A touch of gray…Do you like Garth Brooks?. I’m sure he’s a wonderful person, but I can’t stand his music. Would you guess from that information that I don’t care for Country Music? You could, and you would be right. What color is your hair? Mine is black with just a touch of gray. What color are your eyes? Mine are steel-blue. Are yours the same as mine? I doubt it. Would you make a judgment about my character from any of these traits? I doubt it.

I am descendant from Irish immigrants. Based on that would you guess from that I am cop from Boston that has red cheeks, red hair and enjoys a good Whiskey now and then? You might, but you would be wrong on all but one count. One out of five is a pretty low score.

“Can’t we all just get along?”

I want to share with you an exchange that occurred in the AOL Chat room: Town Square: Connecticut room back in mid-February. (ed: Ok, so this was back in 1998) What I have included here is an edited version. All the non-related chat has been removed. A copy of the complete text is available. I have left the names in to persecute the guilty. (ed: In this transcript my comments are identified by ‘Darkwolf’)

LinhPhung: any asian out there?
Aahhchoo: {S risnsun1.
LinhPhung: anyone mind for a chat?.
Aahhchoo: {S risnsun2.
LinhPhung: Any Asian Please…………………?.
Aahhchoo: {S risnsun3
RdHseBlues: No..sorry.no asian here
TimC934: Phung… Ching-Chong.
Marcy CT: ping pang poing.
Aahhchoo: {S risnsun4
TimC934: LOL marcy.
Marcy CT: thats how they sound at work
TimC934: heheheheh.
TimC934: You Work With The Orient Marcy ?
Aahhchoo: {S risnsun5.
Marcy CT: oooh i rike pork fwied wice
Aahhchoo: {S risnsun6.
Marcy CT: i think there chinese or somethin.
TimC934: Where do you work Marcy ?.
CtFifer97: that was really rude.
Marcy CT: um somewhere 🙂
Earful: crazy crackers.aaaaaaaaaa
DarkWolf: I am embarassed for you people.
DarkWolf: This is exactly why I don’t come here. Christ…
TURBO TINA: hey dark whats wrong?
CtFifer97: I had to reread that whole thing to make sure I didnt miss something.
DarkWolf: Because you people are so tiny minded.
CtFifer97: that was freakin nasty.
TURBO TINA: <—————-big mind CtFifer97: how ignorant TURBO TINA: 🙂
DarkWolf: You are so quick to dis someone different.
TURBO TINA: not me .
Marcy CT: darkwolf give it a rest crybaby
CtFifer97: it was a few
CtFifer97: seriously
DarkWolf: Marcy: Excuse me?
Marcy CT: were you talking to me?
DarkWolf: Were you talking to me?
CtFifer97: Tim….I dont think youre gonna get anywhere with this
DarkWolf: And you ask if I was talking to you, sheesh.
Marcy CT: me either trina.lets drop it tim
DarkWolf: Trina: Kinda like doin a Dr. King speech at a KKK rally.
CtFifer97: DoH CtFifer97: exactly Tim
Earful: LOL Tim
Marcy CT: exactly
DarkWolf: No, I think not. This is preciecly the problem with this room.
CtFifer97: I meant you werent gonna get what he was trying to tell you Marcy
TURBO TINA: this room sucks!
Marcy CT: yeah i know trina
CtFifer97: ok I just wanted to make sure
Marcy CT: thanks
DarkWolf: It’s the kinda thing that makes one want to write an editorial column
Earful: any other postings since last time, Tim?
DarkWolf: D: Nope, not a peep. Course I am assuming that this bunch can read.
Earful: Mm ASSuming
CtFifer97: LOL youre daring Tim !
DarkWolf: I calls em as I sees em.
CtFifer97: Tim?
EHebs13: hello
DarkWolf: Hey, I used big words. It was a stretch.
DarkWolf: yes?
CtFifer97: Im thinking chain wallets, velveeta, car on blocks on the lawn?
Earful: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
TimC934: Dammit.. i think i have to leave this channel
DarkWolf: Woohoo! Two words: double wide!
CtFifer97: oh yahhhh and tractor pulls…cant forget that CtFifer97: LMAO Tim!
DarkWolf: And you know the sad part? They don’t even get that we are slaming them.
CtFifer97: I know tim
CtFifer97: Its sad
DarkWolf: Ok, I’m done ranting now.
CtFifer97: <—gets hot when Tim rants : )
DarkWolf: Oh my.
Marcy CT: hey earful dont be so small minded lol
Earful: Hey Marcy…you have no idea
CtFifer97: are we gonna bash lesbians now too????
Marcy CT: lol
CtFifer97: we just finsihed hackin up Asians

“… yearning to be free.”

Why is that some people find it necessary to ostracize those that are different from themselves? All of us, save for those precious few that are descendant from Native Americans, are immigrants to this country. Common sense would suggest to me that this would make us MORE sensitive to other immigrants when in fact, quite the opposite was experienced by the guest in the CONNECTICUT room.

By ostracizing others, does that not make us feel superior? Do we feel that little of ourselves that the only way we can feel good is to make others feel bad, small, insignificant? Are we afraid of those that are different? Why? Ignorance.

It is the behavior of ignorant troglodytes such as this that has so many saying “I waited 15mins to get into this room for THIS?”. I am about the most tolerant man outside of the clergy that any of you are likely to meet in your lifetime. But when someone exhibits such blatantly bigotry I feel compelled to speak. What saddened me even further, was that others in the room found this funny and even joined in the stupidity. I guess it took a few of them to come up with one good brain.

These traits, negative all, were blindingly obvious to me in this exchange. It seems to me that if we want AOL to become anything more than a text based Jerry Springer, that appeals only to the basest, common, knuckle dragging mouth breathers, we must demand more from our roomies. More character, more compassion, more intelligence.

Like noses, everyone has an opinion. The above are mine and I am soley responsbile for them.