Pages

Aug 24, 2011

Why bigotry must be opposed provocatively and vigorously

Because of fucked up religious bigots like this, and the unearned respect or tolerance that is demanded by people who
  • Do not repeatedly condemn or distance themselves from the bigotry ("He has a right to believe what he wants," "he's not like other rabbis," "I do not like you using that language to condemn him"), or
  • Feel that atheists or free-thinkers putting up signs drive away the open-minded ("Why be offensive like him and get in their face instead of reasoning it out? After all, Jesus said...golden rule...blah blah blah")
In both cases, what they are asking for is passive accommodation of bigotry. Passive accommodation never got rid of slavery, interracial marriage, or the opposition to gay-marriage. If reason worked with the religious extremists, they would not be religious. Given that we still have so many in the ranks of the religious extremists despite unprecedented access to reason, reasoning with them is a losing proposition.

And if the moderate/liberal are offended enough by a sign to remain align with the bigoted, they are not exactly going to support your cause anyway. But some of them will be moved enough to see that people truly should resent this bigotry.

I give you The Fucking Homophobe Rabbi Yehuda Levin:


Go shake your male member in a motorcycle wheel, rabbi!

No comments: