This really upset me.. I thought we lived in a tolerant society..

[cheese]

So I get an elderlyish couple through my line this morning. At first they seemed friendly enough, making small talk with me, and one of them comments on how burnt my face looks, and how tired I look.

Me: "Ah yes, I was at (gay) Pride yesterday, haven't had too much sleep, and caught the sun a little"
Old man: "Oh, you're not one of those are you?
Me: "Um, one of what?"
Old man: "I think its disgusting that this store hires people like you, its revolting enough to see so many of you parading yourself around town without having to talk to you people as well"
Me: (also, "you people" all the time - er I don't represent the whole gay community?)
Old man: (now nearly shouting) You homosexuals are despicable, its immoral and against nature and the bible (if you're that much of a Christian why are you shopping on a Sunday?) and I refuse to have your revolting sexual practices shoved in my face (um its one weekend to celebrate the LGBT community, its doing no one any harm)

I was really REALLY angry about this and although I didn't shout at them, I refused to serve them and before I could get a supervisor over, they walked out with the man shouting "We don't want our food to be touched by people with AIDS anyway!"

Jeeez if you really feel like that, moving outta Brighton would be a start..making comments like that when there is around 150000 LGBT people in the city for the festival is just...

[MustangErin]

Unfortunatly people like this are still around.

We had someone in the store the other day complaining that we carried Brokeback Mountain and that we shouldn't have those type of movies because we are a family video store and families shop here. He wanted the president's phone number. He wasn't rude but I didn't want to hear it. I held back and just said that we carry movies that appeal to all tastes and people.

It wasn't a bad as what you got but I just can't stand intolerance. If you don't like that kind of "people" then why are you living in an area that has a high gay population.

I was ranting at work about this for a few days.

I am sorry that you incountered these jerks.

(Our gay pride parade is today!)

[ArenaBoy]

These types are the reason that I do not go out much. I hear all sorts of complaints at the bookstore I go to about some books.

[Think Blue]

Ignorant scum, thats all he is.

[moekosowl]

I agree, that was extremely ignorant of them. Sadly, I find it's typical of my small town. My personal opinion is that two consenting adults of any gender and preference can do what they want as long as I don't have to step over them on my way out the door to work.

[Imogene]

Cough on them.

"Really... it's hard to pin down your sexual preference when you don't really have a gender. Some days, I'm straight, others, gay, and still others, I'm bi."

[rdp78]

These people were just ridicilous.

I mean they actually think that you have AIDS because you were gay (I'm assuming) and well, I can't believe people think this way after 20 years or so. Now I live in an area where homophobia is common and so it doesn't surprise me there people who still think homosexuality is a major sin (hey, isn't hate one of the deadly sins). I'm also wondering what other groups they don't want to be associated with and how they react when they find out. Like if they find out someone is a different religion (ei. jewish, muslim, pagan) or even a disablity if the react in the similar way.

[Phone Jockey]

I didn't go to Pride this year but I went last year w/ 2 friends in Charlotte, NC & had a blast! I ran into my ex...eewww...but other than that, it was really neat. The protestors were funny...we like laughing at them. There's nothing like being around others of like minds & the protestors were few & far between...yay! Let's hope one day there's a shortage of closed-minded ppl in this world. Let's hope.

[Slave to the Phone]

Ignorance abounds

And its really sad.

Arizona has a marriage "protection" issue on the ballet this November. I fully oppose this. My marriage doesn't need to be protected and if the nice young (gay) couple next door were to get married it would mean nothing to my relationship with my husband.

I have to deal with several ignorant people so I can't just come out and call them on their intolerance. What I tell them is that if they really want gay sex to go away, we should make gays get married, adopt children and both work. The sex will go away just like it does for hetrosexual couples.

Happily for me, several of the ignorant gits have already told me that just getting married was enough to stop the sex,* so they can't argue with my logic. I'm sure they don't think about what I said, but they stop spewing their ignorance when I'm around.

*my theory? Their poor wives didn't know what they were getting into until they started living with said maroons full time.

[werewolffan98]

Yes because it seems that the religous right seems to be preoccupied with Gay marriage instead of worrying about more important things like poverty and the minium wage. No i'm not putting down religious people because there is some Catholic group called Dignity USA.

And yes i'm a Roman Catholic(:

[Rubystars]

One Question

I think if I read this thread for a while and watch all this ranting go on about the 'religious right' I'll see yet again how hateful lefties can be.

What made you want to bring up a gay pride parade at work anyway? Their response was disproportionate, and they were sucky customers, but you were wrong to bring something like that up, that's highly offensive to a lot of people. If they commented on your sunburn, you could have simply remarked "Yes, I was out in the sun a bit too long yesterday." Your statement would have been politically neutral and the incident never would have happened and neither you nor them would have been upset.

[Slave to the Phone]

semi off-topic government rant

Yes because it seems that the religous right seems to be preoccupied with Gay marriage instead of worrying about more important things like poverty and the minium wage.

OK, now I'm going to tell you how I really feel. The government should have NOTHING to do with who marries who. All the government should do is administrate the legal aspects regarding benefits and monies. That's all.

If 2 people of legal age (I do not think 13 year-olds are old enough to make lifelong decisions) and sound mind want to get married, its between them and whatever God they worship (if any). Its nobody elses business, especially the government.

[Legal Eagle]

he commented on sunburn, unless you think an answer along the lines of "yes" and thats it would be friendly, saying where you were sunburnt was appropriate. He could have been at a KKK rally, how would that have affected his work?

[WHShit]

OMG! This discusts me! And yes, why live in brighton if you do not want to be around it? Also...the AIDS comment is just toomuch! It is cause they were elderly...I have experianced alot of discrimination for being American,and it is all from the elderly. Don't let this bother you, it is just coming from a small-minded old fu*k! Wow, I kow it was soooo harsh,but these people live in a bitter dreamworld and they expect everyone and everything to be how they want or they hate. BASTARDS!

[Mikkel]

hey, isn't hate one of the deadly sins.

The wrathful and sullen, if I remember Dante right, have their own place in hell.