How the heck is a guy supposed to sit on this motorbike?

[Langanobob]

Funny.   

But it's also awesome.  I like when dudes who don't know anything about a certain brand of bike are interested in how it's put together.  I do that same thing--albeit with a different accent--when I come across a new-to-me type of bike . 

I'm with you on this.  They came across something they'd never seen before and spent the time and energy to check it out and figure out how it worked. 

[Kev M]

and kev, thats a pretty self centered way of looking at the world.  you seem to state that just because it's a ethnic slur people should get over it because it doesnt bother you.  on the other hand, that should mean that if someone else said something about say your wife, family e.g. (and i dont mean this in anyway, this is pure example) if someone on this board said your wife was a whore, your daughter a slut and then found it funny and that really offended you, you should "GET OVER IT" because it didnt bother them.
 

Well, I completely understand you are trying to make a point, so if I may continue this mature/responsible discussion of the issue.

Self-centered way of looking at it? Arguably so, as it is MY opinion how I believe others should act/feel.

But again, let’s assume your statements about my wife and daughter were meant in anger. I’m no saint and I might very well let them get to me and retaliate in some way. HOWEVER, 2 things about that.

1. The second I do that I give YOU the power over MY feelings. And as much as I have fallen in to that trap in my life, I recognize it’s ape-stupid. Unless you are going are going to act on such things threatening the well being of my family, then it’s really honestly of no consequence how YOU feel about them.

And maybe more importantly

2. I find your analogy somewhat off base. There is, I believe, a huge difference in the attack on ONE PERSON’S character or reputation vs. an obviously flawed generalization regarding a race or culture. But more importantly, words like “Dago” or “Wop” or “Mic”, hell even words like “N” don’t actually have any tangible meaning other than “said person is part of a given ethnic group” and possibly (more probably with some words than others) the user means “I don’t like said ethnic group”.

Now it’s that last point that I am finding in dispute. I.E. I find that “Dago” or “Wop” has long lost any significant/general use of “hate”. I find this anecdotally from my own experience, and from references made in pop culture (be it comedians or movies or TV).

BUT – and this is a huge BUT – EVEN IF USED in hate/anger, see point #1 and remember that the person doing so is simply proving themselves an asshole. Hate really is a wasted emotion and someone who finds it necessary to hate an entire race or ethnicity is really a complete moron. So why care what they mean.

And if it ISN’T meant in hate, but is really just being used either comedically or just out of ignorance that the user doesn’t know or think of a better term for “Italians” then again, see #1, why give a crap?

Kev M & ManaloEA - You both own new/fake monsters, your opinions don't really count. 

OK

Now you see, I completely understood this was comedy.

However, if I thought he was serious, see #1.

Life is good, ride more and worry less.

[Vindingo]

Hangover is no excuse. Don't be a quitter!   Just kidding.

But seriously, when it comes to living with racial issues, being caucasian does not carry a whole lot of stigma, other than being a hater. While you personally may have been in the minority, unless you dressed like and acted like trailer park trash, you were not equated with the problems of society.

So, please don't try to equate being in the numeric minority to living with stigma. The pressures are very different. It is one thing to be castigated for looking different, it is entirely different to be hated for being who you are.

You need to spend more time in the hood.  I bet you didn't know that it is my fault for the high crime rates in the ghetto, rampant heart disease and diabetes in the black community, persecution and enslavement of their ancestors for 300 years... all despite the fact that my family came here in 1958.  There was also a theory out there that we (gringos) may have caused hurricane Katrina.   

You are crazy if you think there is no stigma.      

I'd be happy to talk to you about it in person or through PM, but on the internet much is lost in words.  


  

[Dirty Duc]

Yet another thread taking a turn towards suckage.  

Only thing missing at this point is the "Gear Police"  

 

Anyone who rides without a $700 carbon fiber codpiece is a total moron who doesn't care about future generations of squids... 










































fixed it. 

[ManaloEA]

You need to spend more time in the hood.  I bet you didn't know that it is my fault for the high crime rates in the ghetto, rampant heart disease and diabetes in the black community, persecution and enslavement of their ancestors for 300 years... all despite the fact that my family came here in 1958.  There was also a theory out there that we (gringos) may have caused hurricane Katrina.   

You are crazy if you think there is no stigma.      

I'd be happy to talk to you about it in person or through PM, but on the internet much is lost in words.  


  

Sorry... only lived in downtown Philly and attended a Gospel Church for years, so I guess I wouldn't know about the hood. Now this Katrina thing really intrigues me, since that was a recent storm. How does being of Italian descent play in to that? Admittedly, there is always misplaced resentment (just like Asians stealing American manufacturing jobs, Asians stealing Tech sector jobs, Asians taking the best jobs i.e. doctors and lawyers, limits for Asian enrollment at UCLA because Asians are over-represented, etc) , but as I stated in a previous post, the only real resolution is adjust how you feel to that misdirected blame because obviously there is nothing you can personally do about the weather.

[Spidey]

I blame the Jews.   

[speedknot]

I blame the Jews.    

Thats the spirit.

But a Jew would probably know what a Guzzi was. 

[Kev M]

Thats the spirit.

But a Jew would probably know what a Guzzi was. 

As a Guzzi rider and an honorary Jew (only goyum in my NY neighborhood growing up) I can tell you that ALL Guzzi riders got a little Jew in em! GAWD us Guzzi guys are CHEAP!

Hell, Italians and Jews are more similar than most think.

Only one difference.

When your mom thinks you're gonna do something she doesn't want you do to she says:

"Do that and I'm going to kill myself" if she's Jewish.

or


"Do-ah that, anda I'mma gonna Kiilla you" If she's Italian.


After that they're pretty much the same - one calls it a Knish, the other Torta....I'm still trying to figure out the Italian version of Kugel though?

[Kaveh]

I blame the Jews.   

Only thing worse than a jew is a jew lawyer! 

[gr1976]

Only thing worse than a jew is a jew lawyer! 

we all know its the make the beast with two backsing prawns...

[thought]

hey kev,

i understand your points and i agree with them, but the example i was trying to provide wasn't meant to be one said in anger/insult.  i was trying to point out that if someone made a comment, whether concerning ethnicity/family/personal or w/e, in a joking tone that offended someone, then that person has every right to be offended whether the tone was meant to be humorous or not.  subject matter is pretty irrelevant to the outcome.

your previous statements seemed to infer that as long as you found it funny, then why should anyone else be insulted?  i'm sure sometime in your life someone has made a comment that hit that perfect combination of whatever you get annoyed by and got you royally po'ed... even if that comment was meant to be a joke.  and if you haven't... then you're a way way better man than i am   and at that point, if that guy/girl told you to man up and get over it because it didnt bother them, i'm pretty sure it wouldnt at all make the situation better.

basically what i'm trying to say here is that as long as it annoys someone else... why bother propagating it?  why not simply accept that it annoys someone and then just stop doing it?  that seems to be the option to choose which would make everyone happy, not just the guy that isnt bothered by the topic at hand.

btw, i'll stop on this topic to stop cluttering up the thread, it's been threadjacked enough... haha, pm me if you want to continue.

[Kev M]

basically what i'm trying to say here is that as long as it annoys someone else... why bother propagating it?  why not simply accept that it annoys someone and then just stop doing it?  that seems to be the option to choose which would make everyone happy, not just the guy that isnt bothered by the topic at hand.

btw, i'll stop on this topic to stop cluttering up the thread, it's been threadjacked enough... haha, pm me if you want to continue.

Fair enough, so my final comment on the matter will be to answer your question.

Why bother? Because there are far too many oversensitive pansies in this world that if an insensitive guy like myself tried to truly never offend anyone I'd be too preoccupied to get anything else done. 


In other words, it's a matter of degree and sometimes my answer is "suck it up buttercup". Though it should be noted I say that to myself frequently as well.

RIDE SAFE ALL