From the Ridiculous to the Sublime

[moremojo]

"Cowboy hat music," he calls it.

I love that! That is so sweet and guileless, just the kind of thing a child's mind would conjure. I might adopt that as my new pet name for country and Western music, just as I've appropriated 'pornstache' for the hirsute confection some men choose to sport on their upper lip (and I might add I'm growing a nice little pornstache of my own these days--bring back the Seventies, and bring back Jack!).

Cheers,
 
Wannabe-cowboy Scott

[Lynne]

That's a new one - I've never heard someone admit to it like that.  But it's also quite disturbing, and just proves the point Kirk, I think it was, made here the other day - that it's no longer socially acceptable to be a racist, but it's still socially acceptable to be a homophobe.  I'd bet you a million dollars this same guy would *never* say "You know what a racist I am."

That's an excellent point, Barb.  I was trying to articulate the 'socially acceptable' part, but could not find the right words.  Interestingly enough, this conversation occurred in a TGIFriday's bar that is easily 50/50 gay/straight and was within a larger group...not a whispered aside.

'Cowboy hat music' - Love it, love it 

[ednbarby]

That's an excellent point, Barb.  I was trying to articulate the 'socially acceptable' part, but could not find the right words.  Interestingly enough, this conversation occurred in a TGIFriday's bar that is easily 50/50 gay/straight and was within a larger group...not a whispered aside.

'Cowboy hat music' - Love it, love it 

There ya go.  Imagine someone saying "You know what a racist I am" when they're talking to a group comprised 50/50 of whites/blacks.  It's unfathomable, isn't it?  But I imagine about 40 years ago, it wasn't so much.

Sigh.  This (along with what I've read in Safe Haven this morning) makes me unspeakably sad.

[David]

Sigh.  This (along with what I've read in Safe Haven this morning) makes me unspeakably sad.

  I hear ya Barb.   Just close your eyes and think of Jack and Ennis as we see them in Leslies FanFic.    Forever 32 yrs old, Happy and living on the ranch.  That always makes me happy.   

[henrypie]

I am fascinated by what I perceive to be a paradox: people who say "I'm not racist" are more racist than people who can acknowledge their racism.  If only to themselves, which might keep them from staying stupid shit like "I'm not racist, but there sure are a lot of black people in this city!" For example.

Now, with homophobia, perhaps the paradox doesn't apply as consistently because it's perceived by many as an acceptable prejudice.

I have a friend who openly acknowledged being grossed out by the gay parts of "Six Feet Under" -- ew, gay stuff!  Ew!  And yet this man, according to my Dar, and regardless of his (bossy, controlling) girlfriend, is in a state of undealt-with gayness.  So maybe those who acknowledge their homophobia are on the bubble, about to either come out, or flip over into the light of acceptance.  Butterfly wings a-flappin.

[ednbarby]

That's a very good point, Sarah.  I suppose it's better than not acknowledging it at all and just going on about your merry gay-bashing way.  It just makes me sad that we're still apparently at least several decades from it no longer being socially acceptable to admit it.

[henrypie]

Speaking of "I'm not racist," I once babysat a little kid who stuck out her chest and defiantly said "I'm not racial!"

Lord, I don't remember exactly what we were talking about, but she was like a little baby poisonous snake, trying out her venom-glands on me.  If she hadn't been so dangerous, she would have been cute.

[Sheyne]

That's what's so stunning about his acceptance of my answers - he's *totally* in the "But why?" stage.  He's also doing this thing where he'll ask me what something is, I'll tell him, (e.g., "What's that animal on the TV, Mommy?"  "It's a hippopotamus.") and he'll go, "No, it isn't."   

*shudder*

My son's standard response to anything is: "do you know why it is?"

Like, he couldn't just sit pretty with "why" like every other kid. No, no, no.. Will's gotta go with the "do you know why it is?"

eg: "Mummy, this is a dodecagon."  "Yes, Will."   *pause*.... "Do you know why it is?"  "Well, yeah, cause it's a shape that has 10 sides." *pause*  you know it's coming...  "Do you know why it is?"

*sheyne takes loooong sip of coffee*

[serious crayons]

I'd bet you a million dollars this same guy would *never* say "You know what a racist I am."

Nor would Jay Leno (or whoever) make racist jokes on TV.

[David]

Things are getting better.  A few decades ago if a black person and white person married it was scandalous.  Today nobody looks twice.   Eventually when a gay couple moves in to a neighborhood the other residents will be happy because most gay couples often fix up reglected neighborhoods.

There will always be isolated incidents of hate crimes.   It is only when people are exposed to nice gay people that they realize that there is nothing to fear.    It is when kids are raised in areas that have no gay role models that they often fall into the homophobic behavior of their parents.   

But think of how far society has come in just the past 10 years.    Thank goodness NBC aired Will & Grace.   That opened the door to the closet.      It is easy to spot the Jack McFarlands of the world, but there are alot of Will Trumans out there that are still invisable.    Maybe that is why we love Jack & Ennis so much.   They have not just broken the stereotype but broke our hearts.