@mzbehavin Thank you for reaffirming that. I usually catch hell from people when I mention it.

@mzbehavin , Indeed. John Cleese just put it recently that people who do not understand or fear other cultures are people that have never been anywhere. He hit the nail on the head with that one.

@mzbehavin I’ve traveled a lot too, including Muslim countries. Went to Greece during 2011, demonstrations all over the place. And more.
Each time, I had family/friends trying to convince me not to go because only Murica is safe?. I have family who’ve only been as far from here as Myrtle Beach. I’ve found folks who don’t travel, or at least try to learn about other cultures and ways of life, to be xenophobic and fearful.
There are many ways to live. Some better than here!

@mzbehavin , that's the beauty of living in the U.S. You don't need to travel far to meet people of other cultures. they come to you. Currently, my neighbors are direct from Lithuania, Poland, India, Yemen and Mexico. The ones that moved out were from Greece, Ireland and Germany. There is a lot of diversity living in Chicago land.

@CarolinaGirl60 , I love Myrtle Beach but I'm actually concerned about going back because of the crime rate. It's worse than Chicago and that is a damned shame!

@chucklesIII I don’t go often anymore myself. In my childhood, my family had a cottage a few houses from the beach in Windy Hill, now part of North Myrtle Beach. It’s all changed so much! I live near Charlotte, murder isn’t as high. More property crimes.

We are in a world of shit.

I’ve run into quite a few.

@TheDarkNolanite I don’t defend Islam, but I detest Islamophobia. Or any other form of bigotry/hate. There are good, bad, and indifferent Muslims. Same with all other people, all over the world.
I’d rather have Muslims for neighbors, than say, right wingnuts.

@CarolinaGirl60 Islamophobia is just a word to guilt trip westerners into accepting Islamic blasphemy laws. Islam can and should be criticized just like any other ideology.

@TheDarkNolanite Islamophobia is just a word to guilt trip westerners into accepting Islamic blasphemy laws

Oh bullshit. I would guess it applies to you, ATM.

@TheDarkNolanite No. it’s a word to describe blind hatred of an entire group of people. Like homophobia. Hatred/fear of gay people.
Though I agree with Morgan Freeman: they aren’t afraid, they’re just assholes.
I can separate that bigotry is a bad thing, from the fact that religion is not good either. AND that not all religious people are ‘bad’.
I think you’re blinded by your bias. You cannot accept that others have the right to believe, just as you have the right not to. You trying to destroy their belief, is equally as wrong as a religious trying to convert you.
I accept that I’m not the boss of this world. I never have believed, and I don’t need to. Not for morals nor comforting delusions. I accept that some folks DO need it. Long as they leave me alone, which I have no problem expressing, I’m good.

@CarolinaGirl60 Well when those beliefs threaten our right to criticize them, it’s a problem. People get killed for “blasphemy” in Islamic countries. That’s why it’s necessary to criticize Islam.

@TheDarkNolanite How so? You ARE criticizing them. Has your right to do so been infringed?
We have to live under our laws. They must live under theirs. Demonizing an entire religion and its people is not helpful imho, it’s just hatred. But yell and be mad, it’s your energy to expend! I can’t stop you, wouldn’t. I just disagree.

@CarolinaGirl60 “They must live under theirs.”

And that’s the problem. You’re refusing to criticize a sick ideology which executes atheists in a dozen countries.

@CarolinaGirl60 Sharia law has NO place in the 21st Century, and you’re basically saying it does by saying “They must live under theirs.”

@t1nick I hear you, I do give up. The blind can’t be made to see!

@t1nick It’s OK to hate ideologies which enslave women and murder infidels. By the way, I also fucking despise Christianity. Are you calling me a bigot for that? I don’t think so. There is no such thing as “Islamophobia.” THAT word is how Islamic blasphemy laws will come to the West.