Fat people have it worse than Southerners around here

[carolinayellowdog]

Hey,

Last night something drew me in to the Fat Acceptance Group, a forum I'd normally have no interest in as a lifelong skinny guy. But once I got there and read some of the comments about how fat people are treated at DU, even allowing for exaggeration it seemed worse than the South-bashing. But definitely on the same continuum, that of dehumanization and cruelty.

I don't think one can generalize about DU or liberals from any of this, but about humanity and inhumanity. Is it really that haters need an object for their hate? Perhaps it's more like people need to feel superior to somebody, and that inferiors somehow invite/deserve cruel treatment.

CYD

[ernstbass]

1. God help you if you're a fat southern redneck

I hope we can't generalize anything from this hatred. I just thought that here on DU we were among kindred spirits - I still find the hostility shocking and alarming - this is the last place I thought I would encounter such attitudes!! I am at a loss to know how to deal with it. When I heard about the shootings in MN, my first impulse was to go to DU and say "this wasn't in the South - everyone take note!" I didn't because I don't want to fuel the fires.

[DemBones DemBones]

2. Catholics get hit a lot here, too, along with all Christians but more

than any flavor of Christians except fundamentalists. I just got a PM today from someone who decided to leave DU because of the anti-Catholic posts. She's not the first to leave for that reason, and won't be the last.

It's a sad thing to see at a site supposedly populated by progressives/liberals. And it has gone on here ever since the beginning because I lurked here in 2001, registered in 2002. All the bigots can't be freepers.

[ernstbass]

3. I don't think all the bigots are freepers either

When I first came to DU (not that long ago) I thought "fianlly some kindred spirits." It was so disappointing to find such judgemental and narrow minded attitudes. I can understand why some are leaving. Wish the mods could become more aggressive in a zero tolerance policy on bigotry.

[Skittles]

4. I don't see the problem with pointing out what is wrong with religion

and what is wrong with the Catholic Church. People need to develop a thicker skin to stay in the DU.

[DemBones DemBones]

6. That would be fine if turnabout were

fair play -- if believers could point out what's wrong with atheism. But we'd get our posts deleted for violating the rules, while posts bashing Catholics, Christians in general, Southerners, and fat people are allowed to stay.

[Skittles]

5. some people need to feel better about themselves

so they pick the easiest target and overweight people have always been an easy target