The definition of the word bigot:

NOUN:
One who is strongly partial to one’s own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.

I can’t possibly be a bigot. Nope. Not havin’ it.

Well…wait a minute now, let me make sure. Let me pick this definition apart before I claim to be free of bigotry:

Strongly partial to one’s own group? What group would that be…old hippies? Then yeah, that applies to me.

Strongly partial to one’s own religion? I discarded any organized religion long ago… But, I am partial to spending time with people who do not try and convert me or save my soul. So yeah, that applies to me too. I am partial to the fact that I have no religious dogma internalized.

Strongly partial to one’s own race? The obvious definition of a bigot is found here. I refuse to do the obvious. I am, however, partial to the particular sub-category of “Irish” white (Irish people aren’t really white…more of a see-thru pinkish color). I am partial to the pink people primarily for their huge feet of clay. So…maybe this part of the definition of bigot applies to me. I do get a kick out of the Irish. I wouldn’t want my daughter to marry one…if I had a daughter…if I let her do anything as
silly as get married.

Strongly partial to one’s own politics? Bingo! Oh hell yeah…I’m a bigot. I’m a bigot about liberal politics. I am blind to any redeeming qualities that may or may NOT be found in neocon babble. See…even in talking about certain political rhetoric, I sink to dismissive words like “babble”.

Well, bugger…in all the ways to be “strongly partial”…I have to answer Yes.

But, the real catch is this part of the definition of BIGOT: “and is intolerant of those who differ”. Surely, I can’t be intolerant. Well, let’ s just see about that one too, shall we?

When I reread the classifications of bigotry…I realize that I am perhaps the MOST intolerant individual that I know. And here’s the part that takes real effort to admit:

I am intolerant of the oppression of people. Add to this the feminist part of my soul and if I am honest with myself, I admit that I am intolerant of the Islamic faith. I know. It is blind bigotry because all I can see are the atrocities committed against women in the name of religion. I am blinded by my predisposition to defend women. I am blinded by my rejection of any religious dogma. I am blinded with an aversion to any classification of thought that promotes oppression, whether that be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, snake kissing holy ghost magical underwear wearing Jesus in a Pickup Truck First Church of the Fast Food Messiah.

I read the post about the Muslim delegation to the convention this week At the Muslim Caucus and it gave me pause. If I am honest with myself, I must admit that I am dismissing an entire religious sector and culture for the acts of fanatics. I am also demanding that religion stay OUT of politics. Intolerant…sigh…I am intolerant and I have to rid myself of this flaw.

I am a Clueless Bigot. I claim to have the all inclusive stance of the democratic party…but if I really examine how I feel then I must admit that I have a way to go before I can claim to be evolved and free of bigotry.

So, apparently, are the leaders of the democratic party. No black bloggers? Are you kidding me? Our party HAS to be the party that finally rids itself of Clueless Bigots. I doubt the oversight was intentional but that makes no difference. We have to do better than this. Racism must go. Done. Period. Aren’t we all tired of this nonsense?

(I can’t remember which post I read that pointed me to this story. I thought it was DP at There Already but when I got ready to add links, I couldn’t find it posted there. So apologies to whatever author headed me off in search of this story.)…UPDATE: found it. This article sent me searching.

Regarding The Now Breaking News About Black Bloggers At The Democratic Convention

While I will not at this time disclose the specifics of that letter, let it be understood that an offer of resolution has been made, and not simply just a complaint, nor bashing. An offer of resolution which does NOT including taking away credentials from anyone who has been awarded them
to award to someone else.

Nonetheless, a policy that makes for dozens of white operated blogs being allowed access to the convention floor; but almost no Black or other POC blogs having that same privilege, is not sustainable and will not be accepted by Afrosphere bloggers. This is the issue, and not the side distraction specifically about who is a state blogger. The issue is whether or not a representative number of Black Blogs will be allowed access to the convention floor, as dozens of white operated blogs will be.

We await the DNCC’s response and resolution to this problem.

To make the issue further plain, there are two groups of credentialed bloggers to the DNCC. The State Corps which will be allowed on the convention floor, and the General Corps which will not be. The issue here is exclusion from the floor, and a lack of diverse representation and equity in privileges being received by different demographic groups.

How in the world did this happen? It smacks of “carpetbagger” mentality. “Yes, yes, we are the party of “the people” but you do realize that the party is better organized and led by whites who know what’s best for you, right? But, in the meantime…be sure we will gladly reap the benefits of the minority vote.”

It appears that there are some Clueless Bigots at the heart of our party.

Take the Clueless Bigot Test for yourself. Do as I have demonstrated in this post. Pick apart each portion of the definition and ask if it applies to you.

Menopausal Mick

Interesting history also found on education.yahoo.com

ETYMOLOGY:
French, from Old French

WORD HISTORY:
Bigots may have more in common with God than one might think. Legend has it that Rollo, the first duke of Normandy, refused to kiss the foot of the French king Charles III, uttering the phrase bi got, his borrowing of the assumed Old English equivalent of our expression by God. Although this story is almost surely apocryphal, it is true that bigot was used by the French as a term of abuse for the Normans, but not in a religious sense. Later, however, the word, or very possibly a homonym, was used abusively in French for the Beguines, members of a Roman Catholic lay sisterhood. From the 15th century on Old French bigot meant “an excessively devoted or hypocritical person.” Bigot is first recorded in English in 1598 with the sense “a superstitious hypocrite.”