People Are People...

[FarLeftRage]

The recent passing of a certain small-minded, racist, homophobic, m-f*king bigot made me wonder how "he" ended up being the "person" that "he" was.

There is no doubt that some of you will say that "his" environment played a part, but how much?

And then there is the role that "his" family and friends had in determining the kind of person that "he' was...

I guess People Are People...

People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully
People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully

So we're different colours
And we're different creeds
And different people
Have different needs
It's obvious you hate me
Though I've done nothing wrong
I've never even met you
So what could I have done
I can't understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand
People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully
People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully
Help me understand
Help me understand

Now you're punching
And you're kicking
And you're shouting at me
And I'm relying on your common decency
So far it hasn't surfaced
But I'm sure it exists
It just takes a while to travel
From your head to your fist (head to your fists)
I can't understand what makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand
People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully
People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully

I can't understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand
I can't understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand
I can't understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
I can't understand (people are people)
What makes a man (why should it be)
Hate another man
Help me understand...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xf9_9ZwqNI

[OneBlueSky]

1. "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught" . . . from South Pacific . . .

You've got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You've got to be taught
From year to year,
It's got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught before it's too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You've got to be carefully taught!

[wryter2000]

2. Or Tom Lehrer

Oh, the white folks hate the black folks
And the black folks hate the white folks
To hate all but the right folks
Is an old established rule

But, during National Brotherhood Week
National Brotherhood Week
Lena Horne and Sheriff Clark
Are dancing cheek to cheek

It's fun to eulogize
The people you despise
As long as you don't let 'em in your school

[nomorenomore08]

3. Possibly even worse than bigotry itself, is the sheer smugness of many who practice it.

Helms and his constituents (they can't plead ignorance, not after re-electing the bastard so many times) no doubt considered themselves good, upstanding, Christian citizens, much like their more violent counterparts in the KKK and such. You just can't get through to people like that, not when they perceive your own lack of racial hatred as naive and ignorant in itself. Some of these folks genuinely believe that the election of a black President will lead to rioting and mass murder of whites. As a well-known Southern comedian has been known to say, "You can't fix stupid."

And kudos for the Depeche Mode lyrics (always liked those guys). That song has a lot to say about mutual fear and distrust.

[XRubicon]

4. I like this one

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/neilyoung/southernman.html

[nomorenomore08]

5. "Southern man, better keep your head, don't forget what your Good Book says..."

Disgusting that even in 2008, unrepentant racists claim to be true Christians.

[nuxvomica]

6. I don't think we can blame others for our hatred

Maybe some poor, undereducated, isolated human being can do little to throw down the chains of hatred with which his family and immediate society has burdened him. I'm willing to accept that case. But anyone who has been out in the world, who's seen the great parade of humanity for all it's good and ill, and is still shackled in that way has simply not made the effort. I don't always make the effort in every occasion myself cuz no matter how progressive you are, the challenge to reject hatred is always waiting for you at the next crossroads. It's no wonder that in folklore, that's the place you can always find the devil.

BTW, how you doing? :hi: