[awediot]

Originally Posted by Rick336

If I'm openly gay and I hire them, not because of their beliefs, but because of their value as a good employee and I treat them with respect and fairness... there's a good chance they will see that my sexual orientation has nothing to do with my values and good character.

I get the principle and goal, but I still doubt the vast majority of people would actually hire someone to make a philosophical point to them.

I'd have to know what kind of dangerous threat they are.

I'm just talking in general to make a point...

Believe me, I know that it's not easy to respect those who hate us. I sometimes find myself saying some nasty things out of anger about our opponents. Just this week I referred to them as "airheads," which I later regretted. I'm human so I screw up a lot.

But the problem is that when I hate the hater then I also become a hater too. It's like the so called "enlightened" liberals who have no problems referring to white Southerners who live in mobile homes as "trailer trash." The "enlightened" liberals subconsciously justify their hate because, after all, "trailer trash" are nothing but "ignorant inbred bigots."

They hate the hater. And sometimes we all do that. But it's really all about fear, isn't it? We fear each other so we hate each other. If we stop fearing each other then chances are the hate will also cease.

Am I right about this?

err, yes and no, IMO. From even a biological, instinctual level, 'fear' is the natural reaction to being able to anticipate pain. It is self-preservative, unfortunate, but required, and lets us simply avoid and reduce "danger" in many of it's forms. To eliminate the fear before the danger is gone is foolish. (like eliminating the guilt before the sin). -While certainly some fears are ill-founded, and we can manipulate them to some pretty wicked ends on each other, we should shed them carefully and some, only with much thought... A few, we will carry to the grave.

When we pity those who are nasty enough to tempt us to actually hate them, knowing what a miserable life and person that takes, we can then love them anyway... I feel for people...We all know what one another is basically going through, and I have a collective pity for all us. The more, the worse you are...Life is a bitch sometimes. I adore the soul stuff we are all made of, admire the the shared human struggle I see in you regardless, and that makes me love absolutely all you.