All in all, we just don't trust our fellow humans.

[The Straight Story]

From guns to religion, from politics to car salesmen. From race to sex.

What I have gathered from being around 41 years and seeing things from several perspectives is that we just don't trust each other.

Which is a big source, imho, of racism, sexism, etc.

We generally trust fellow DU'ers, but not freepers. Blacks may distrust whites, and vice versa. Gays may see straights as out of the loop and trust fellow gays more. Atheists don't trust religious people. Baptists don't trust catholics. And it goes on.

And it goes around the world that way from the ME not trusting other areas, to Americans not trusting the Chinese.

The real progressives in this world, like those at DU, work to bridge those trust issues and heal them. Those on the right work to use those trust issues and whip up fear and want to destroy those they don't trust - or at least control them.

Trust must be earned, and then maintained.

And we need people the world over to wake up and find a new road to peace. One where we work with our minds and hands to help each other, instead of one where we work to destroy or assimilate those not like us.

The trust rating of the US is weak. And while I can say the same about some other countries - I don't live there and have a vote there. Here I do. So here is where I make my stand for the betterment of our race and earth.

Small steps will lead us closer to the end of that long journey before us. We took such a step on election day. And with each passing day we can take another step.

I would love to sprint to the finish line, but the baton must be passed along the road to others. Some are more slow, with more sure steps. Some are crippled by an opposition, and need us to help push them along through the bumpy road.

But all who carry the baton know that they must keep moving forward, even if it is slow.

It took awhile to get ourselves so far back on the track we are running, but with bright people and hard work we can sprint ahead and take back some ground this administration has lost us.

Keep up the good fight. I trust you.

[BlooInBloo]

1. LOL! Yah - it's all even on both sides - white folks/native americans...

... black folks/white folks, straight folks/gay folks, men/women...

It CERTAINLY isn't as if ONE of those pair has a 100s or 1000s of years long history killing, beating, raping, or exploiting the other member of the pair. No, no, no - it's PERFECTLY symmetric and even - it's just that no one trusts anyone else - all fair an equitable-like.

:rofl:
:rofl:
:rofl:

[The Straight Story]

2. The reasons for mistrust on all sides are many

Grab your average klansmen on the right and they will have a lot of issues why they think like they do. To THEM they are legitimate - and the only way to bridge the gap is through peaceful means and talking/education.

Are they dead wrong? Sure - but do they understand why? And is the way to fix that through more violence and anger?

Why do they mistrust those not like them? And how we do communicate to them that they are damned wrong on the issue? By laughing at them and hoping they go away because we see them as silly? There are those in the ME that the rw sees as we see the klan, and balk at the idea we want to address their issues and try for peace and change from a deeper level (ie, they believe such folks cannot change, so kill em all and let god sort em out.)

People are now who they are for a reason. Good or bad. Address those issues, which have a core of deep mistrust and fear, and we can move further down the road.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Keep sticking with the symmetry - no matter how false it is.

[monktonman]

6. We've been at this alot longer

So no, one of those pairs hasnt been killing, etc. alot longer then anyone other.
We've been at this since the begining.
Your post buys in real well with the oft said "those people have been fighting in Iraq for a thousand years".
Therefore the story goes; let them fight it out till one wins.
Truth is, its not symmetric at all; Humans have a history of killing and exploiting each other and it has ALWAYS been wrong.

All fair an equitable like.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Um, yah.

[uppityperson]

9. who is saying it is symmetric or equal? With whom do you argue, at whome do you rofl?

Time to work on working together rather than tearing apart.

[Mythsaje]

3. As one of my senseis put it...

"Respect everyone, but trust very few."

I generally trust anyone to a certain extent, regardless of WHAT they are. I only trust past that point once I know WHO they are.

[CrispyQ]

5. I thank my lack of trust on at least two occasions.

I can't say for certain that trust on my part would have led to a bad situation, but it felt like it at the time & I followed my instincts.

One incident was when I was pulled over in a highway rest area. I used the facilities & walked around the area for a bit to stretch my legs before resuming my long drive. A man approached me & asked if I would help him with his car. He wasn't creepy or anything stereotypical that would make one think he was a perv, but something just told me, NO, DON'T DO THIS!!! I told him, very nicely, that I was an idiot when it came to cars & it looked like there were plenty of other people who might be of more help than I was. I then I promptly walked toward a group of those other people.

To this day, I don't regret my harshness, suspicions or complete lack of trust. And I don't care if he was innocent & waited there for a week for help. It wasn't for me to help him.

I'm sorry that the world is such that this type of reaction is in one's personal best interest, but it is.

[gumby]

8. Trust is something that must be earned.

I certainly don't trust George Bush or his numerous minions. No one should ever consider trusting those thugs. That's silly.

Tolerance is another thing.

Racism, sexism etc are a whole 'nother ballgame. Those sicknesses have nothing to do with trust or tolerance.