Do you expect everyone to be completely aware about all aspects of your own particular demographic?

[MrScorpio]

What's your reaction when you come across someone who doesn't have complete awareness?

[slackmaster]

1. Every one of us belongs to multiple demographic groups

Nobody has complete awareness of anyone's demographics, including their own.

[MrScorpio]

2. Yep...

I know.

[Ineeda]

3. I answered no

and if I were asked legitimate questions, I'd be polite and informative in my answers and not assume the person asking was prejudiced or bigoted. I would assume the person asking was genuinely interested in my demographic issues. That doesn't always seem to be the case here.

[leftstreet]

4. Respect for others knows no 'demographic' n/t

[TexasObserver]

5. No, of course not.

I expect everyone younger than me to be naive and everyone older than me to be senile.

When I come across someone who doesn't have complete awareness, I say "hi Mom, how are you?"

[tosh]

6. ...

:rofl:

[blondeatlast]

19. LOL! nt

[Name removed]

Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[slackmaster]

8. Do you identify yourself as anything besides gay?

Not that there's anything wrong with that.



Do you have a gender? An ethnicity? A native language? A race?

How about a religion?

Any disabilities?

[Lucky 13]

9. Oh dear me, I was just focusing on the topic du jour! But fear not!

I have many lessons, grasshopper! Which one would you like to hear next?!

With regards to your questions:
yes, yes, yes, yes, no and depends on what you consider a disability!

[slackmaster]

10. I didn't know there was a topic du jours

:shrug:

[Lucky 13]

13. Well then that is your next lesson!!

There are always topic du jours here on DU! One day it might be about Rick Warren. Another day it might be about the phrase "fucking retarded". It changes frequently and at a dizzying pace.

Regarding today's topic, please:
1) Go to the top right hand corner of the page and type in "Valerie Jarret" and "lifestyle choice".
2) Press the "Search" button.
3) There are MANY threads on this topic du jour that are educational, informative, incendiary, heartwarming, maddening, all the colors of the rainbow!!

That should get you started.

I believe our friend Mr. Scorpio geared his vague, slightly disingenuous poll towards this very topic. Hence, my reply. If he didn't and would like to clarify for me, I would welcome his response.

Good day!

[MrScorpio]

22. That is not the case, the question speaks for itself...

However, I did notice that some may feel this to be an opportunity to ply their own interpretations without any encouragement on my part.

[Lucky 13]

28. The answer to your poll question, sir, is "other"

It would be quite difficult to know what may offend an isolated tribesman in Brazil or a remote Inuit community in northern Alaska. For example, when I was living in Alaska, I was speaking with a friend who was of Inuit decent. I referred to a bird that was near by as a "crow". She corrected me and told me that in her tribe, these birds were revered and referred to as Ravens. My friend understood I was new to Alaska with little exposure to Inuit customs. So she taught me that valuable lesson and forgave my ignorance.

Exposure to Inuit culture is quite rare in the continental United States. They make up only 0.8% of the population of the continental U.S. and are concentrated heavily in Alaska. It is reasonable that a citizen of the continental US would not be aware of what is offensive to them.

But this % of people is much less than the population of women, or african americans, or the disabled, or gay people. These demographics make up large portions of the population. And society, on the whole, has learned what is offensive to a group and what isn't. Most people make every effort to stay within these social norms so as not to be considered an bigoted asshole.

Homosexuals make up an estimated 10% of the population, a much higher percentage than that of, for example, Asian Americans at 4.4%. Yet we know enough about the Asian "demographic" to not offend them in our daily conversations... or in Ms. Jarret's case, an interview with a journalist. So, in terms of the topic du jour, most people have a baseline level of awareness and courtesy, despite not having large amounts of exposure to even small percentages of demographics, to not make horrific gaffes that shock and dismay fellow citizens of said demographic. Especially at the level of Ms. Jarret.



Further, even lack of awareness of another's demographic doesn't make it any less offensive to that demographic when you make an offensive remark. And claiming ignorance will not often mitigate a negative response.

Consider for example, my redneck cousin. This man is not at all familiar with black culture or that "demographic". However, claiming ignorance of this demographic will not stop him from a negative encounter if he drops the n-word.

Another example, there is a man at my work who has very little knowledge of women (and not because he is a fellow homosexual). I find it hard to imagine this individual has EVER had a girlfriend and has little knowledge of that "demographic". Conversations with him confirm the lack of females in his life and that actually he has little social contact with those outside "World of Warcraft" and other online communities. Yet were he to call our female co-worker a bitch or a cunt, I anticipate that she would not take into account his demonstrated lack of awareness and would proceed launch herself over the cubical wall and rip his throat out.

I have many other examples to share with you, should you care to hear them.




I look forward to your reply!!

[slackmaster]

39. The old Rorschach Test topic, or...

...YOU'RE the one posting all the gay "lifestyle" threads!

[superduperfarleft]

14. .

:rofl:

This comment is win.

[Lucky 13]

16. ..

Why thank you, kind friend!

I am finding so many opportunities today for educational lessons! I encourage you to take up my quest as well. Perhaps together we can raise everyone's baseline awareness to a level that does not make me want to put my head through a plate glass window!!

... perhaps I hope for too much. But as our incredibly sensitive and aware leader once said, "There has never been anything false about HOPE."

:hi:

[Lucky 13]

7. delete

dupe!

[Cerridwen]

11. Other. Everyone? No. My elected *representatives* if I'm part of

their demographic...damned right I do. I expect them to know the demographics of their constituents at least as well as they can rattle off poll numbers and whip counts.

[political_Dem]

12. I expect to learn from the different demographic and cultural groups out there without being bullied

I want to know about different walks of life. Any decent person would.

It is important to learn from one another. I want that to happen. But it is rather hard when there has been a lot of emotion, passion and obstinacy abound. Hostility and hatred seem to be the order of the day.

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. :(

[tkmorris]

15. Depends. Is it their job to be aware?

[blondeatlast]

21. For the WIN, nt

[Behind the Aegis]

17. Everyone? No, it is unrealistic.

A spokesperson addressing a particular group, then FUCK YES, I expect them to know that demographic!

[xchrom]

18. you'd think that would be simple wouldn't you? nt

[blondeatlast]

29. No kidding. Ignorance and leadership tend to be like oil and water. nt

[VMI Dem]

20. Unrec.

[terrya]

23. I expect people to understand it's sexual orientation, not a "lifestyle choice"

I do expect to hear "lifestyle choice" from Pat Robertson or Tony Perkins or Maggie Gallagher or the American Family Association or "Bishop" Eddie Long or Donnie McClurkin and the vile "ex-gay" organizations he's shilling for. But those people are ignorant bigots who refuse to educate themselves.

Otherwise, yes I do expect people to be aware of that.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

24. Not you again.

Hmmmmmm.

[county worker]

25. I'm not going to vote in this because it isn't a fair poll.

If what we are talking about here is that someone isn't aware that being gay is not a life style choice, that person's lack of knowledge in this case is not a lack of knowledge of someone's demographic. It is simply a decision to not accept the truth. There is enough information out there for all of us to know the truth if we have no personal knowledge of the fact.

[TriMera]

26. Unrec for being thinly veiled passive aggressiveness. n/t

[myrna minx]

27. The very thin veneer of passive aggressiveness is unbecoming.n/t

[Mass]

30. I expect a Democrat speaking for the White House to a demographic to be aware of basic facts.\nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. No, but don't ask me stupid questions either.

[joeybee12]

32. Other... I expect you to try and make apologies for ignorance...nt/

[treestar]

33. No and I'm not going to be offended right off the bat

Immediately jump to the conclusion that the person is anti to my demo, and never ever forgive them for not knowing immediately, or claim they should have known. (should have known is too judgmental for me - you can't tell everyone's education and past).

[Nye Bevan]

34. Absolutely not. But I do expect Obama's senior advisors to have a fucking clue.(nt)

[Greyhound]

35. I expect everyone to consider that they don't know anything about everybody,

and to moderate their outbursts accordingly.

[CBR]

36. Everyone better know everything about Phillies fans

or I'll be livid.

[boston bean]

37. Uh, NO! but when you know they are aware and still allow RW framing out of their mouth

you got a problem.

My reaction to you is that I can't believe you haven't figured that out yet.

And I like you.

But my opinion is you are being really obtuse and trying to straddle the fence with a passive aggressiveness that is hard to put a finger on, purposefully. So you can still look like Mr. nice guy without letting anyone really know where you stand. You use these analogies that don't quite fit and are easy to deconstruct.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

41. And now the asshole is going to pretend this poll/question came out of the blue.

I'm beginning to think Hamdenrice never left.

[Bluenorthwest]

38. Like Val, it used to be part of my job to address groups of

people and to speak to the press about myself and others. Although I was in my 20's and not nearly as powerful or high status as Val, I learned very quickly to have my remarks and language reviewed by others. Not just about 'minorities' but also about regional differences, not wanting to make a wise crack that is currently sensitive due to a local issue, not wanting to use a slang that is 'clean' in my area or culture, but not acceptable in other places.
The fact that Val had no checker, that these words of hers were highly compensated professional words. For me, it is not just the use of such terms, it is also the clear lack of focus on her job, the obvious lack of skill, ability, willingness to delegate, that makes me pissed off that she is getting paid to say this stuff.
Many people have to address demographics that we might not have ever met. Basic respect goes a long way. But it is also essential to be aware of how the listeners will hear the message and the language used. One does not have to intend to be offensive to offend. One just has to be really stupid and calloused to offend repeatedly in controlled prepared professional settings.
She's not 'everyone'. She has not been asked to be aware of 'all aspects'. This is not a lack of 'complete awareness' this is the use of one of the most offensive terms to us, a term that has its roots with the ex-gay movement with which the administration is already connected.
She's failing in a gig others could do much better, and she's pocketing tons of cash for this verbal flatulence. She is supposed to be an 'expert'. And she's just not. She is unfit for the job, unwilling to do the work required.
Blech.

[CreekDog]

40. smooth