrimination and discrimination against blacks is that black people have had to deal with more overt discrimination for centuries, and having civil rights denied in many countries until fairly recently. Fat people do face obstacles and hate speech, but the last time I checked there haven't been laws denying fat people the right to vote or live in neighbourhoods where non-fat people live.

If you are white, white privilege still gives you advantages you would not have if you were a different race, even if you are fat. Since fat knows no racial boundaries and blackness does, a better analogy could have used a physical feature that also causes discrimination and is semi-universal like "short" or "elderly."

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sabyl March 31 2007, 23:14:44 UTC
While the experience isn't the same - let's face it, from what I've been reading on this group even the experiences of being fat are not the same, bigotry is still bigotry. The big difference is societal where in the case of blacks, blacks as a group where not only discriminated against but were oppressed as well. This particular facebook group, if it had its way, would oppress fat women as well. Being forced to stay at home would certainly deprive fat women of every opportunity that makes one a part of society. Will this actually happen - probably not, but the sentiment is quite oppressive. It dehumanizes fat women. Slavery dehumanized blacks. So yes I agree the experience doesn't compare, but the sentiments expressed by this group is not much different than the sentiment expressed by any other group in support of bigotry.

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redindigo March 31 2007, 23:27:16 UTC
I think it is absolutely ridiculous for you to justify a comparison between black and fat people as legitimate. I do grasp your "logic" but I think that the general opinion here is not what any one white person, who happens to be fat, thinks on the matter.

There is a DISTINCT difference between the bigotry and discrimination faced by black people and that of fat people. And no, nobody's personal logic can justify or invalidate that. The fact stands that POC have faced discrimination LEAPS AND BOUNDS beyond what fat people have faced, and it is inherently different in its motivation and delivery.

While personal experience is VALID, it does not represent the whole. And when used in the framework of a debate, it provides little to no support to a person of privilege's argument.

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sabyl March 31 2007, 23:35:58 UTC
I think there is a misunderstanding in my intent with the comment. I completely agree the experience is different. And I don't think the bigotry we experience is the same. However, I do think if something like what the guy who started the facebook suggests should happen to fat women did happen to fat women, while the experience would be different, they would certainly be more similar. A person who has to be kept in their home, have their children killed for looking like them, and cannot have contact with others, is certainly pretty huge. This isn't the state of our society - thank God!! But if it were and if it were systemic, I personally think a comparison could be drawn. I am sorry if you find this offensive. I know this is a sensitive topic. And yea, this is only my opinion - so there are certainly other perspectives on this topic.

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redindigo April 1 2007, 00:32:15 UTC
Well I don't think we're really in need of hypothesizing what his "world" would really be/look/feel like. I think that before he attempted to shove himself in a position of power, I'd smother his grammar-phobic head with my incredibly large ass.

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liveavatar March 31 2007, 23:26:59 UTC
While normally I'd agree with you, I have to point out that this particular list posted goes way beyond hate speech, and includes refusal of voting rights, house arrest, and starvation.

So for once I think that the equation of anti-fat bigotry and anti-black bigotry is an accurate comparison.

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