Racist propaganda
We've received the following email from three different family members now -
CHRISTMAS STAMPThe email is not only terribly misinformed (big surprise there), it's also very offensive. I don't offend easily, but earnestly forwarding around racist nonsense like this does it.
How ironic is this??!! They don't even believe in Christ and they're getting
their own Christmas stamp, but don't dream of posting the ten commandments on federal property?
USPS New Stamp (REVISED) original was issued in 2001
This one is impossible to believe. Scroll down for the text.
If there is only one thing you forward today......let it be this!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing
of Pan Am Flight 103!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of
the World Trade Center in 1993!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM
bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon!
REMEMBER
the MUSLIM bombing of the military Barracks in Saudi Arabia!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the American
Embassies in Africa!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of
the USS COLE!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM attack on
9/11/2001!
REMEMBER all the AMERICAN lives that were
lost in those vicious MUSLIM attacks!
Now the United States Postal Service REMEMBERS and HONORS the EID MUSLIM holiday season with a commemorative first class Holiday postage stamp. Bull!
REMEMBER
to adamantly and vocally BOYCOTT this stamp
When purchasing your stamps at the post office. To use this stamp would be a slap
in the face to all those AMERICANS who died at the hands of those whom this stamp honors.
REMEMBER to pass this along to every patriotic AMERICAN you know!!!
As I've mentioned before, all of Michelline's family are conservative, but they're not an uneducated bunch. What can you make of this? What do you do? They all know we're liberal and they still forward us this crap, and I think they really expect us to nod our heads and say 'Oh, yeah, that's terrible. Those damn Muslims'. Well Michelline decided she'd had enough and sent this back -
By forwarding this on, you're saying that you feel ALL Muslims are responsible for the atrocities mentioned in this email. That's wrong. The vast majority of Muslims are peaceful and respectful of human life. If we hold all Muslims to blame for these atrocities, then perhaps we should hold all Christians to blame for the Irish unrest. Let's hold ALL Christians to blame for the Crusades. Let's hold all Christians to blame for the Holocaust. Unless we are going to call Christians to task for these atrocities, we cannot hold the vast majority of Muslims responsible for the cruelties and misdeeds of a few.I think she's right that allowing this stuff to spread without comment is not acceptable. She normally just deletes this crap, but this one sent her over the edge. She's a little apprehensive about what some of the people may say, but I told her not to worry, she's firmly on the right side on this.
I would ask that you do not forward racist emails such as these to me. I find them highly offensive and so should you. For by perpetuating this nonsense, you are stating quite categorically that you feel that the only valid American Citizen is a Christian one.
Thank you for demonstrating such wonderful "Christian" ideals and virtues.
18 comments:
Well, I got my first response. My Aunt Sandy wrote:
Micheline. I love you but never do that again. I will not send any of these to you again. But I AM a Christian and I will stand behind me belief of Jesus Christ.
Love you,
I feel sick. I know I did the right thing, but I'm afraid I could lose many members of my family over this.
nightshift here. You certainly did the right thing on this one. I also get incredibly racist and bigoted stuff forwarded to me, and it can quickly become too much. Especially if it just catches you immediately after the latest outrageous move by the Right, like trying to get a 12 year old child murdered. I sincerely hope that this doesn't cause a big problem for you, and that they finally get the idea not to send you this stuff.
Thanks, 'shift. I'm worried about what my mother and sister will say, to be honest. But I'm glad I finally spoke up. At least I know I'm being the better person for standing up for others who are being unfairly persecuted.
I rarely even check my email anymore, and no one sends me stuff like this. The closest thing I've gotten was a chain letter from your daughter about whether I was single and who I "liked."
My family is made up almost entirely of liberals, so I don't really have to worry about things like this.
to adamantly and vocally BOYCOTT this stamp
Oh, and I don't know where these people are buying stamps, but everytime I ever have, I get pretty generic ones with birds or something, unless I specifically request something else. So I'm not sure how this would ever become an issue for anyone where they would need to boycott it. I doubt these are the first ones they hand out at the post office.
The closest thing I've gotten was a chain letter from your daughter about whether I was single and who I "liked."
Yes, she was trying to send it to 10 people like the chain letter said and she only has 10 people in her address book. So you lucked out!
shoot. That was my post.
I think your response was perfectly appropriate. Hopefully your family doesn't take too much offense to it.
to adamantly and vocally BOYCOTT this stamp
I get my stamps out of a vending machine, so I guess I could boycott these if I wanted to. Of course, this letter kind of made me want to go out and buy a bunch. I just bought those "forever" stamps, though, so no need to buy more for a little while.
The more I think about this, the more I have to wonder, why the hell are people still using stamps anyway?
why the hell are people still using stamps anyway?
Because they hate America.
I think your response was perfectly appropriate.
Thanks Chemist.
Ugghh... Michelline I am so sorry! I hate confrontation myself so I know you must be feeling sick right now :(
But you absolutely did the right thing and it was very appropriate. I'm sorry if you get a lot of backlash from this...
Thanks Mrs. F. I don't know that my mother has read my email yet, and that's the bad one I'm expecting. She's likely to not really say anything, but my sister will start in on the "You've really hurt mom's feelings with this" etc.
I think your response was excellent. I hope the rest of your family doesn't see fit to put their ideology ahead of their love for you.
Thank you Maurinsky. It's been nice to have a community of fairly like-minded friends for support. Heaven knows, as much as I love (and like) my family, I can't talk to them about political or religious issues.
How did it turn out? Have you heard from your mom yet?
How did it turn out? Have you heard from your mom yet?
No, but I did hear from my step-mother, who in a surprising move, actually apologized for not reading the email more carefully before forwarding it and said she was sorry I was offended. Which is not exactly what I expected to hear from her. She's a born again Baptist who started out in life as an atheist. Go figure.
I don't know if Mom will respond or not. I'm thinking I'll just hear from my sister how much I've hurt mom's feelings or something like that.
What a sad state of mind to be in, to actually believe all Muslims are responsible for a FEW terrorists, that have done some horrible things.
I'm not sure why believing in Christ, makes people think they can be ignorant about other faiths, if anything ones faith in Christ, should teach them how to treat people in a more respectful and loving manner.
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