Re: Gentlemen's Agreement


Surely you don't equate complaining about illegal aliens with
prejudice against Mexicans, do you? Say it isn't so, that you do have
a discerning, logical mind.


On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 17:18:25 GMT, Rita <nitany_98@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 10:02:01 -0700, Islander <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Rita wrote:
On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 09:14:41 -0700, Islander <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


Last evening my wife and I watched "Gentlemen's Agreement," 1947,
Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and John Garfield. This is a story about
a journalist played by Peck who passes himself off as a Jew to write an
article about anti-Semitism in the US. He discovers the many faces of
discrimination including the passive acceptance of people including his
fiancé played by McGuire.

I found the movie to be a powerful reminder that we are all guilty of
discrimination if we passively accept it. McGuire relates the story of
a man telling an anti-Semitic joke and how the company simply ignored
him. Garfield points out that she and the rest of the people present
are guilty of passive acceptance by not challenging him.

It is true. If we do not actively challenge those who discriminate, be
it about Jews, Moslems, Blacks, Mexicans, or Gays, we are passively
accepting discrimination. We are helping to perpetuate this ugly part
of our culture. I, for one, will no longer just kill-file or ignore
those who perpetuate discrimination in this ng. I won't be complicit.
Time to call it for what it is!


Personally, I've never let anyone get by with an anti-semitic remark
without speaking up. Once "ruined" a dinner party by doing so. I do
ignore some of the nut cases ranting to this newsgroup but never
in real life. Same goes for blanket statements about the supposed
attributes of other groups. I don't have many chances to so speak
out however as I avoid like the plague the kinds of people who are
prone to this kind of thing. Some in this group equate any criticiism
of Israel with anti-semitism, but I don't think that is what you are
talking about?

Not at all. One can criticize Israel the nation without discriminating
against the Jewish race or Hebrew religion. Personally, I no more
approve of the Israeli attack against Lebanon than I approve of the
United States invasion of Iraq. It will only further inflame middle
east tension. I'm afraid that Israel has taken the bait offered by the
Arab extremists who want open conflict.

I am glad you clarified that although I suspected that was your
view. I agree it is important to counter rank prejudice against
groups -- we hear plenty of that in this newsgroup against Mexicans,
for example. According to some, they are terrorists comparable
to Hezbollah or Hamas. Evil foreigners bent on our destruction.
Or people of no worth rather than struggling humans. I am not
willing, either, to label all Muslims as evil.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Gentlemens Agreement
    ... The Enemy Alien Mexicans could not care less, ... They are indeed enemy aliens for they certainly are not ... discrimination including the passive acceptance of people including his ... One can criticize Israel the nation without discriminating ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Gentlemens Agreement
    ... Dorothy McGuire and John Garfield. ... discrimination including the passive acceptance of people including his ... are guilty of passive acceptance by not challenging him. ... One can criticize Israel the nation without discriminating ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Gentlemens Agreement
    ... Dorothy McGuire and John Garfield. ... discrimination including the passive acceptance of people including his ... are guilty of passive acceptance by not challenging him. ... One can criticize Israel the nation without discriminating ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Gentlemens Agreement
    ... Dorothy McGuire and John Garfield. ... I found the movie to be a powerful reminder that we are all guilty of discrimination if we passively accept it. ... Garfield points out that she and the rest of the people present are guilty of passive acceptance by not challenging him. ... One can criticize Israel the nation without discriminating against the Jewish race or Hebrew religion. ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Gentlemens Agreement
    ... Dorothy McGuire and John Garfield. ... I found the movie to be a powerful reminder that we are all guilty of discrimination if we passively accept it. ... Garfield points out that she and the rest of the people present are guilty of passive acceptance by not challenging him. ... One can criticize Israel the nation without discriminating against the Jewish race or Hebrew religion. ...
    (soc.retirement)