Primitive Behavior and Prejudice On Tuesday I posted this message to CGP:
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/crossword-games-pro/message/82163On Wednesday this response was posted:
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/crossword-games-pro/message/82185I started to respond privately, but then it occurred to me that, in keeping with my policy of trying to make a difference, it is more beneficial to allow others access to the reply. I post her out of deference to the wishes of the moderator of CGP. My original post had Scrabble content, but this one does not.
--- In crossword-games-pro@yahoogroups.com, <stuart.goldman@...> wrote:
>
> Warning: No Scrabble content
>
> Everyone, especially Winter--
>
> I was moved to tears by Winter's post, but not for Winter. They
> were for the poor woman in Kannapolis, NC who was the subject of one more
> hard-nosed attack.
Sympathy like yours is part of the problem, because such sympathy leads people to try to help by tackling the symptom, not the root cause. Such efforts are often wasted, and poverty and vulnerability persist.
> Winter accuses this woman and her family of being sociopathic because she
> has had children without having in advance the means to care for them.
> Winter is certainly old enough and certainly has enough intelligence to
> know that 99% of the world's population is in the same plight. I would
> imagine that Winter, if he carries his philosophy to the extreme, would
> oppose Social Security, Medicare and publkic education, to mention only a
> few government activities designed to help those who don't have all the
> funds necessary to take care of education, health and retirement.
99%, maybe 99.9%. Of course I realize that, and that has no logical bearing on my judgement. The fact that most people are acting in a socially irresponsible manner, whether by having children or by consuming excess resources (the two are actually linked), does not mean that we should not attack them, and it does not mean that we should expend energy feeling sympathy for their self-imposed suffering.
The second part of the statement is a non sequitur. Stick to what I said in my post without making illogical inferences.
> He further dismisses the woman's suffering for the prejudice shown her
> family, asking what she has done to lessen prejudice. I'd like to know
> what Winter has done to lessen prejudice, and especially, what he's done to
> eliminate his own prejudices.
Firstly, as stated towards the middle of my web site, I encourage everybody to take a stand against prejudice, and I provide a concrete example of how to do so.
http://starbuckseverywhere.netI do in fact try to oppose demonstrations of prejudice when I can, and this sometimes brings me into conflict with others, including family members, aquaintances, and occasionally strangers.
Secondly, what evidence do you have that I have any prejudices.
I take the time to respond because the issues of poverty, oppression, immigration, and prejudice are extremely serious issues. More important than Scrabble or Starbucks or any of our minor pursuits.
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