Wrongful Stereotypes

ronster71 · #1 10-12-2006, 09:28 AM

I am disturbed by a growing trend I see on the poker forums lately, which are beginning to stereotype all christians and conservatives into an anti-poker, anti-freedom, class of people. Below I posted one particular excerpt from the twoplustwo forums that I addressed both on the forum and below:

EXCERPT FROM POST:

"The new party that will be in control understands what the real issues are concerning this country. Online gambling isn't one of them.

It's time for the crazy christians to lock themselves in their houses, board up the windows, take shelter in their storm cellars. Then they should stay there for the next 100 years. They almost destroyed our great country, and it's going to take a long long time to repair what they did. But that starts now, in the next election, and many elections to come."

MY RESPONSE:

"There is no need to stereotype all christians as crazy, or as supporting this bill. That is behavior similar to the very people you are attempting to chastise. It is the same as them looking at all poker players as lower class, gambling addicts, who need legislation to save them from themselves. I am a christian, a conservative, and a poker player. I, like everyone else, should be encouraged to think independently about each and every issue brought before me in life, and decide for myself what I support. This newfound I will never support christians or conservatives on any issue ever attitude is narrow-minded at best. I am against this legislation and was initially as angry at the republicans as you, but I will not use this opinion on this one issue, to launch into a political witch hunt of all conservatives and christians for years to come based on this. People who do such a thing are becoming but a tool and a pawn for the other side of politics. So I suppose in the end it is your decision, as it is with every day of your life...you can choose to be a leader, or a pawn"

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Don't stereotype people!!! You can't classify all christians as crazy anti-poker playing fanatics...you can't classify all conservatives as such either...just like you can't classify all democrats as boozers or womanizers, i.e. Sen Kennedy and Former Pres. Clinton...or all teachers as sleeping with their students (various examples). SEE!!! Where would it all end???

Thank you

Sober · #2 10-12-2006, 09:37 AM

[ QUOTE ]
It's time for the crazy christians to lock themselves in their houses

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
There is no need to stereotype all christians as crazy

[/ QUOTE ]

Marc H · #3 10-12-2006, 09:37 AM

But the post DIDN'T say that all Christians are crazy.

It said "the crazy Christians" should lock themselves in their houses. The non-crazy Christians, by implication, are free to mingle with society. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

jackaaron · #4 10-12-2006, 09:40 AM

I think you are mostly right. However, there is no denying the effect that the Christian Right has had on the Conservative movement. As recently as the mid 90's, the Conservative movement believed in less government involvement in our lives. That has obviously changed, and all of us can see it. So, I can understand why people fly off the mouth about neo-cons, and the Christian Right.

Again, though, you are right in terms of not lumping every single right-wing Christian person in a group and thinking that every single one of them wants to be saved from themselves. But, somebody votes those politicians in, and I know it's not most of the people that you are appealing to.

Lastly, thank you for not berating the people that berate you, and saying that we are non-believers, and tree-huggers, and so on (I don't hug trees, but I certainly believe). You took the high road, and on these boards that should be highly appreciated.

Jerry D · #5 10-12-2006, 09:42 AM

Anybody who believes in some mythical mystical man in the clouds who created the world in 7 days and watches everything you do every day and on and on is.......well.........crazy....

ronster71 · #6 10-12-2006, 09:43 AM

Thank you for the kind reply...to be honest, I think ten years ago I probably would have berated, but I have come a long way in the maturity process, LOL, and again, thank you for the reply, you make good points

John_Manley · #7 10-12-2006, 09:58 AM

I am a conservative, Christain, and an avid poker player. Most of my friends fit this profile. I believe it is important that we write our congressman letting them know that they have constituents that have voted for them in the past that would favor online gaming regulation rather than banning of internet gaming.

Eaglebauer · #8 10-12-2006, 10:41 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I am disturbed by a growing trend I see on the poker forums lately, which are beginning to stereotype all christians and conservatives into an anti-poker, anti-freedom, class of people. Below I posted one particular excerpt from the twoplustwo forums that I addressed both on the forum and below:

EXCERPT FROM POST:

"The new party that will be in control understands what the real issues are concerning this country. Online gambling isn't one of them.

It's time for the crazy christians to lock themselves in their houses, board up the windows, take shelter in their storm cellars. Then they should stay there for the next 100 years. They almost destroyed our great country, and it's going to take a long long time to repair what they did. But that starts now, in the next election, and many elections to come."

MY RESPONSE:

"There is no need to stereotype all christians as crazy, or as supporting this bill. That is behavior similar to the very people you are attempting to chastise. It is the same as them looking at all poker players as lower class, gambling addicts, who need legislation to save them from themselves. I am a christian, a conservative, and a poker player. I, like everyone else, should be encouraged to think independently about each and every issue brought before me in life, and decide for myself what I support. This newfound I will never support christians or conservatives on any issue ever attitude is narrow-minded at best. I am against this legislation and was initially as angry at the republicans as you, but I will not use this opinion on this one issue, to launch into a political witch hunt of all conservatives and christians for years to come based on this. People who do such a thing are becoming but a tool and a pawn for the other side of politics. So I suppose in the end it is your decision, as it is with every day of your life...you can choose to be a leader, or a pawn"

[/ QUOTE ]

Will you tell the rest of your "Christian Conservative" brethren to now quit their hundreds of ongoing witchhunts and to desist from their single-issue ballot stuffing? Mmmmm'kay, thanks.

I'll be voting Democrat for the next three elections till you get that worked out. TIA.

p.s. I think there's been an increasing frustration simmering within the silent majority of this country with the power achieved and the actions of this vocal minority known as "Radical Christian Right". Poker is just the tip of the iceburg. If it takes a single issue like poker for tese people to finally take action about it, then so be it.

BluffTHIS! · #9 10-12-2006, 10:42 AM

This belongs in the SMP forum, not in the legislation forum.

ronster71 · #10 10-12-2006, 10:48 AM

It's humorous how everyone claims to be the "silent majority". Everyone thinks their opinion is the opinion believed by the majority, it's just that nobody else is vocalizing it...this has to be a psychological acceptance thing, somebody with a psychology degree please chime in on this...syndrome?