I was discussing several issues with one my direct reports this morning. He's young and very liberal and I'm always interested in bantering with him. After I pointed out that the latest polls show 75% of the American public support the president in the war, I added, "hey, you know that Columbia professor who made those outrageous remarks?" Yes (he replied). I said, "did you hear that he also said, if you claim to be a patriotic American, you're a white supremacist?". (true statement)

He said, no, but that he would have to agree with that statement... I was so shocked that I almost could not respond. And I had to do so "carefully" as not to offend. In fact, I was left pretty much speechless because I didn't want to raise any HR issues... Anyone know any non-white "patriotic Americans who may be offended by this type of demonization and insane generalization?"

yes

I do too! I have friends that deny any hyphenated placcard put on them. American only!

Colin Powell. Though he may be considered "too white". I can't be sure, but I suspect Jim Brown would say that is Bullsh#t.

I must agree,

That is bull****. I am a patriotic American. Many of my friends are minorities, and also consider themselves to be patriotic americans.

It is also bull****, that if you don't agree with the president, you are somehow, unamerican, siding with Saddam, or in any way less of an American. It is all part of living in a "Representative Democracy." It is ashame that modern politics has debased itself into, name calling, mud slinginging B.S.

Just my .02 worth

Homebrew

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS

A statement like that can perpetuate itself in the minds of some simply by it being that outragious. Statements like that are dangerous, however subtly, still dangerous.

What surprised me was the remarkable fluidity with which he accepted what to me was an absurd statement simply at face value. Of course being a patriotic American doesn't mean you're a white supremacist, but he didn't even blink when I through it out there as an outlandish, reprehensible statement made by a left wing extremist. Unbelievable...

No Liberal feedback on this one? Rick? Chris? The aFOREmentioned Skin?

If the aforementioned absurd (and it IS absurd!)statement were true, then wouldn't the reverse be true also? Ergo if you are an UNpatriotic American, then you must be a black supremicist.

I agree the generalization is way off, but I also know that hate crimes have gone up since 9/11 and the guise of patriotism has been used as an excuse for a lot of unpatriotic rhetoric and behavior.

Just like many on this board have called others unpatriotic for not supporting GWB, or not supporting the war, these statements are equally absurd…

Robby - For the last time, I’m not a “liberal” or a “conservative”, I’m a mix of both depending on the issue. How many “liberals” are gun owning hunters? How many “conservatives” are atheists? Generalizations can be generally wrong…

An atheist gun owner? Where do you go if you accidently shoot yourself? 🙂

Yeah, I've had people tell me I'm a dichotomy too. I always say, "no, this is my natural color".

In a box or urn, just like everyone else...

""""An atheist gun owner? Where do you go if you accidently shoot yourself? 🙂 """"

The hospital?

Robby

perhaps he was being polite and wondering where you came up with such a dumb ass idea.

if he is about 20 or less, chances are he has no interest in anything but his immediate perceived needs or wants.

generalization: the current x or y or z generation, whatever they are called. children 21 or less are completely disinterested in anything that has no effect on them. they will complete tasks, like showing up on time for a job, but will never attempt to do anything other then the minimum they can get by with. they point. how many times have you gone into a store of anykind, asked an employee where you can find something you are looking for and they point.

this is not sour grapes from an old man, just an observation. if you frequent certain stores over and over and stay away from other stores, i'll bet it has something to do with the service.

home depot used to be like a local hardware store with loads of employees that could walk you through the store to find what you wanted. they have cut back on help, and last i heard they are closing stores because of lack of business.

anyone that comes into my office is treated with instant attention. if we are on the phone, we still say something to let them know they are welcome and "let me finish taking care of this person and i'll take care of you right away."

we do it out of respect and we don't want to be a lonely office that opens and closes and no one ever calls or drops in.

Rick - That's another generalization, there might be cases in which it's true, but the cause is what matters. Maybe management at these stores is not teaching their employees how to serve customers. Or maybe these employees are just learning from the disinterested approach more and more parents are using with their children.

Robby, in answering your original question. Yes, I know of at least one guy, me.

Mag

Rick, good points, good points. He is in fact 26 and therefore, Gen X. But firmly, hardcore democrat. I think that's more at the core of his position.

As much as I try to bust people's balls, some of my posts are "color" or for effect. I was appalled by his statement which he truly seemed to believe which was that if you said you were a patriotic American, it was code for being a white supremacist. I believe racial stereotypes like this are what serve to keep us divided... Blacks are lazy, Mexicans steel, whites are bigots, it's impossible to make sweeping generalizations and when you do, I believe it exposes astronomical ignorance.

It’s true his views could change with time. Most people do.

Rick,

funny thing is, around here a solid majority of the protesters are 18-24. So i agree that people of this age group do not know what they are doing most of the time! Just another example of uninformed, jump on the bandwagon against anything to get attention.

Here in Greater Cincinnati we have had our fill of boycotts against the city because of racial mistreatment by the police. So far the only effect has been to keep money out of the businesses that employ the same people boycotting.

Senseless,

Mike

Winston Churchill said it best (but surely he was quoting someone else; "If you're not liberal by the time you're 20, you have no heart. But if you're not conservative by the time you're 40, you have no brain." I was conservative at 20... nuff said. Rick? Second Childhood?

I am a white supremacist...