WILL/SHOULD THE HORSE WORLD BECOME POLITICALLY CORRECT?

[timedjumpoff]

In today’s world of the politically correct, i.e., smart kids being forced into classes with slow-learning kids; no winners or losers in certain youth activities, no racial profiling even when it jeopardizes our safety, etc., etc., how will this affect the horse world?

Will judges be barred from favoring one breed over another? Will Arabs have to be given equal consideration with TB’d/WBs in the hunter ring? Will striding have to be flexible, to be fair to every size horse? Will all the jumps have to be a size that any horse can jump? Will ribbons and prize money be considered harmful to the losers’ self-esteem? Will everyone in a class be considered a winner (as in leadline)? Will the high-priced riding attire be banned in favor of a standard uniform for all? Will stables/trainers be required to do a certain number of “pro-bono” lessons? Will new affirmative action initiatives be mandated or quotas imposed?

Sounds crazy, but it’s a concept that’s gradually become part of American life. Is the horse world immune? Should it be?

[hobson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by suzy:
We have already lowered the bar so much to suit the LCD that we are now in 9th place (heck, maybe even lower) education-wise in this country. Do we really want to continue on that path?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Apparently we do, otherwise we’d raise teacher salaries, making the job more competitive and pretigious, and properly fund the struggling school districts. But we’d rather spend our taxpayer funds on bailing out the companies that our highly-educated MBA’s run into the ground.

[Heidi]

Never could or would I claim that Canada was a perfect country, unafflicted by racism, especially against the indigenous population.

An anecdote to prove how utterly endemic racism is in this country. Last week, my daughter had two girlfriends over, both of whom play with her on an all-star team alongside East Indians, Asians, Italians, Greeks, Scottish kids. One of the girls, a child I’ve known for six years, whose parents I know fairly well, a child of privilege, walks into my house complaining about a “Paki” that she’d met on the walk over. That slur flowed so readily from her lips that it was obvious that it’s a word often-bandied about in her life. To say that I was livid is an understatement. I asked her, “so, what am I, Carley, a chink?” The child turned beet red and apologized but I’ve no doubt that she’ll continue to refer to East Indians as “Pakis” and me, behind my back, of course, a “Chink”.

So, my query is, is this the kind of world we want to live in, content in the ignorant and conceited world view that all is fair and success is merely a matter of pulling yourself up by the bootsraps and working hard?

[Pixie_Dust]

Well, actually, I have been involved in VERY heated discussions with friends and family…not usually aquaintences though. My husband went to St. Johns College (the great books one) and I attended many a parte…they really learn how to argue there, but first they learn to listen!

If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody ELSE’s dog around- A Cowboy’s Guide to Life

[mwalshe]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Snowbird:
that when 50% of the people have to support the other 50% that is when communism walks in the door and there is revolution. He never threatened war he said capitalism would collapse if we paid more than 50% of our income in taxes to support the rest of the society.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nope, there are countries in Europe that pay more than 50%.

Of course they get free education, childcare and health care as well as cheap mass-transit so it probably works out the same. (Oh I wish I had cheap mass-transit again, boy do I miss that)

Snowbird and Hobson- heartening posts. It is our responsibility to help people out. Otherwise we may as well all just move to bunkers in the mountains

[hobson]

So, DMK would then be Sisyphus, ever laboring up the mountain with her burden of trying to make us all understand the arcane minutiae of Medicare, Medicaid, Insurance Financing, and Health Care For All. Each time she thinks she’s reached the top, Snowbird posts about mules and DMK tumbles back down with her logical progression of facts and figures.

[rockstarr]

I bought sushi socks for myself. (see below)

For shame, I do not have a present for Heidi! I will have to revisit the downtown equivalent of Socks R Us.

I can just see it now … a sock-buying spree based on the perceived likes and dislikes of Internet pals.

[Sandbarhorse]

I have 2 things that I MUST say:

1. Why has noone answered my question about why dodgeball is any worse for the chubby/geeky kid(see SBH in 5th grade)than football or soccer?

2. my dad (who is one of the most intellegent and tolerant people I know) once told me about a police chairman who said the following while addressing a request for more **** (removed because it is irrelevant)policemen in a high ratio **** community: (note- this is a paraphrase as it was years ago) I don’t really understand the distinction being made. If we are supposed to be blind to the differences then why would more **** officers be desired. It shouldn’t be a distinction on either side.

Whatever his motivation for the statement, he makes a good point and the point is valid in most cases of PC.

[jl1]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>And Hobson, for God’s sake would you explain your veiws instead of coming out to throw a rock and hiding behind a Clinton intern? Pleeese? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> It seems Politically Correct behavior isn’t popular with horsepeople (except for hobson–are you really a horseperson?) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Aren�t these pretty nasty little remarks, vb?

And oh elizabeth I appreciate your input but whenever conservatives attempt to beat me up with: <BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Conservatives can decimate him in one quick jab just by reminding the liberals that he perjured himself. PERJURED HIMSELF!!! People - PERJURY!! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I just whisper Watergate-the Iran contra affair and they rapidly retreat. The Democrats don t have the market on lying to the American people.

[Miss_Perfect]

C’mon, now - you don’t know the circumstances of the issue. The president may have had very good reason not to have the time for Mr. Mandela - like dealing with Middle East issues, etc. He could have been preparing for an important meeting, or getting advice from his cabinet.

While Mr. Mandela is indeed a great man and surely deserves everybit of respect that he commands internationally, he has little to do with what’s going on between the US and the Middle East right now.

[Albion]

PC is a double edged sword. I do believe it’s a good thing, but I don’t believe it’s really fair across the board. note: I’m dealing with affirmitive action in the context of COLLEGE applications, not neccessarily in the work place. Where quotas, race, and gender are JUST as important as in the “real world”

My family hails from the coal mining towns of WV (Kermit, to be precise) & Pike County, KY. We’re white as white can be. I was lucky enough that my grandmother & her siblings clawed their way out of the coal fields. I’m very grateful for all the sacrifices that my grandparents made in the hopes that their children & grandchildren would be able to live a typical middle-class existance. I know my family is the exception, rather than the rule.

These areas are INCREDIBLY poor. I’m sure no one needs me to tell them that. They have little to no resources when it comes to public schools, they have high unemployment, etc. I don’t understand why the coal miners’ kids can’t get a boost when it comes to, say, college. I remember an article in the Washington Post a few years ago about a guy from Anacostia who was attending Brown. The gist of the article was that since he lived in poverty, and went to crappy schools, he deserved an extra boost when it came to college - fine, I don’t have a problem with that. I AM lucky to live in a wealthy suburb of DC that has great schools. I just want to know why kids from the ghetto of DC - a place with high poverty rates & really bad schools - deserve that extra consideration due to race and/or circumstances, and kids from Kermit, WV - a place with high poverty rates & really bad schools - don’t. What difference does the fact that they’re caucasian make? No, they don’t have to face racial descrimination, but their lives are no rosier than those of many minorities in poor communities just because of the color of their skin.

There are certain places I’ve been to - mostly very poor, either rural and/or inner city - that seem to have a vacuum effect. People (and kids) get trapped in the cycle of poverty. Especially if they don’t have any positive influences in their life - like people who have gone to college & gotten good jobs. A lot of people I know from areas that are steeped in poverty just want to get the heck out & never look back.

Sorry that’s so long and incoherent - I just wish we could be color blind & ignore sex - so we wouldn’t NEED affirmative action. :sigh: fat chance of that ever happening, right?

-Albion

[Pixie_Dust]

I will be a pixy…wait, that’s not mythology is it…

[Sannois]

I disagree with the Patriot act, doesn’t make me coming over to the left. If you want the truth I am a card carrying Libertarian. {{ Quick someone catch Hobson before she falls down! }}

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” Benjamin Franklin, 1755
Founding member of The Fossils over Fences Clique!

[rileyt]

Hey. Why are people picking on Pony Club again?

“Ruuhhh??” (in best Scooby Doo Ruh-Ro voice)

Half of Riding is 30% mental … no wonder there are so many bad riders

[timedjumpoff]

BARNIE—Are you a lawyer? You not only took us right back to the issue at hand, you made what would’ve been one helluva closing argument for the side of reason. I’d like to see the opposing party come up with anything quite so convincing.

Now who was it that said early on that I was stirring the pot? I’m overwhelmed by the passion each of you has, sarcasm included. But truthfully, my reason for starting this thread was just to see if anyone else noticed a little PCism creeping into their horsetime and what they thought about it. NOT TO START WWIII! Nevertheless…

FATAPPY—You keep taking the words right out of my mouth…and believe me, I’ve got a big one. I like Missouri, especially St. Louis. Went to college there at probably THE most liberal university in the state–Washington Univ.—at the height of the Vietnam War—surrounded by protestors the likes of those at Berkeley and Columbia Univ. The kind that ran to Canada, and the ones who spit on returning GI’s when they came home from tours in Vietnam…just ask my husband, a former (and proud) Marine I married.
I wonder who amongst all these liberals would volunteer to die for the freedoms they claim to cherish so much?

BTW, I think all Muslim/Arab looking people should have extra security checks, and leave random selection for the rest of the population. If anyone’s interested, I can tell you how Israel, the best in the business, does it and why it’s fair to everyone.

VELVET----LOL…I’m gettin to like DQ’s more an more every day.

CWEIMER—Scary huh! I don’t think I’d jump ship for your camp, but…but I’d consider a short guided tour!

HEIDI—Have you ever heard of Margie Goldstein? No rich mommy and daddy handed her anything on a silve platter. She worked her butt off to get where she is today. Your last post really confused me. Not sure which side you were taking but if you were supposed to be Rush, I think your comments made perfect sense, just not liberal sense!

[Ghazzu]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Velvet:
Heidi,

Why should we have to pay for all of the single mothers and their children? Haven’t they heard of birth control?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not if the conservatives have anything to say about it. They have consistently tried to cut all funding to programs which mention any form of birth control other than abstinence.
Besides, who is to say that these mothers are single by choice? and what if they are?

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
And as for the homeless, what we as individuals need to do is give them opportunities (not necessarily have the government give them a handout) and if they CHOOSE not to take it, then they stay homeless. If they take advantage of the opportunity, then they should no longer be homeless or penniless.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

A significant percentage of the homeless are mentally ill, and are the result of the government’s decisions to “empty out” the mental hospitals.
You can’t take someone who has been institutionalized most of their life, hand them a prescription, and wish them luck. It just doesn’t work.

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
Why is it the government is tasked with taking care of everyone? Especially the national government? (I refuse to argue partisanship–it’s not the point out here.) Shouldn’t that be something for individuals or non-government organizations? If we took away government run social welfare programs and instead pushed people into making contributions on their own to individuals, wouldn’t that have the potential of making us more caring toward our fellow citizens who are less fortunate?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ah, I see you too are a utopian anarchist.
Unfortunately, we are outnumbered by those who would just as soon step over the bodies on the street.

Unashamed member of the Arab clique…just settin’ on the Group W bench.

[mwalshe]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hobson:Other favorite moment was when Mr Hobson, who is not from the US, listened to a rant and asked why this paranoid mental patient was permitted to have a radio show? Was this some kind of tacky performance art or something? He insisted it was a comedy spoof of neofascist politics.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

He is SO out there. SO SO SO SO SO very wrong in the conclusions he draws about so much stuff that I can’t even stand it. Especially when he starts in on foreign policy- ooohhh! (His show was on a lot where I worked one summer) I think he knows he’s exagerating and lying but he does it anyway. And the scariest thing is that he’s not alone- there are numerous other bat-daft radio hosts like him.

I remember listening to one last summer who said that the government was killing little children by banning DDT.

[Erin]

Exactly!

[Magnolia]

You sound like a libertarian if I ever heard one. Oh, and they don’t condemn single moms!

The witchy witch witch of south central NC.

[Dementia_13]

I can’t believe you all are even taking this nonsense seriously and posting such well thought out replies.

I had a really sassy reply all typed out then I thought why bother, since this thread is just another attempt at pot stirring.

Yawn.