Among ourselves….do we believe there was that kind of response to Bradley Manning as Grand Marshall? Maybe?
Mike
Starchild, are you willing to write the release so I can just copy it
verbatim onto a letterhead? I'm sensing mixed opinions and I don't want to
get it wrong by writing from afar. There's no reason those viewpoints can't
be included in a piece that covers each side but I also make my phone calls
online to save minutes on my regular phone and unfortunately the walls here
are thin and I'll get a complaint if I am talking out loud this late at
night - my neighbor is a total asshole and he goes to sleep early for work.
So by the time I'm able to call you in the morning we'll lose another 12
hours.
To answer Mike Denny's question, the first I heard about this was the
outrage over the Board's decision but I would have been super happy if I
had heard the original news.To Joey Cain, I don't think her race is a
reason not to criticize her, nobody has even said anything about her skin
color and racism is defined by focusing on that as a primary character
trait. Criticizing her critics for being white amounts to the same thing.
Why bring it up at all?
Sure Mike, don't worry about the phone call, I'll write something up.
Just FYI, Joey identifies as an anarchist with social democrat leanings, or something along those lines; I copied him as an ally on this issue, not as someone committed to the libertarian movement. I actually heard the news of Bradley Manning being selected at the same time I heard the news of Lisa Williams' statement of retraction.
And of course you're right that her personal ethnic background and sexual orientation nothing to do with this. Joey's more politically correct take on the issue, however, serves as a cautionary reminder that when it comes to public discourse and so on, in the eyes of some people you start with one strike against you if you're of European ancestry, another if you're straight, another if you're male, another if you're wealthy, another if you're non-disabled, etc. So a certain amount of thoughtfulness and caution about appearances regarding such things -- even when there is no malicious intent, let alone actual harm involved -- can potentially avoid awkward prostrations on the altars of the PC deities later. If anybody advocating for Bradley Manning says anything that could be construed as racist, insensitive toward lesbians, etc. during this controversy, we should assume that those at SF Pride who want to sweep the issue of his treatment under the rug and make nice with the establishment will milk it for all it's worth.
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))
P.S. - Love the quote "The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." Also very important to keep in mind!