Growing up in a nice neighborhood with educated parents makes you a bigot, says CNN host

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I love the positioning of bigots as victims when they are called out on their awfulness. Poor, poor bigots. *hugs*

The victim card is just another facet of the self-centered dream you live in. Conservatives are famous for it. Reverse racism!! Mean powerful black people being mean!! It's all smoke and mirrors.

You know who lives in self-centered dreams? Infants. You know who can justifiably be afraid of people that don't look familiar to them? Infants. You and your club are simply putting words, poorly and several decades after you should have evolved, to the basic reflexive positions of... infants.

It would be fascinating if it weren't so creepy.

I find that mindset is quite common on these boards and unfortunately it's reflected in us society. It's reflected in parts of the media, where ignorant, poorly educated people are given the conceit (through TV and radio news commentators) that they are not ignorant, uneducated or bigoted and that their views have equal weight to anyone else's. Unfortunately the US' public discourses are often something dominated very this sort of doubletalk that people become fixated on mundane minutia and semantics. Just look at any major public interest debate, you'll see the same thing: ignorant, badly conceived ideas articulated under the assumption that any opinion carries equal weight and claim to the truth. It doesn't.

Of course it isn't possible to say any of this to these people without being called an elitist. Which is invariably what happens and which is why many people seem to distrust not only people who are educated but educational institutions as well. It's effing nuts!

[evli1966 88]

Sanchez needs to get a sense of humor new Job.

[twowls 217]

I find that mindset is quite common on these boards and unfortunately it's reflected in us society. It's reflected in parts of the media, where ignorant, poorly educated people are given the conceit (through TV and radio news commentators) that they are not ignorant, uneducated or bigoted and that their views have equal weight to anyone else's. Unfortunately the US' public discourses are often something dominated very this sort of doubletalk that people become fixated on mundane minutia and semantics. Just look at any major public interest debate, you'll see the same thing: ignorant, badly conceived ideas articulated under the assumption that any opinion carries equal weight and claim to the truth. It doesn't.

Of course it isn't possible to say any of this to these people without being called an elitist. Which is invariably what happens and which is why many people seem to distrust not only people who are educated but educational institutions as well. It's effing nuts!

Nail on head. Exactly. It's a huge part of why things move so slowly and progress is so difficult, on these threads and in the larger scheme--the conversation is always derailed, always, into the ugliest and most nonsensical arena, where it then languishes and dies. Good will and creative thought are like unicorns.

We're so used to everything being befouled by the most ignorant snarling nastiness, we forget sometimes how absurd it is. But it is absurd that these voices are considered legitimate and that this is the level we operate on. Absurd and really sad.

[evli1966 88]

Not to pickapart what you state below but it is flawed.

I find that mindset is quite common on these boards and unfortunately it's reflected in us society. It's reflected in parts of the media, where ignorant, poorly educated people are given the conceit (through TV and radio news commentators) that they are not ignorant, uneducated or bigoted and that their views have equal weight to anyone else's. Unfortunately the US' public discourses are often something dominated very this sort of doubletalk that people become fixated on mundane minutia and semantics. Just look at any major public interest debate, you'll see the same thing: ignorant, badly conceived ideas articulated under the assumption that any opinion carries equal weight and claim to the truth. It doesn't.

Of course it isn't possible to say any of this to these people without being called an elitist. Which is invariably what happens and which is why many people seem to distrust not only people who are educated but educational institutions as well. It's effing nuts!

poorly educated people are given the conceit (through TV and radio news commentators) that they are not ignorant, uneducated or bigoted and that their views have equal weight to anyone else's.

Lets assume we are talking about 2 persons of the same education level working the same job one is a black man and one is a white man.

taking 2 men of the same IQ and social status one educated with higher learning one that is not with opposing views and opinions

I would ascertain the views and opinions of both carry equal weight in in arguements of opposing views assuming said argument is not regarding a particular study with in the higher education classes (even this would not always hold true because even an uneducated man could learn a particular subject)

Whether you claim elitist attitude or not your assumption that an educated man is not ignorant or can not have ignorant view points and that the uneducated man is ignorant and being duped to to making bigoted attitudes and or are bigoted is flawed and is initself a bigoted remark towards someone that has no education or higher learning.

There is a difference between a bigoted remark and a bigot.

A person could make bigoted remarks and statements and not be a bigot. Such remarks could be made without malice or intent to harm; it is society that has distorted definitions or words which allow you to call someone a bigot.

A person could live a bigoted live shunning all or specific ethnic groups, speaking hate and racial speech afirming thier belive they are of a race better than others and be of a minority group themselves. The same person could live and never speak out their believes leading other sto believe they were not but when given chance they would make decisions that affect the lives of those the persecute.

I would agree there are "badly conceived ideas articulated under the assumption that any opinion carries equal weight and claim to the truth. It doesn't." this is being done to a class of citizens at present. This class of citizens contains people form many diverse back grounds but that is for another topic.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Evli, the issue here is not that there are bigoted or ignorant people, it's that there are a sizeable number of people out there who are broadly suspicious of the education system and of educated people.

It's why, for example, some people reject the work of scientists when it comes to subjects like the environment, evolutionary theory or theoretical physics - based on op-ed articles and the word of media figures.

It's why not a few people on these boards try to compartmentalise others into partisan groups and assume loyalty towards certain politicians when they have never voted for them or even registered with a political party. Why is that?

[evli1966 88]

Evli, the issue here is not that there are bigoted or ignorant people, it's that there are a sizable number of people out there who are broadly suspicious of the education system and of educated people.

It's why, for example, some people reject the work of scientists when it comes to subjects like the environment, evolutionary theory or theoretical physics - based on op-ed articles and the word of media figures.

It's why not a few people on these boards try to compartmentalize others into partisan groups and assume loyalty towards certain politicians when they have never voted for them or even registered with a political party. Why is that?

Please bare with my response it is not formulated in succession with your statements.

I agree.

A person with opposing views or arguments towards one of the mention or any profession by someone with no experience in the field with out factual back ground or even of the same profession with out facts has an argument that is moot. These are clearly people who have an agenda other than refuting the facts presented.

I could not answer why to your last question only they could do so and it would be based off their opinion and conjecture. I am classified a bigot by many because I do not support all Muslim Ideas and I am very out spoken in regards to Illegal Immigration. I am also classified a pervert by many because I am a former sex offender and lumped in with anyone else classified as such.

I can give you my personal opinion and experience on the suspicion of the educational system; with trying to drag out media which almost always biased in support of educational system(not always)

Majority of educators support a very liberal view of the world which has grown from what it was when this country was formed. I understand that with time and learning we have to adapt realistic values and education such IE the world is round.

Educators of the elementary to HS think they can raise a child better than a parent of a child; I believe this to be false. An educator only experiences the child from a certain age and lumps the children into categories hoping to better teach them in the short time they have. This has led to many laws in which an educator can an will interfere with a child's life at home when no interference is needed.

We as a society are at fault for allowing this to happen thinking our educators know best.

Lets take punishment we as a society to protect educators and our children say no to corporal punishment ( I say no as well) no educator should touch my child. but we allowed it to grow so that we as parents can not administer punishment to our children such as a spanking (not abusive beatings) which allows the child t to know instantly that a wrong was done. Time outs are to let child know what they did wrong but most children do not know or feel remorse as they should from this type of punishment; often the transgression is forgotten with in minutes and the timeout is useless.

HS and higher often when working with in a class of an educator part of any students mind on how to pass is how to appease the educator; I will use personal experience to explain.

I have horrible grammar, spelling and punctuation and never attended college unfortunately. While in HS my senior year in an English class where I had to write a paper on a subject as part of my final grade I experienced an educator who forced his religious believes on to me and my success in the class. The subject was mine to select it although open it had to be of several categories one of which was an author which I selected.

I selected J.R. Tolkien as my subject for the paper. I turned the paper in and a week later I was divested with a failing grade. I approached the educator in regards to it and he lectured me on how J.R. Tolkien was an evil man and his books junk and that this author works was of the devil. Well I went to my grandfather to tell him I had failed my paper (did I mention my GF had a masters in English with minor in old English<I believe that is how he stated it> he had read and reviewed my paper before submitting it adding correction I needed to make first.) he was very upset when he saw the red ink blots and took a black pen and started making corrections to the mistakes that I had and that the educator missed and made. When my GF went to the educator and pointed out the error of his ways and on the paper and demanded a fair grade the educator made the changes. You see although the educator claimed he was a devout Christian my GF was a Pastor of a Baptist church in the community and had tutored this educator when he was in college.

The point being many educators are trying to be more than educate children and adults they cross the line trying to force their believes on to those who are their to learn what they have to teach in education not live.

Another example is the whole no loser in elementary school while I think it is healthy to teach they all have a chance of succeeding they must know that life is rarely found and that in games there are winners and losers as well as in live.

BTW sorry that was so long.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, irrationality, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs or genetics. The predominant usage in modern American English refers to persons hostile to those of differing race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, various mental disorders, or religion.

a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

[evli1966 88]

A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, irrationality, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs or genetics. The predominant usage in modern American English refers to persons hostile to those of differing race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, various mental disorders, or religion.

a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

Everyone can read the dictionary.

Are you saying that only statements and actions that fall into these categries make a bigot or constitutes a bigoted statment?

Edited October 2, 2010 by evli1966

[BishopM 114]

I find that mindset is quite common on these boards and unfortunately it's reflected in us society. It's reflected in parts of the media, where ignorant, poorly educated people are given the conceit (through TV and radio news commentators) that they are not ignorant, uneducated or bigoted and that their views have equal weight to anyone else's. Unfortunately the US' public discourses are often something dominated very this sort of doubletalk that people become fixated on mundane minutia and semantics. Just look at any major public interest debate, you'll see the same thing: ignorant, badly conceived ideas articulated under the assumption that any opinion carries equal weight and claim to the truth. It doesn't.

Of course it isn't possible to say any of this to these people without being called an elitist. Which is invariably what happens and which is why many people seem to distrust not only people who are educated but educational institutions as well. It's effing nuts!

+1 - this is the main reason that I quit watching 'news' about 15 years ago...I just couldn't take any more of the stupidity, from both sides. Nowadays, if I do catch the news, it is even worse than it was then...