After 78 years on this planet, I can't think of a single thing that anyone in the LGBQT community or any person of color (other than White) has ever done to hurt me or prevent me from becoming who I am today. The hate, bigotry, and animosity makes no sense to me at all. In quite a fact, over the years, I've experienced and observed many acts of kindness.
Great article, Shalise, and so true. I am convinced a lot of it has to do with the fascists in power right now and their great christian upbringing. They can't stand seeing black people being joyful amongst themselves. It's almost like there have to be white people in the group to allow joy. What a bunch of idiot racists.
77, unfortunately in Arkansas because of family. Been here for nine years and hate living in a red state. The more I educate myself on the history of this state, the more I hate it. It's no fun living in a state where one's vote doesn't count. How did this state ever produce a Sen. Fulbright and a Pres. Clinton (I know, he is a terrible man, but he was a great president)?
How could there have been such a turn-around in beliefs between Democrats and rethuglicons (aka fascists)? Where the Democrats used to be the bad guys, they learned from their mistakes and did a complete 180. Unfortunately, the party of Lincoln picked up where the Democrats left off, did their own 180, but for the worse, and Abe must be spinning in his grave.
Sorry for your suffering. You could ask the same question about Texas. We were given some notable Democrats over the years, including Ann Richards as its governor. Then, something happened....
Thank you, Steve. I don't exactly suffer since it's great to be close to family, but it is maddening. I have to take days out and not read any news, otherwise I'd have had a hear attack already. Hopefully we can elect Chris Jones in AR2 this year, even though little Rock with a large black population has been split up between THREE congressional districts.
Freedom itself is what they hate, and freedom can and should bring joy. We who aren't people of color need to keep reminding ourselves of what is lost if every person does not have such basic measures of life. Thanks for the post.
I'm thinking again of my days as a "community leader" on the AOL tennis boards when Venus and Serena were in their prime. In fact, Serena's board was one of my assignments, along with the general board. During every Grand Slam, when tennis news was on the front page, we had an influx of people who came to demean Venus and Serena whenever they were winning, claiming they were "manly" power players who would soon be "hospitalized" with injuries while "beautiful" "feminine" players like Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova would be playing forever. Guess who retired early due to injuries? Not Venus and Serena! Some of those people would post nakedly racist insults which we were tasked with removing, and they would argue with you, insisting the comments were only about their tennis. They weren't.
After 78 years on this planet, I can't think of a single thing that anyone in the LGBQT community or any person of color (other than White) has ever done to hurt me or prevent me from becoming who I am today. The hate, bigotry, and animosity makes no sense to me at all. In quite a fact, over the years, I've experienced and observed many acts of kindness.
Great article, Shalise, and so true. I am convinced a lot of it has to do with the fascists in power right now and their great christian upbringing. They can't stand seeing black people being joyful amongst themselves. It's almost like there have to be white people in the group to allow joy. What a bunch of idiot racists.
You should have put christian in quotes. The Christianity that I was taught doesn't compute with their thinking or behavior.
You are absolutely correct and often I do, but getting old, or actually being old, is hard on the brain.
78 in Central Illinois and I can identify with the "hard on the brain" issue!
77, unfortunately in Arkansas because of family. Been here for nine years and hate living in a red state. The more I educate myself on the history of this state, the more I hate it. It's no fun living in a state where one's vote doesn't count. How did this state ever produce a Sen. Fulbright and a Pres. Clinton (I know, he is a terrible man, but he was a great president)?
How could there have been such a turn-around in beliefs between Democrats and rethuglicons (aka fascists)? Where the Democrats used to be the bad guys, they learned from their mistakes and did a complete 180. Unfortunately, the party of Lincoln picked up where the Democrats left off, did their own 180, but for the worse, and Abe must be spinning in his grave.
Sorry for your suffering. You could ask the same question about Texas. We were given some notable Democrats over the years, including Ann Richards as its governor. Then, something happened....
Thank you, Steve. I don't exactly suffer since it's great to be close to family, but it is maddening. I have to take days out and not read any news, otherwise I'd have had a hear attack already. Hopefully we can elect Chris Jones in AR2 this year, even though little Rock with a large black population has been split up between THREE congressional districts.
Me too Steve, except I migrated to Massachusetts!
Beautiful country there.
I was born and raised in Washington, D.C., came to Illinois for college, and stayed.
Freedom itself is what they hate, and freedom can and should bring joy. We who aren't people of color need to keep reminding ourselves of what is lost if every person does not have such basic measures of life. Thanks for the post.
Amazing that people asked this:
"...how would Osaka and Townsend feel if a group of players held an all-white party..."
What do you mean, "if"? How hard would it be to come up with a list of tennis parties with only white invitees?
Thank you.
Excellent.
I'm thinking again of my days as a "community leader" on the AOL tennis boards when Venus and Serena were in their prime. In fact, Serena's board was one of my assignments, along with the general board. During every Grand Slam, when tennis news was on the front page, we had an influx of people who came to demean Venus and Serena whenever they were winning, claiming they were "manly" power players who would soon be "hospitalized" with injuries while "beautiful" "feminine" players like Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova would be playing forever. Guess who retired early due to injuries? Not Venus and Serena! Some of those people would post nakedly racist insults which we were tasked with removing, and they would argue with you, insisting the comments were only about their tennis. They weren't.
haters will hate, as the saying goes.
<chef's kiss>
Bravo! I loved this piece.