Reply #36: What he was suggesting is that white middleclass Americans

[Generic Other]

are conditioned to be "polite" no matter what the situation. When they encounter situations that fall outside of their Emily Post notion of how the world should run, they are often unable to respond appropriately, because they lack prior experience dealing with such situations.

Minorities, especially black Americans, know that much of the behavior directed toward them comes from outside of the rules of social order. They have a history of complaining about such treatment. They do not react in stunned silence. Because they are more often targetted, they have learned to challenge those who attempt to victimize them.

I don't think it's racist to say that blacks and whites have dissimilar reactions to events based on cultural differences. And yes, many a minority would have sat glued to a his/her seat in fear and disbelief too. Moore is just suggesting that those who conform to society's rules unquestioningly are at a disadvantage when others break those rules. And that minorities are more attuned to that fact. When your history includes numerous hideous examples of polite, conforming individuals being targetted by vicious people who hate you, you develop a different mindset about when the "flight or fight" response should kick in.

Look at how the average American who voted for Bush deals with the fact that they installed a dangerous lunatic into office. Some defend their stupidity valiently because they don't want to believe that Republicans, or Americans like them, could be capable of evil on the scale that DUers see in Bush's actions. Most say nothing and act like it is bad manners to criticize. It utterly upsets their world view to believe they might be responsible for destroying the country by their actions. They act like it is rude to point such a thing out.

Will black voters who were disenfranchised join the Americans who don't want to make waves? Will black leaders say it is impolitie to accuse Bush of theft and fraud? Do we expect a huge and surprising black voter turn-out for Bush? I think not. Why not? Because experience shapes behavior.

And what of white Republicans who have had 4 years to regret their error? What will they do? Admit they need to change their course of action? Act outside the norm? Unlikely. Rather than believe the evidence before their own eyes, they will march in lockstep to their own destruction. Just like polite white Americans.

Women too are often victimized because we have been raised to be ladylike which does not work in every siutuation. I am sad that middleclass white Americans believe that setting the dinner table correctly is proof of good citizenship, that conformity is a good thing. It only serves to make it easier for others to control our behavior.

We all should learn from the lessons of the past 3 years. Don't act like sheep if you don't want others to herd you into flocks and lead you to the slaughterhouse. That's all Moore was saying.