George Takei Calls Out Anti-Gay Arkansas School Board Member

[ichab]

That was hilarious!

 

[Mary Ann]

Absolutely brilliant. I've never seen a better delivery of that word. Well done, Mr. Takei.

 

[Elzie]

That...was just...brilliant!

You rock, mr. Takei!

 

[Sparky]

George Takei rules hard core.

I don't think he did any movies in that genre...

 

[KJbushway]

While George had a great message, the one way you show your better than the person is to not sink to their level. While the ex-school official was wrong in many ways in what he said. George can be considered a bully as well because words mean a lot.

 

[sbk1234]

I have a hard time thinking of someone who defends innocent victims as a bully.

Rather than sink to that person's level, George says that he does not wish death upon him. Again, he is taking the higher road.

 

[plynch]

While George had a great message, the one way you show your better than the person is to not sink to their level. While the ex-school official was wrong in many ways in what he said. George can be considered a bully as well because words mean a lot.

I agree in principle that hating a hater, though tempting, is still hating. "I will permit no man to degrade my soul by making me hate him," said Booker T. Washington.

But I don't really feel hatred coming from Mr. Takei; righteous indignation, maybe. He is calling it what it is, and sometimes hearing the brutal truth is necessary for someone to grow. But, perhaps I'm wrong and even lobbing an insult is entering the hater's realm. I think Gandhi would agree with you, in fact.

However, we could also argue from pragmatism that wounding one hater's feelings is far, far less important that adding another voice to the rising tide against bullying.

Even at 44, I vacillate between principle and pragmatism. I thought at some point all the answers crystalized and you totally knew what you were doing in life! Maybe next year.

I digress. Thanks for your humanity and daring to opine against the general consensus.

Peace and wholeness to all.

 

[KJbushway]

 

[KJbushway]

I have a hard time thinking of someone who defends innocent victims as a bully.

Rather than sink to that person's level, George says that he does not wish death upon him. Again, he is taking the higher road.

Trust me George Takei was pissed, he was responding to a man who just basically insulted his way of life. He is defending the innocent victims by being a bully toward another bully, in extention he is exactly what the victim's he is protecting hate. Now he was tempered by just saying Douche Bag instead of saying what was really coming to his mind. So yes in that sense he is taking a higher road, but he isn't taking THE higher road.

Watch the comedy show Roast of William Shatner. What you see there in how George Takei acted actually hurt the image of gay people. He acted as gay haters say how gay people act, though most don't.
So he defends the small, but in some acts he has hurt them as well. Comedy or no comedy. He just had to say jokes.

 

[Sector 7]

I have a hard time thinking of someone who defends innocent victims as a bully.

Rather than sink to that person's level, George says that he does not wish death upon him. Again, he is taking the higher road.

Trust me[1] George Takei was pissed, he was responding to a man who just basically insulted his way of life. He is defending the innocent victims by being a bully toward another bully, in extention he is exactly what the victim's he is protecting hate. Now he was tempered by just saying Douche Bag instead of saying what was really coming to his mind[2]. So yes in that sense he is taking a higher road, but he isn't taking THE higher road.

Watch the comedy show Roast of William Shatner. What you see there in how George Takei acted actually hurt the image of gay people. He acted as gay haters say how gay people act, though most don't.
So he defends the small, but in some acts he has hurt them as well. Comedy or no comedy. He just had to say jokes.

[1] - Those who usually preface their remarks with the words "Trust Me" are the least trustworthy.
[2] - It is more than a stretch of reality to claim to know the mind of Takei. The argument "He didn't really mean what he said, this is what he really meant" is not credible nor factual.

Those roasts display the worst of Hollywood for the sake of a laugh. I have avoided them like the plague since the first one I saw. The exception was Shat's roast. Each and every person on there was extremely vulgar and immoral, not just George. The Dean Martin Roasts of yesteryear are superior comedy in every way.

 

[KJbushway]

I have a hard time thinking of someone who defends innocent victims as a bully.

Rather than sink to that person's level, George says that he does not wish death upon him. Again, he is taking the higher road.

Trust me[1] George Takei was pissed, he was responding to a man who just basically insulted his way of life. He is defending the innocent victims by being a bully toward another bully, in extention he is exactly what the victim's he is protecting hate. Now he was tempered by just saying Douche Bag instead of saying what was really coming to his mind[2]. So yes in that sense he is taking a higher road, but he isn't taking THE higher road.

Watch the comedy show Roast of William Shatner. What you see there in how George Takei acted actually hurt the image of gay people. He acted as gay haters say how gay people act, though most don't.
So he defends the small, but in some acts he has hurt them as well. Comedy or no comedy. He just had to say jokes.

[1] - Those who usually preface their remarks with the words "Trust Me" are the least trustworthy.
[2] - It is more than a stretch of reality to claim to know the mind of Takei. The argument "He didn't really mean what he said, this is what he really meant" is not credible nor factual.

Those roasts display the worst of Hollywood for the sake of a laugh. I have avoided them like the plague since the first one I saw. The exception was Shat's roast. Each and every person on there was extremely vulgar and immoral, not just George. The Dean Martin Roasts of yesteryear are superior comedy in every way.

Trust me is a phrase, see as you wish.
No he meant what he said, but the initial anger he felt when he first heard it was probably calling him for than just a douche-bag in his mind. Just my opinion.

Not everyone who has gone on a celebrity roast has acted that bad. True everyone was vulgar and immoral, but he took it to levels not needed to be taken.
Agreed by many of the older generations agree that Dean Martin was the best.

 

[sbk1234]

I have a hard time thinking of someone who defends innocent victims as a bully.

Rather than sink to that person's level, George says that he does not wish death upon him. Again, he is taking the higher road.

Trust me George Takei was pissed, he was responding to a man who just basically insulted his way of life. He is defending the innocent victims by being a bully toward another bully, in extention he is exactly what the victim's he is protecting hate. Now he was tempered by just saying Douche Bag instead of saying what was really coming to his mind. So yes in that sense he is taking a higher road, but he isn't taking THE higher road.

I'm confused by your phrase that he was not taking THE higher road. Am I meant to infer that it was improper to use his words to speak out against blatant, vicious hate speech from someone who is supposed to be an educational leader?

Had he threatened him in some way, he would have crossed the line, but he did not.
He also, IMO, seemed to know that he would not be changing this person's own views, but by using humor as he did, would likely be affecting those many out there who may not yet understand the severity of the situation, and may now know how horrendous it was.
Now, thanks to him - and others in similar situations who speak up - some of the people who may have been "on the fence" or just appathetic may understand better.
To me, that is a very high road, indeed.
I watched this video with my son, 12. It opened up a dialogue between us that helped give him an understanding of the persecution against gay people, and a better understanding of sensitivity in general, and the responsibility of speaking out against injustice.
Again, I see this as high road, and thank Mr. Takai for having the class to do this.

 

[KJbushway]

I'm not saying he is not a leader or not a good person. Its perfectly okay from him to stand up against a bully. While he took a high road by only saying douche bag instead of other cuss words he could have used. my point is this-
An eye for a eye makes the whole world blind.-Gandhi
Do nothing and still make a point is the highest road a person can take.