Everyday People
The following entry is intended to cause thought and idea creating. I AM NOT ATTEMPTING TO PREACH TO YOU, BUT INSTEAD CAUSE YOU TO THINK. I will state UP FRONT that I myself need to work on these things, and thus, am somewhat hypocritical by creating this entry. So what? I am willing to change...but I can only make a dent. WE can change the world.
Yesterday (Sunday) I received a number of signs (from some heavenly power, by coincidence, whatever) that caused me some concern. During our National Society of Collegiate Scholars induction ceremony yesterday, Professor Ralph Williams began talking about labels, and society's need to place labels on each individual. But, though these labels may sometimes make life easier (Lord knows, that's lesson number one in marketing), they are also the primary cause of hatred, injustice, social unrest, and ultimatley...death.
I probably would not have dwelled on Professor Williams' speech had I not received another sign earlier that morning. This year, one of the productions by the University of Michigan is The Laramie Project. I will not pretend to be informed nor even knowledgeable as to the basis for this show. I know it encompasses the story of Matthew Shepard though I do not know to what degree (if he is the center of focus, or a character in a list of players). However, I argue that my lack of knowledge on the plot and storyline of this play, while a hindrance, does not make my following argument invalid. I use The Laramie Project as a tool here, a guide, not as the main focus of my statements.
On November 19, Pastor Fred Phelps is bringing his clan of (pardon my wording, but I will refer to them as:) assholes to the University of Michigan's campus to PICKET (yes, picket) The Laramie Project. I suppose they have every right to picket, given that we live in America, but let me explain Fred Phelps. This is a man who picketed in front of Matt Shepard's funeral. THE MAN PROTESTED A FUNERAL.
Want a better understanding of the demon that is Fred Phelps? Read this, then come back: http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/oct2005/20051018_university-of-michigan-laramie-project.pdf
See the website (www.godhatesfags.com)? Explore it a bit. Notice that the citizens of New Orleans (and I'm paraphrasing) "deserved what they got". He then continues to explain how he thanks God everytime he saw a dead body floating in the "feces, fag infested water". This is Fred Phelps.
I don't want to attribute an entry to this man. But once again, it is an emphasis on my main point. This man has devoted his life to labels. Nazi Germany devoted their life/lives to labels. And yet, while this may be extremist, society is unable to drop labels. Black, White, Latino, Asian, Caucasian, Male, Female, Gay, Straight, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Young, Old, Fat, Thin, Gray Hair, Red Hair, Blond, Frat, Sorority, Academic, Wealthy, Poor, Homeless, Successful...keep going. Want to play a fun game? Read the list back to yourself and see how many STEREOTYPES you think of. When you hear blond, do you automatically think dumb? How about Gay? You think of Queer Eye and Jack from Will and Grace?
I do it. I certainly don't want to be preachy, because I stereotype too. And, I also put labels on myself..because in some senses it's a source of pride. "Jewish" (in case you hadn't heard) is a very large pride point for me. But while there is certainly positives to labels, the negatives are just too strong, and too deadly. Why is there killing in Israel? Why is there Atkins Diets? Why is there Affirmative Action? It all comes back around to our inability to look at society as a society, as a human race, as a group of people, friends, brothers and sisters trying to survive for our speck of dust time on the fingernail of eternity. Instead, we want to create subsets, groups, which in turn makes us individualistic, and above all...unable to come together.
So, what is the point of an entry like this? What does it do? I suppose I extend that thought out to you, my friend, colleague, family, co-worker, or random who I met once and gave my screen name to...think for yourself about stereotypes, and the ones that you attribute to others. Think of how you divide your friends and others around you. When a girl in your class wearing Ugg Boots, a Northface Jacket, greek letters, and chewing on gum gets assigned to your group...do you cringe because you automatically assume she's stupid? I used to. My mind's been changed.
I don't think we can get rid of labels all together. Nor do I think we should. I think it is an important way to bring people together. But, once your separating has been all said and done, I just ask that you reconsider your outsiders..the ones who didn't happen to fall inside of your "social circle" and then, don't automatically create stereotypes for them. Instead, look inside the individual, inside of their personality, inside of who they are...not what they are. I think you'll be surprised.
Yesterday (Sunday) I received a number of signs (from some heavenly power, by coincidence, whatever) that caused me some concern. During our National Society of Collegiate Scholars induction ceremony yesterday, Professor Ralph Williams began talking about labels, and society's need to place labels on each individual. But, though these labels may sometimes make life easier (Lord knows, that's lesson number one in marketing), they are also the primary cause of hatred, injustice, social unrest, and ultimatley...death.
I probably would not have dwelled on Professor Williams' speech had I not received another sign earlier that morning. This year, one of the productions by the University of Michigan is The Laramie Project. I will not pretend to be informed nor even knowledgeable as to the basis for this show. I know it encompasses the story of Matthew Shepard though I do not know to what degree (if he is the center of focus, or a character in a list of players). However, I argue that my lack of knowledge on the plot and storyline of this play, while a hindrance, does not make my following argument invalid. I use The Laramie Project as a tool here, a guide, not as the main focus of my statements.
On November 19, Pastor Fred Phelps is bringing his clan of (pardon my wording, but I will refer to them as:) assholes to the University of Michigan's campus to PICKET (yes, picket) The Laramie Project. I suppose they have every right to picket, given that we live in America, but let me explain Fred Phelps. This is a man who picketed in front of Matt Shepard's funeral. THE MAN PROTESTED A FUNERAL.
Want a better understanding of the demon that is Fred Phelps? Read this, then come back: http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/oct2005/20051018_university-of-michigan-laramie-project.pdf
See the website (www.godhatesfags.com)? Explore it a bit. Notice that the citizens of New Orleans (and I'm paraphrasing) "deserved what they got". He then continues to explain how he thanks God everytime he saw a dead body floating in the "feces, fag infested water". This is Fred Phelps.
I don't want to attribute an entry to this man. But once again, it is an emphasis on my main point. This man has devoted his life to labels. Nazi Germany devoted their life/lives to labels. And yet, while this may be extremist, society is unable to drop labels. Black, White, Latino, Asian, Caucasian, Male, Female, Gay, Straight, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Young, Old, Fat, Thin, Gray Hair, Red Hair, Blond, Frat, Sorority, Academic, Wealthy, Poor, Homeless, Successful...keep going. Want to play a fun game? Read the list back to yourself and see how many STEREOTYPES you think of. When you hear blond, do you automatically think dumb? How about Gay? You think of Queer Eye and Jack from Will and Grace?
I do it. I certainly don't want to be preachy, because I stereotype too. And, I also put labels on myself..because in some senses it's a source of pride. "Jewish" (in case you hadn't heard) is a very large pride point for me. But while there is certainly positives to labels, the negatives are just too strong, and too deadly. Why is there killing in Israel? Why is there Atkins Diets? Why is there Affirmative Action? It all comes back around to our inability to look at society as a society, as a human race, as a group of people, friends, brothers and sisters trying to survive for our speck of dust time on the fingernail of eternity. Instead, we want to create subsets, groups, which in turn makes us individualistic, and above all...unable to come together.
So, what is the point of an entry like this? What does it do? I suppose I extend that thought out to you, my friend, colleague, family, co-worker, or random who I met once and gave my screen name to...think for yourself about stereotypes, and the ones that you attribute to others. Think of how you divide your friends and others around you. When a girl in your class wearing Ugg Boots, a Northface Jacket, greek letters, and chewing on gum gets assigned to your group...do you cringe because you automatically assume she's stupid? I used to. My mind's been changed.
I don't think we can get rid of labels all together. Nor do I think we should. I think it is an important way to bring people together. But, once your separating has been all said and done, I just ask that you reconsider your outsiders..the ones who didn't happen to fall inside of your "social circle" and then, don't automatically create stereotypes for them. Instead, look inside the individual, inside of their personality, inside of who they are...not what they are. I think you'll be surprised.