Just typical

I, like many, grew up with relatively bigoted parents. I never listened when either would make general comments on other races or religions -- what they'd say made no sense to me. It may have been due to growing up in a place where there were few people who weren't white. There were certainly people from other cultures, primarily Italian, or, at lest, of European extraction. But I never gave such things any thought.

I do remember an incident in high school which was very important to me. My mother had worked with a black man who had a son attending the same school. He & I knew each other, but he was a good student, & I...well, while I got good grades in some classes -- A's in the ones I liked -- I was by no means "good". Sylvester & I didn't have much in common, we ran in entirely different crowds. But, I'd rather liked him, as he wasn't the annoyance most other kids there were.

One day, after school, I found Sylvester sitting on a bench outside the front gate waiting for a ride home. I don't remember why, but I sat down with him & started a conversation. I don't think we'd ever said more than "Hi", or "Hey" to eachother before, but today was different. At some point in the conversation, I suddenly felt odd sitting there with Sylvester. It dawned on me that I was feeling sensations of prejudice.

I didn't like these feelings. I knew, in my heart, that they were wrong & completely contradictory to what I -- rather than what my short-sighted parents -- believed. I stopped him from whatever he was saying & apologized to him. I told him that my upbringing was, at that moment, influencing me in ways I didn't like. Naturally, Sylvester was confused, so I explained...& apologized again.

From that day forward, I have made a concerted effort to rid myself of those idiotic feelings my parents had bestowed upon me. I now only see these difference between myself & others -- whether they be black, Latin, Asian, Jewish, or even of a different species -- as nothing more than differences. For the most part, I just don't care that others aren't like me -- I prefer it, & I seek them out.

So, now, I find such an incredibly stupid exchange going on caused not by he whom the debaters want to attack, but rather by the Port Authority of Washington State. Of course, I'm referring to this issue of religious paraphernalia at Sea-Tac airport.

No one wants to pay attention to what the media actually says about this, no one bothers to listen to the Rabbi's comments on what was done, what prompted it, the actions taken previous to this problem or that the root of the problem is the attitude of the sheep who hold positions of authority.

All Rabbi Bogomilsky wanted was equal time. We're surrounded this time of year by the ubiquitous pagan symbol xians had stolen in hopes of filling the collection plate, & told that we must either worship Jesus...or at least, take part in a huge sham perpetrated by those in high positions within xianity. Why is a single eight-foot menorah so offensive to the Port Authority that they decide to do away with all their xmas decorations & add to the insult by claiming that they just don't have time to consider all religions -- particularly when the Rabbi had requested consideration of more than a single faith as long ago as October?

And now, all too many on Craig's List, who can't be bothered to even seek out the facts, are stirring up an incredible amount of anti-semitism. They blame the Rabbi instead of the true culprit: xianity. Sure, we have to blame the Port Authority for their arrogance -- their inability to consider anyone who doesn't possess a narrow mind, but we have to go deeper as well. I won't give you a complete litany of the crimes against humanity of the Church. Suffice to say that xianity is at the root of all this evil "dumbing down" of humans.

Whatever happened to tolerance? Whatever happened to embracing difference? Whatever happened to simple, common decency?