Isaiah Washington returns to TV; to star in NBC action drama

[Lucky32]

^^^
Exactly. I think everyone missed the point of the post. There is only one bionic woman. Leave it alone.

[RevellingInSane]

With all due respect, gays will have a more difficult time than ethnic minoritiies for the simple reason that we are either treated as though we have a pyscological problem, or we're making a choice. Something women and black people do not have to deal with.

Wouldn't it be exactly the opposite? A woman can only go so far in hiding her gender. A minority ethnic group member can only hide so much also. Gays never have to reveal their sexual preference. Sexual orientation is not worn on your skin 24/7/365.

Women and blacks were not treated as if we had psychological issues or made a choice. Women were allowed to be battered with wooden poles, as long as that pole was no thicker than a grown man's thumb, while hate crime legislation protects gay bashing. Black's were considered 3/5 human by this countries illustrious founding fathers.

So, no, we were never considered mentally ill or even given the right to make choices. People before us had to fight for those rights.

When gays say it is harder to be gay than female or black, I have to shake my head. Unless you are female and black, making a statement like that is ridiculous. Before saying I know nothing about being gay, you might want to not go there.

[msdeb]

^^ everyone is discriminated against. I'm white, and do not speak spanish. However, in order to get a job here in CA you must speak spanish AND i'm not considered the minority so they will hire a minority over me. we all have it rough

[kingcap72]

^^But some of us have it a little rougher than others.

[Lucky32]

^^^
Agreed. Speaking spanish isn't discrimination, it's more a necessity. People need to get out of this one language mentality. I am looking to take a Chinese(Mandarin) speaking course at the local college. It's the changing of the times and if I want to get ahead I need to adjust to it. I am a minority when I walk into a press box, into a room full of white middle aged men and I am the only woman of color. Not fun.

[pacific breeze]

^^I agree, kingcap. I once had an upsetting argument with a gay (male) friend who insisted he and other gays were as badly off as persecuted Jews in Nazi Germany or blacks in the deep South. When I pointed out that he had a privileged life -- wealthy parents, an Ivy League education, a great job and had never once wanted for or been denied anything important -- and that his comparisons were ludicrous, he freaked.

There are LOTS of people worse off than most gay men. Try being a poor black single mother, or an immigrant working four jobs to survive, or being a victim of institutionalized racism/sexism...the list is long.

I personally know gay people who have suffered from discrimination and I don't like comparing pain. But a lot of gays like my former friend just don't get what others have to endure without the benefit of education, wealth, options or even the ability to speak out and be heard.

[pacific breeze]

Originally Posted by Lucky32

^^^
Agreed. Speaking spanish isn't discrimination, it's more a necessity. People need to get out of this one language mentality. I am looking to take a Chinese(Mandarin) speaking course at the local college. It's the changing of the times and if I want to get ahead I need to adjust to it. I am a minority when I walk into a press box, into a room full of white middle aged men and I am the only woman of color. Not fun.

Sometimes being the only woman, period, is tough on its own. I remember being in those situations more than once as a working journalist. Many jobs here in Van require Japanese or Mandarin or French or Spanish as a second language. Not having them feels like discrimination, but it is a reality of the times as you said. Being dismissed from job interviews even though you have all the qualifications just because you are not 25 is another thing I have encountered. Lots of companies stress that they have a young, dynamic staff and that's code for don't bother to apply if you're 30 at the oldest.

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by Lucky32

^^^
Agreed. Speaking spanish isn't discrimination, it's more a necessity. People need to get out of this one language mentality. I am looking to take a Chinese(Mandarin) speaking course at the local college. It's the changing of the times and if I want to get ahead I need to adjust to it. I am a minority when I walk into a press box, into a room full of white middle aged men and I am the only woman of color. Not fun.

I feel the same when I walk into meetings at work, and I'm the only minority. But with the racist idiots running my job I just get used to it. And you're right, learning a language is more of necessity than it is discrimination.

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by pacific breeze

^^I agree, kingcap. I once had an upsetting argument with a gay (male) friend who insisted he and other gays were as badly off as persecuted Jews in Nazi Germany or blacks in the deep South. When I pointed out that he had a privileged life -- wealthy parents, an Ivy League education, a great job and had never once wanted for or been denied anything important -- and that his comparisons were ludicrous, he freaked.

There are LOTS of people worse off than most gay men. Try being a poor black single mother, or an immigrant working four jobs to survive, or being a victim of institutionalized racism/sexism...the list is long.

I personally know gay people who have suffered from discrimination and I don't like comparing pain. But a lot of gays like my former friend just don't get what others have to endure without the benefit of education, wealth, options or even the ability to speak out and be heard.

I think when you get right down to it all minority groups, be they blacks, women, gays, Jews, etc go through a specific form of discrimination. And I think it does become an exercise in futility to try and compare who went through the worst atrocities / most discrimination like your friend was doing, Pacific Breeze. And you were right to call him on it.

[Lucky32]

I know gay men and women are still discriminated against. When I tell people that I live in San Francisco, first damn thing out of there mouth is "Oh you live with all the gays." God it irritates the hell out of me. But, it also lets me know how narrow minded people are. I just think that it is easier to hide your sexuality than it is to hide your skin color or your gender. I live in SF and it blows my mind that in a sports press box, 99% I am the only person of color working. And Pacific Breeze, I totally get that under 30 deal. I was told that I shouldn't get married or have kids if I wanted to continue covering sports. That is why you don't see many women over 30 in sports. You have to choose and press rooms are getting younger and younger.

[doriangray]

i think whathisface is a total arsehole anyway. most male actors are. extremely boring people. it's his own fault he got fired. he should have shut up but he had to bring it up again on national tv. he only got another job because he's a curiousity at the moment. he'll be forgotten soon enough. the little simp he called a fag bugs me too. poor-me-little- victim-manboy.
that being said i don't mind being called sugar tits.

[RevellingInSane]

I understand what it is like to lose a job to an illegal alien, not just a latino, but one here totally illegally, because I do not speak Spanish and will not take the job for a percentage of the average salary.

While the gays, the whites, and the blacks are trying to find out what group is being treated more unfairly, the real discrimination is taking place right under out noses. We are in America, but are now required to speak Spanish to get decent jobs? I am college educated with years of business experience, including specialized sector experience, but my lack of Spanish skills has seen me, and fellow well educated highly experienced acquaintances, lose jobs to someone who may ot may not have even a high school diploma, but they are a hell of a Spanish speaker.

Maybe in twenty years, whites, gays, and blacks will all be in the same situation. We will all be begging to take Spanish as a second language so we can fit in with the majority, which has been projected by some to be the latinos by as early as 2017.

I saw San Fran mentioned. I have a family member who, imho, is a complete bigot. This person flew off the handle when I said if I ever visited, I had no problems with going even to the predominantly gay areas, because gay people don't bother me at all. I had to ask this person why the hell was he or she was living in San Fran if homophobia was the issue for him or her. I have said for years this person has shit for brains. No one believed me.

[Lucky32]

Originally Posted by RevellingInSane

I understand what it is like to lose a job to an illegal alien, not just a latino, but one here totally illegally, because I do not speak Spanish and will not take the job for a percentage of the average salary.

Exactly what jobs are you losing out to undocumented immigrants? and how would you know their legal status?

While the gays, the whites, and the blacks are trying to find out what group is being treated more unfairly, the real discrimination is taking place right under out noses. We are in America, but are now required to speak Spanish to get decent jobs? I am college educated with years of business experience, including specialized sector experience, but my lack of Spanish skills has seen me, and fellow well educated highly experienced acquaintances, lose jobs to someone who may ot may not have even a high school diploma, but they are a hell of a Spanish speaker.

You need to adjust to the changing of the times. Business doesn't give a crap about the documented/undocumented debate, their bottom line is money. So, they want people who are going to bring them that. Like I posted earlier, get out of that one language mentality. It is a necessity to speak a second or third language in order to compete in a job market. Plain and simple. In journalism if you don't speak Spanish or another language like Chinese or Vietnamese your chances of getting hired are slim to none. It is necessary to be able to communicate with the community. I am fluent in English and Spanish and will probably take a class in Chinese(Mandarin) coming this fall. Why? Because if I want to get ahead I need to adjust myself to the changing of society.


Maybe in twenty years, whites, gays, and blacks will all be in the same situation. We will all be begging to take Spanish as a second language so we can fit in with the majority, which has been projected by some to be the latinos by as early as 2017.

Seriously think it through before you post.

[RevellingInSane]

Originally Posted by Lucky32

Seriously think it through before you post.

Seriously you need to think before you refute personal experiences, tyvm.

First, Know It All, unless you were at the company this happened at, don't add your conjecture. When the proverbial shit hit the fan is when the other workers found out about the illegal status of the others. So, again, you really need to keep your mouth closed unless you were there, which you were not.

Second, it seems you were personally offended by the "one language mentality". Again, you don't know what you are talking about. I grew up speaking two languages. The Lousiana and Missisippi inhabitants who are of Creole and Cajun descent are commonly bilingual. Again, you speak on a subject you know nothing about.

As an American, I am not against anyone learning a second language, but that brings a very interesting point that many native Spanish speakers do not like to have pointed out. If learning Spanish should be seen as important, for the sake of communicating with the community, why should learning English in an English speaking country not be a paramount concern for those who are coming here?

Past immigrants had to struggle to learn English in order to push forward, but now Americans are being pushed into learning Spanish to accomodate those who do not learn the language. If all of a sudden an English speaking country were involved in a mass exodus to a country that was not English speaking, would those who entered that country really be so selfish and pompous as to expect and DEMAND the natives learn their language?

Now, since this seems to be a personal sore spot for you, I suggest you really calm down and put your personal feelings aside before you post. Do not tell me how I think and what I do and do not understand about the job market. Don't make assumptions about me either, as they have proven to be quite wrong. As a matter of fact, I have actually studied other languages and do know how to move ahead in the corporate world, as I have been there a long time. I really do not need your advice on job security.

If you have a personal issue with what I described, join the other 6 billion or so folks on this little rock and suck it up.

Are there any other of my personal experiences you would like to rewrite for me to fit your own personal feelings? Feel free to do so.

Au revoir.

[sweetness]

I'm all for learning a second language and would love to learn Spanish as the Mexican community is becoming huge where I live.

But I totally agree with this:

Originally Posted by RevellingInSane

As an American, I am not against anyone learning a second language, but that brings a very interesting point that many native Spanish speakers do not like to have pointed out. If learning Spanish should be seen as important, for the sake of communicating with the community, why should learning English in an English speaking country not be a paramount concern for those who are coming here?