[Wordsworth60]

I have whole sections of my hair which are black, white and furry . . . .

[Wordsworth60]

@a certain sadness wrote:

Hms Justchat had encountered rough seas while crossing the South Pacific, the crew and captain had abandoned ship.

You find yourself in a lifeboat with the entire forum 3 boardsters. After weeks at sea with only tiny amounts of water to survive on, its decided that one of the boardsters will have to be eaten. Its agreed a vote would take place and the chatter with the most votes would be eaten, who would you vote for?

Whoever decides to correct the grammar in the proposal :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Wordsworth60]

@(f)politics? wrote:

We shouldn;t forget history at all but don’t live in it… and you say about bleating on the negative well lets remember the positive aspects of history too… no remember the positives more

Bleat? Where are the sheep?

History is history, we only know what has survived and been recorded. Positive? negative? who knows? As far as I am concerned I am part of a legacy of an unremittingly negative aspect of our history. That my ancestors survived is positive, separating the two is impossible.

Some say we shouldn’t judge the past by today’s standards, I say we have little alternative really, as our current standards are the product of lessons learnt.

[Wordsworth60]

Is forgetting the past the only way forward? What happened to the old phrase “Those who don’t learn from history are condemned to repeat it’s mistakes”?

If we have to tear up bits history so that we can feel comfortable about the present, then where do we stop?

If if the principle of a single human race is true then it will not suffer because of the re-telling of facts, even unpleasant ones. Facts actually help to establish the truth, and it’s important that we consider as many of the facts as we can muster and that we take into account the different perspectives involved.

If we have a system that is open to misuse then we need to be robust enough to thwart the misusers. We also need to be open enough to recognise those in genuine need and the different levels of need that exist. Focusing only on those who might misuse the system will lead to a bleak inhumanity. Focusing only on the victims will lead to a naiive gullibility.

But always, always those most in the wrong are those who perpetuate the injustice and abuse in the first place, without them there would be no system to misuse. Whether we’re talking about an assailant who picks targets based on their identity or a news media which gives us a biased fraction of the available news. That’s where our negativity should be focused.

If genuine victims or those who represent them are always branded wolf-criers and point scorers then they will back off and we will only hear from the wolf-criers. Then where will the genuine victims go?

[Wordsworth60]

@panda12 wrote:

@wordsworth60 wrote:

@panda12 wrote:

Well it’s a good job that some ppl somewhere decided they were a “victim” else we wouldn’t have any laws against race, sex, age and disability discrimination.

I wonder if these ppl really were victims or if they were just playing at it. :-k

I wonder if you’re really wondering or just playing at it . . .. . .

Someone somewhere set the precedent.

I blame the bloody barons, give em grace and favour and all you want in return is for their vassals to die in battle and to recognise your divine right. Then they turn up with their soddin’ Magna Carta and all hell breaks loose, we were happier when only the good/bad King had rights and everyone else knew their place. What’s wrong with a decent dunghill anyway?

[Wordsworth60]

@panda12 wrote:

Well it’s a good job that some ppl somewhere decided they were a “victim” else we wouldn’t have any laws against race, sex, age and disability discrimination.

I wonder if these ppl really were victims or if they were just playing at it. :-k

I wonder if you’re really wondering or just playing at it . . .. . .

[Wordsworth60]

F_pol, Do you really think I put that piece up just to gain points? Or because I thought the piece was about gaining points or strengthening arguments?

I won’t deny that I care to some extent about what people think, but I thought the article was genuinely informative and added some facts and figures to a debate that was had in here a while back but was sadly lacking in substance because few of us – myself included, had accessed them.

But while I care what people think, I actually work really hard to avoid trite point-scoring. That kinda breaks down when I get really tired or fed up with the personalisation of some comments, but I still work at it.

I’m sorry, I thought people would read the article and take the posting in the spirit it was meant. But if if point-scoring is what you think I’m about then I’d better give up on serious subjects and stick to the crap jokes.

[Wordsworth60]

Terry wrote:

The fact that i don’t agree with you does not mean I’m insulting you. :roll:[/quote

Terry, the two are not necessarily mutually incompatible, you seem as unaware of what you type as you are of what you read

But it doesn’t really matter.

[Wordsworth60]

@(f)politics? wrote:

. . . . there are many controversial subjects i enjoy debating shall i go on :lol:

Not much chance of enjoying the debate if it’s always going to be polarised on the basis of ‘PC victim’ vs ‘sensible mustn’t talk about it’.

I guess it doesn’t matter any more.

[Wordsworth60]

@terry wrote:

@wordsworth60 wrote:

F_pol, My inner psychotherapist would love to find out why race more than (I think) any other seems to get your fingers tapping.

There is only one race – the human race. Maybe you should see beyond your own personal prejudices about people and their right to voice an opinion that is different to yours.

Pol makes plenty of great points and stands – rightly in my opinion – on the opposite side of the fence to that annoying bunch of politically correct activists that many of us hate with a passion.

You are right Terry, There is only one race, the human race. I’ve never said otherwise, and I’m glad to see your agreement.

What you think my prejudices are I don’t know, in my last comment I actually spoke of f_pol’s and anyone else’s right to voice an opinion different from my own. I also said I would not try to silence them, which I haven’t.

In fact it seems that f_pol and I agree about racism being wrong, we mainly seem to disagree on whether those who experience racism should discuss it openly. I respect her right to her opinion as much as I respect my right to mine.

The fact (as you and I both see it) that there is only one race, makes those who differentiate, and regard people negatively because of the colour of their skin or any other inherited characteristic not just wrong in the detail, but the basis of their suppositions.

That’s why it is difficult for people to respond, it is far easier to respond constructively to someone whose actions are based on something logical and factual but racism is basically ridiculous. I believe f_pol and I agree on that.

That she has made good points I have not denied. I don’t see the discussion in quite the polarised way that you describe it, in fact I have criticised the PC approach to these subjects myself.

I’m disappointed, but not surprised, that you resort once again to insult. Coming from anyone else I would have wondered if the comment was based on a preconception rather than on anything I have said, but that would make you prejudiced, wouldn’t it? – perish the thought!

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