The Specials, "Racist Friend" (1983)

Every so often I pull this song out and listen to it, and strengthen my resolve. In the 90s I cut loose some folks because they didn’t approve of me having gay friends or white friends or Jewish friends or whatever their intolerance was. I didn’t regret it; ultimately it meant being able to bring more people together when I did have gatherings without someone having "issues”.
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JamesBugman

The song is not the greatest, but the meaning is a good one. Don't tolerate prejudice.

When you look at someone, don't let yourself think "oh a white man" or "oh a black man" or "oh a Jew" or a gay or anything else, just think of them as humans just like you. They have their own beliefs and that is cool, so do you. We are all the same inside.
Where I live we have Jamaicans in the house next door, Polish people in the house on the other side, Ukrainians next to them, Chinese across the street, Indians, Sikh, other Europeans.. basically all nationalities all within a two block radius. We all say hello as we pass even if some of them do not speak English. It's wonderful.

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Fukfacewillie · 56-60, M

@Kwek00 @ElwoodBlues If they weren’t Jewish they would be somewhere between Tucker and Fuentes. How they stay “MAGA” is beyond my comprehension.

Kwek00 · 41-45, M

@Fukfacewillie "Beyond comprehension"?

Why is it so strange, that a person that thinks like this:

is in a movement full of xenophobic racists? He even has a person like Matt Walsh and Michael knowles into his business. 🤷‍♂

Next to that, Shapiro is really honest about his allignment with the republican party. He'll carry water for them everytime, and considers himself a "gatekeeper" for the movement. His gatekeeping seems to only begin, when Jews are targeted, or in a time period BEFORE the head of the movement is picked. Once you have a figurehead, he'll fall in line like he always has. And then he'll tie some plows to his demented audience, and farm money of of them.

And Loomer? Lol, she was making content for rebel media, with some other notable figures as Faith Goldy and Lauren Southern. How is all of this "beyond comprehension"? These people helped dig the far-right rabbithole.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

I don't really know why, yet while had known of such people, I never considered them my friends.

I suspect it was because I grew up with a variety of different people. And learned how to stay away from racists types of people.

Possibly my father as well had a lot to do with it. He never was a racist.

bijouxbroussard · F

@DeWayfarer My parents were the same. I grew up seeing all kinds of people welcomed into our home, it was perfectly normal.

When I went away to college at an HBCU, I encountered people like my roommate who were shocked to see white friends in my photo album. They couldn’t imagine ever having white friends.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@bijouxbroussard I suspect it's because my father took me everywhere as well. I do mean everywhere all over California. Even Sacramento. You could find us in Korea town just as well as in Watts. He worked in Santa Ana. Three different races right there.

Please note my father didn't drive after being hospitalized. It was on foot, buses, taxis, trains or planes. Often a combination.

Yet all of that was why I was even allowed to fly to Germany by myself at 14.

My parents knew I could handle different situations. Street smart really doesn't describe my childhood. We even hiked in the mountains. Even in snow.