[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I wouldn't have a problem with either statement if you left off the break your nose part. It is written into our natures to set social norms and those who step outside of those norms get flack. This can be used for good or bad, but the fact that that is the way life works is just something you will never teach out of people. Heck, the fashion and advertising industries make billions of dollars exploiting that human trait. Why expect kids to have no social standards they hold everyone to?

What if he wore a white hood like a KKK member. Would a statement like "Take that off you racist bigot or I'll remove it for you," be okay with you? Granted the last part is borderline. Let's say the comment was, "Take that off or I'll break your nose." Even with that statement you would certainly make sure the kids understood that racism was wrong as well as threats of violence. Or I would hope that's what you would do. And I bet you wouldn't rank the wrongs.

[timm22]

I wouldn't have a problem with either statement if you left off the break your nose part. It is written into our natures to set social norms and those who step outside of those norms get flack. This can be used for good or bad, but the fact that that is the way life works is just something you will never teach out of people. Heck, the fashion and advertising industries make billions of dollars exploiting that human trait. Why expect kids to have no social standards they hold everyone to?

There's no problem with having social standards, as long as they are somewhat reasonable and are enforced appropriately. Personally, I think a standard that prohibits men from wearing pink is a little unreasonable, but as long as it isn't enforced with violence or cruelty I wouldn't get that worked up about it. Calling someone a "fag" is borderline cruel but not enough to get too involved, IMO.

What if he wore a white hood like a KKK member. Would a statement like "Take that off you racist bigot or I'll remove it for you," be okay with you? Granted the last part is borderline.

That's a good question, and I'd be very tempted to let a comment like that slide (if I didn't say it first myself). I'm not very bothered by homosexuality, but I am very bothered by racism. Still, absent any other facts the KKK member isn't threatening anyone and doesn't deserve to be threatened. So I would not approve of the comment. I would approve of something like, "That hood represents something disgusting, and if you believe in what it stands for then I think you are disgusting too."

Let's say the comment was, "Take that off or I'll break your nose." Even with that statement you would certainly make sure the kids understood that racism was wrong as well as threats of violence. Or I would hope that's what you would do. And I bet you wouldn't rank the wrongs.

Obviously, I would disagree with that comment as well. I would make sure the kids understood racism was wrong, but I would still hold threats of violence to be the greater wrong.

Of course, it should be pointed out that wearing a white hood is MUCH more reliable indication of racism than wearing a pink shirt is of homosexuality. And, some would argue that wearing a KKK hood is inherently threatening, whereas a pink bunny ears makes one about as unthreatening as possible.