@JTT,
JTT wrote:
Quote:I said "old-fashioned main stream," not "old fashioned AND main stream." There is no logical "and" in my correct thought. Please do not parse my definition of myself. I am a great believer in the power of sociology. We are, I believe, a product of our socialization. I do not blame people, but the society that socialized them. However, I seem to be blamed for the socialization that nurtured me. That is not erudite from a sociological standpoint, I believe.
"old-fashioned mainstream" had it that Jews were evil, Jews were the killers of Christ and Jews were "name any of the other 1001 inane ideas about Jews". The result of this "old-fashioned mainstream" thought, was that Jews were discriminated against and much worse.
The same for Blacks, Indians, Indians, ... .
Rational, thinking beings do not simply accept "old-fashioned mainstream" thought just because it's old-fashioned. You know that to be true, Foofie, for you would be appalled if Jews, Blacks, Indians or any other group was discriminated against.
Yet you would allow discrimination, you would allow inequality to be put upon Gays. It just doesn't make sense, does it?
For your information, while Jews are not discriminated against in most hotels, etc., as happened in the first half of the 20th century, many decent people do consider Jews (secular) not socially acceptable in all venues. It is just part of the socialization process. Society changes in small increments, over an extended time. Regarding gays, I see no reason to think of gays as deserving of institutions (i.e., marriage) that they had little interest in during previous eras. In fact, as late as the 1960's male homosexuals had little interest in marriage, since many participated in a very promiscuous sex life (read City of Night by John Rechy). Perhaps, AID's made gays rethink their lifestyle? Regardless, comparing Jews to gays is adding apples to oranges. One is an ethnicity (Jews), and the other is a subculture.
By the way, for a private citizen to be homophobic is not a crime. It may limit one's ability to function in a society where one does meet/work with gays, but that would be a personal choice. Just like not wanting to have chit-chat with women, if one is a man. I say this since sexuality is, I believe, only one facet of gayness. There are other components, that if one is aware of, one might just not want to associate with them. Remember, as a private citizen, calling another homophobic is being less than well mannered, in my opinion, since one might just be homophobic based on one's socialization. And, the main point is that one should not act on one's homophobia, or anti-Semitism, or distaste for any number of groups of people. But, as private citizens we have every right to like, or not like, who we want.
