Thought for the day.
I remember a Sit-Com called 'Love Thy Neighbour' when I was a kid.
It showed a black family living next-door to a white family where the white guy was openly racist and ridiculed for it.
Then we had Alf Garnet - the West Ham supporter who was also an opinionated stalwart of racism.
The thing is, we laughed at those ridiculous people who were against other people because of their skin shade rather than their actions.
I had a little brown-skinned dolly when I was tiny and I loved that dolly, her name was Tony (or Toni, I don't know, I couldn't spell then). When I lost her, I never felt any affinity for another doll and I didn't play with them, I certainly don't remember the names of any, even if I did.
I also had a Golly. I loved Golly as much as any of my teddies.
Aren't we, as parents, supposed to teach our kids how to love one another, how to care for other people?
Why is it then, that the decision to teach our children that Laura Ingalls Wilder's much-loved books can't be used as lessons? Why is it that society has decided that we no longer have the common sense to be able to teach our kids that Laura Ingalls' Little House on the Prairie was the wrong way to view people of other nationalities, skin-shade, belief, religion?
Is it because we're losing our way and we need to be told that we should treat others as we would want to be treated?
If your job is to bake cakes for weddings, bake that cake and be happy for the couple. If your job is to cook and serve food in restaurants, cook and serve with a smile, theres no need to get into a political debate over dinner.
Common sense is so rare these days, it's classed as a Superpower.
We're all human, show a little humanity, take a moment to imagine how you'd feel in that situation. Would you want someone to help you in your time of need?
If you can't help someone, at least, do no harm.
Added by Edit Oh dear, it appears this message isn't for everyone.
@panzermampfmagen 100% downvoted this blog post - I have no idea why.
We need to remember the times that Laura Ingalls Wilder grew up in. Those were very racist times and she would only be repeating what she learned from her parents back then. Society as a whole was not very enlightened. We can not regulate people to be caring human beings. I would agree if you can't help someone, do no harm. Also keeping opinions to oneself also goes a long way.
@cecicastor that is your opinion.
Lol, sorry I could not resist.
How are you guys holding out?
We are hanging in for now. We are short on supplies and will have to try to make a supply run tomorrow. I think it will be quite an adventure. Part of the journey will have to be on foot...
omg ..not sure what to say. You do what you have to do.
We won't take unnecessary risks. If we see or sense trouble we will turn back.
It is like a scary movie.
Living the reality is much worse. I understand much better now how people suffer from PTS and depression form long exposures to oppression and violence.
The unknown event of violence is a type of terrorism for sure.
Yes, I totally understand that, living on a knife-edge, poor sleep because even if you're sleeping at your home, you're awake more often than not because you're listening out for every strange sound.
Stay safe, <3
Absolutely, although I'm not all that good at keeping my opinions to myself all the time ;)
We had the same comedy racist family here growing up. Showing how stupid, racist Archer Bunker acted. And he was married to a dumb wife Edith. She kind of looks like that lady in the one you are showing.
They a daughter and her husband living with them. He made fun of his son-in-law referring to him as a Pollack or something like that.
The same set up .. source of image
As far as the author Laura Engels there was a tv series based on her book and they called it Little House on the Prarie. I googled her name and saw CNN reporting she was stripped of a presitious book award because her stories are racist.
Right now anything white in the states can be viewed as racist. They want us to all be against each other according to race. There is only the human race, but they want everyone to fight.
They is whoever is behind the media. Maybe it is a coincedence.
Love Thy Neighbour was a show in the 60s - I doubt it has anything to do with today's media ;)
I suppose it's right and proper to take such shows off the air. I always thought it gave a good message, that the racist was an idiot, but too many people these days seem to allow messages such as that to go over their heads.
👍
I read your message with interest. This is an instructive story and good advice. In our time, really common sense has become a rarity. Great advice - if you cannot help, then do no harm.
We have here a saying: "We wanted as best - but it turned out as always". The point is that we want to help make things better, but in the end, we do worse. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Thank you
Yes, the road to hell really is paved with good intentions.
My Uncle always said that.
The irony about the Alf Garnet character is that it was played by Warren Mitchell who was a Jew. He detested the character of Alf Garnet that's why he played it so well and as often happens.
The general public didn't get that he was lambasting the racist bigotry of the character and thought he was really expressing his own thoughts.
You have to remember that back in those days many people actually thought that Coronation street was 'real' too.
Subtlety is wasted on the general public as Harry Enfield found out with the abominable character he created. Instead of people seeing greed as a bad thing which was his intention. Many people tried to copy him as a role model?
As for panzerpantz I wouldn't give it the oxygen of publicity.
As always, my friend, you're completely correct and such wise words, to boot! Thank you for your insight :)
Thank you for sharing. i support your speech. We should help everyone. If we can't help, we should not harm them.
@kibria365
That's not quite what I said.
I agree with your article. We are all in the same eyes of God. Religion and skin color make no difference. We live in mutual respect and respect for each other. Whites and blacks, if he wants to respect and value us then we should be. We live in a social environment, of course, need each other. We are dependent on others and others so. So, living peacefully, safely and prosperously, that's better.
And for those who believe in a different god, or no god at all, how do they go on?
That is amazing!!............
^^^ this is bollocks!!.........
"If your job is to bake cakes for weddings, bake that cake and be happy for the couple."
Is this alluding to the case of Christian bakery owners who didn't want to bake for a same-sex couple in the US?
Yes, in part. I get inspiration from everywhere.
It* would mean you are for forced association and forced labor, that's why I'm asking about it.
*It=Taking the stance the christian couple running their bakery had to bake the cake (or otherwise would be prosecuted, fined, penalized in whatever way).
The couple refused to bake the cake because the couple were gay. That's discrimination against the couple and is illegal in the US.
That's not what this is about, eh? It's not about what is and what isn't law.
Rather it is about what should be law and should be enforced as such by members of the state - or isn't it? That's what you are advocating for (or isn't it?).
You've gone off on a tangent. I asked the person that downvoted me 100% why. You've now brought a discussion to my wall about a policy that was decided in a country that I've visited once.
I neither have the means to change the law of that country, nor the means to elect the law-makers of that country. The only thing I can do is make observations, which I did. That sentence wasn't the main part of my post and if you'd like to discuss it further, make a post about it on your own wall. I'm done.
Fair. I don't know panzermampfmagen and I especially don't know what he thinks.
I was just interested if this stance I mentioned in my second comment is part of or essential to your attitude with which you wrote the article.
Not essential. If I didn't have this example, there are hundreds more I could have used.
:)