The Hall of Fire

One difference is time and culture marching on, but I suspect another is that most people in the 1960s didn't have the experience of suddenly discovering that people they knew well and cared about had actually been nonwhite for all those years. A more cynical take on this is that the public face of...

I'm holding off on updating the state count because it is so ridiculously in flux that it's going to be hard to state it accurately over the next several days/weeks, so I've fudged the title, bearing in mind the many requests for alliterative allure in future thread titles. I see that we added two s...

Very cool, tinwë. Also, assuming the Ninth Circuit rules as expected in the currently pending challenge, that would add MT, ID, AZ, NV, and AK to the mix - another five-state haul. It is nothing short of incredible that we're now considering legalization in fistfuls of states at one time!

I'm not sure exactly how we want to count today: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/us/denying-review-justices-clear-way-for-gay-marriage-in-5-states.html It looks like we're officially at twenty-four + DC (so, twenty-five for purposes of this thread), with the new additions being IN, OK, UT, VA, and...

For those who recognize the concept of privilege, this article is an interesting look at it: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-sperm-donor-lawsuit-met-20140930-story.html# Backdrop: a white lesbian couple decided to conceive using a sperm bank. While they chose a white donor, the ...

Cerin, you appear to be defining "privilege" to mean "only earned and merited rights and benefits." (You write, "A privilege is a right or benefit properly enjoyed by a relative few, because some aspect of their life qualifies them to enjoy it.") This definition is sole...

Nel, thanks for telling me that. You are a fascinating person for a wide variety of reasons. Perhaps "interesting" wasn't the right word. Perhaps educational. Perhaps it's more that each person I meet has a different perspective based on where they've been, whom they have associated with,...

I appreciate the sentiment of what you're doing, narya, but I want to note that I am really not comfortable as a brown person with being told that I am "more interesting" or "have more interesting stories" because of my skin color. This is actually something I hear relatively oft...

It could also reduce racial disparities in the sentencing process for aggravated homicide (which is often statutorily defined in relatively objective terms) by eliminating jury selection between life without parole and the death penalty. I didn't actually follow this. If you have a chance, could yo...

One argument against this is that he has been sentenced to serve the rest of his natural life in prison for rape and murder. Certainly, he is free to commit suicide by whatever means are at his disposal. But there is a colorable argument, with a retributivist flavor, that he is not entitled to reque...

The first definition of "privilege" in M-W online is: "a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others." The third is: "the advantage that wealthy and powerful people have over other people in a society." (The second, not relevant here, is "a spec...

And when we find that loaded terms like "privilege" - a term filled with negative connotations towards the privileged - doesn't create awareness and understanding but instead causes resentment and divisiveness, why continue using it? Actually, I don't think that those who have expressed t...

I think we need to think about what we mean by education and school. There is no reason education cannot be taught in their native language & include their history. Surely there is a middle ground here? Have not seen the film, but there's also the counterargument that certain languages open up ...

I get defensive when I hear accusations of privilege. And it's not because I parse it as code for racist/sexist; it's because the implication is that I have something I shouldn't, and that the solution is to take it away from me . This is absolutely the wrong way to talk about the problem. Further,...

A friend shared this on Facebook: http://alittlemoresauce.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/what-my-bike-has-taught-me-about-white-privilege/ A very patient explanation of why privilege and racism (or sexism) are not the same. It's an interesting and fairly strong analogy - though for me much more relevant ...

I know that working extra hours is common for some lines of work - such as the legal field. In my current job, there is no money in the budget for overtime for engineers and no bonuses. There is no such thing as overtime or bonuses for government attorneys. You work after hours because that's what ...

In response to Nel's and PtG's comments, I feel the need to defend myself. My co-worker is a very volatile person who gets angry with people on a regular basis, including me. I see it as her personality, and let it slide. She originally asked me to help her with something that would take 4 hours to...

Just my 2 cents. If someone had promised to deliver something to me by a certain date, was not able to do so, and then sent me a note similar to yours, in which there is an implicit expression of annoyance at the expectation of the work being done (i.e. the phrase "though it was supposed to be...

How dare you, I am always the best judge! Of all the things! :rage: Typical INTJ. :P *shoves loudly into this gathering of Is* Yo yo yo E is IN DA HOUSE!!!!! First order of business: yov, I am totally ready to challenge you for the title of Way Better Judge of All the Awesome Things. If you disagre...

Title updated.