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Showing posts from June 5, 2022

How Doth She Bigotry? Let Me Count the Ways

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    I left a conversation yesterday wondering how many ways one person can offend another in three minutes. I was outside sweeping my sidewalk when a woman I know slightly grabbed me by the arm. (Offense #1: Assuming she had to hold onto me to get me to listen.) “I met that new woman,” she said. “She came over and offered me a bottle of wine.” (Offense #2: Referring to our neighbor as “that new woman.” She has a name. And she brought you wine.) I said I’d met her too, and she seemed nice. “You have to watch them, you know.” (Offense #3: Lumping people into a shapeless “them” category.) I’m slow with bigots sometimes, because I can never believe they’re for real, but I was starting to get it. “Who is them ?” I asked. “Them! You know, the Asians or the Mexicans or whatever she is.” (Offense #4: I’m not explaining this one. If you don’t get it, you’re part of the problem.) At that point, the best I could do was, “What?” “Bob says they’re always looking for something. (Of