>*There are justifiable reasons for opposing bigots and oppressors but not for painting all people in an ethnic group as being the same.*
It's all very well in theory, when you have the possibility to look at the situation from the big point of view, knowing things you know now. But imagine yourself a rather uneducated black person somewhere in deep south where every white person you've met in your life, even the best of them, don't think yourself equal to them. And the worst of them, well...
It all depends on your situation.
Obviously, there were plenty of people who could see and understand that white people aren't a uniform group, and who were very discerning in their emotions towards different groups of people. But plenty of people just weren't in the situation where they could differentiate.
>*I would also avoid hating anyone. Its one thing to despise or oppose a people or group who act in ways you think repulsive but hatred in itself is empty and self-destructive.*
*smirk* yeah, in the long view, while sitting on your very-very prosperous butt in your very-very prosperous life where you can spend a significant amount of time thinking about the big picture, yeah. But it's a very human emotion and it's really necessary for humanity, in some situations - sometimes it's the only thing that stops you from blowing your own brains out.
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@stevep59
>*There are justifiable reasons for opposing bigots and oppressors but not for painting all people in an ethnic group as being the same.*
It's all very well in theory, when you have the possibility to look at the situation from the big point of view, knowing things you know now. But imagine yourself a rather uneducated black person somewhere in deep south where every white person you've met in your life, even the best of them, don't think yourself equal to them. And the worst of them, well...
It all depends on your situation.
Obviously, there were plenty of people who could see and understand that white people aren't a uniform group, and who were very discerning in their emotions towards different groups of people. But plenty of people just weren't in the situation where they could differentiate.
>*I would also avoid hating anyone. Its one thing to despise or oppose a people or group who act in ways you think repulsive but hatred in itself is empty and self-destructive.*
*smirk* yeah, in the long view, while sitting on your very-very prosperous butt in your very-very prosperous life where you can spend a significant amount of time thinking about the big picture, yeah. But it's a very human emotion and it's really necessary for humanity, in some situations - sometimes it's the only thing that stops you from blowing your own brains out.