What pissed you off today?

[Gráinne]

Facebook, and myself, because I can be so wimpy.

I'm getting really close to defriending anyone who posts anything but pictures of cats, Russia, and Ireland. I hate the thought of taking the whole thing down completely.

This time, it was a "friend"-you know, one of those people you knew back in Flintstone days and somehow reconnected with. I didn't even know her that well back then, and I am amazed at the beliefs she supports now.

She posted a link to an article that boils down to "Round up all the _______ and send them back where they came from". The comments beneath it were what you might read in America regarding the Irish, ca. 1890; the Chinese, ca. 1920; Eastern Europeans ca. 1920's; and Latinos today (all lumped under "Mexicans"). There were a few "Stop all immigration except for our kind of people" comments, too.

England (where the story in the article took place) is a terrific polyglot of cultures and faiths. In fact, the British Isles' history is of settlement by waves of people from somewhere else, peacefully or otherwise. I think it's safe to say that the commenters aren't indigenous peoples from the area.

What's ironic is that she herself is Eastern European, and whose homeland was overrun by Hitler and then the Soviet Union. She grew up in the U.S. but returned to her country of origin, where I admit there is apparently a lot of ethnic and religious tension. Be that as it may, it took several trips to the kitchen and to the bathroom so I wouldn't write "J., you're an immigrant yourself, both ways!" I know that would lead to an unproductive argument.

Or should I say that, even if I'm defriended? It might be worth it just to have my say. I don't know.

[Cid]

Originally Posted by Gráinne

What's ironic is that she herself is Eastern European, and whose homeland was overrun by Hitler and then the Soviet Union. She grew up in the U.S. but returned to her country of origin, where I admit there is apparently a lot of ethnic and religious tension. Be that as it may, it took several trips to the kitchen and to the bathroom so I wouldn't write "J., you're an immigrant yourself, both ways!" I know that would lead to an unproductive argument.

Or should I say that, even if I'm defriended? It might be worth it just to have my say. I don't know.

It seems to me that if you ask the question rather than make the statement, she really has nothing to be angry about.
For example...J, aren't you an immigrant? I thought I recalled you saying that your family was from XYZ.
I could be wrong. It was just a thought.

What's she gonna say to that?

[cinnamongrrl]

While with my Sunday evening client...

My lady is confined to bed for an indefinite time period.... Her neighbors have been mooching off of her for YEARS... My agency has put an end to that, thankfully.

The neighbor lady came over today to get things out of my client's basement that she's been storing there...I had JUST gotten there...and the tv in the living room was on...it was on when I got there...(nascar was on)

This woman is from the south...and I know from living there...they can tear you up and you won't even know it SOoo she looks at the tv and says that it's too bad that the cable is only available in the living room and not in my lady's room....and that having cable is only doing US (PCAs) good

I told her I didn't take a liking to anything much down south except for sweet tea and boiled peanuts...and nascar is certainly not MY thing....

It was a bunch of malarky....but I had to give it back a little bit....we hardly sit on our asses and watch tv....and come to find out...she used to come over and insist our client liked to watch certain shows with her when she didn't. She just didn't have cable of her own....

[puddin']

nuthin', nada, zilch...

[Kätzchen]

I am terribly sad that justice was not served in the Trayvon Martin case.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Gráinne

Facebook, and myself, because I can be so wimpy.

I'm getting really close to defriending anyone who posts anything but pictures of cats, Russia, and Ireland. I hate the thought of taking the whole thing down completely.

This time, it was a "friend"-you know, one of those people you knew back in Flintstone days and somehow reconnected with. I didn't even know her that well back then, and I am amazed at the beliefs she supports now.

She posted a link to an article that boils down to "Round up all the _______ and send them back where they came from". The comments beneath it were what you might read in America regarding the Irish, ca. 1890; the Chinese, ca. 1920; Eastern Europeans ca. 1920's; and Latinos today (all lumped under "Mexicans"). There were a few "Stop all immigration except for our kind of people" comments, too.

England (where the story in the article took place) is a terrific polyglot of cultures and faiths. In fact, the British Isles' history is of settlement by waves of people from somewhere else, peacefully or otherwise. I think it's safe to say that the commenters aren't indigenous peoples from the area.

What's ironic is that she herself is Eastern European, and whose homeland was overrun by Hitler and then the Soviet Union. She grew up in the U.S. but returned to her country of origin, where I admit there is apparently a lot of ethnic and religious tension. Be that as it may, it took several trips to the kitchen and to the bathroom so I wouldn't write "J., you're an immigrant yourself, both ways!" I know that would lead to an unproductive argument.

Or should I say that, even if I'm defriended? It might be worth it just to have my say. I don't know.

I understand the desire to let it go and oftentimes, there are so many of these smaller occurrences of -ism that happen daily to many of us. I know I've been there. However, imo, standing by silently is akin to condoning it.

So, for myself, I'd do something. Either speak to her about it (either publicly or privately) with the intention of moving forward in your friendship or defriend her and let her know why.