Comments on: MUTUAL EXCLUSIVITY http://gomerville.com/2009/12/07/mutual-exclusivity/ I am a paramedic who works for an organ procurement organization in the wilds of Kentucky. I am also a husband and a father. Occasionally I fancy myself to be a writer, hence the blog. You are welcome to witness this train wreck but the experience can be disorienting. Don't go swimming for at least thirty minutes. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:55:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Rogue Medic http://gomerville.com/2009/12/07/mutual-exclusivity/comment-page-1/#comment-1125 Rogue Medic Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:57:57 +0000 http://gomerville.com/?p=602#comment-1125 <i>At this point, some of them get freaked out. Some just recede further into the mantra. Every once in a while you will get a truly creepy response like, “Well everyone knows that there is only one true savior and everyone else who worships false idols is going to burn in hell forever.” Yes, I sometimes get answers like that.</i> Only <i>sometimes</i>? I get that from family. <I>You were born into the right household, and you know the true secret to the universe and believe in the one God amongst thousands that is the true and only one God? Just because you were born to the right parents in Kentucky? Really?”</i> There are plenty of people who do believe they were born into the <i>right</i> household. They believe that they deserve it, because they are special. Sort of a divine right of kings, and they are royalty. After all, if they don't deserve all of the things they have, why would God give them to them? It all comes back to the same place. They tend not to understand objective reality. When raising Rogue Medic, Jr., I put <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094291/" rel="nofollow">Wall Street</a> on. In a horrible Michael Douglas impression I explained, not that <i>Greed is Good</i>, but that <i>Weird is Good</i>. Jr. has never been affected much by peer pressure. Even spends time straightening out some of the less knowledgeable classmates. Must have gotten that from Mom. At this point, some of them get freaked out. Some just recede further into the mantra. Every once in a while you will get a truly creepy response like, “Well everyone knows that there is only one true savior and everyone else who worships false idols is going to burn in hell forever.” Yes, I sometimes get answers like that.

Only sometimes?

I get that from family.

You were born into the right household, and you know the true secret to the universe and believe in the one God amongst thousands that is the true and only one God? Just because you were born to the right parents in Kentucky? Really?”

There are plenty of people who do believe they were born into the right household. They believe that they deserve it, because they are special. Sort of a divine right of kings, and they are royalty. After all, if they don’t deserve all of the things they have, why would God give them to them? It all comes back to the same place.

They tend not to understand objective reality.

When raising Rogue Medic, Jr., I put Wall Street on. In a horrible Michael Douglas impression I explained, not that Greed is Good, but that Weird is Good. Jr. has never been affected much by peer pressure. Even spends time straightening out some of the less knowledgeable classmates. Must have gotten that from Mom.

]]> By: Buckman http://gomerville.com/2009/12/07/mutual-exclusivity/comment-page-1/#comment-1093 Buckman Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:07:39 +0000 http://gomerville.com/?p=602#comment-1093 Unfortunately here in Kentucky it is assumed you are part of the club and things like this are stated openly. The closed door conversation was for my benefit because I was obviously NOT part of the club and he was making sure that I did not take my stance on things too far. It was not uncommon to be sitting around the dinner table with as many as 6 to 8 people and have racial slurs come out in normal conversation. It is not hidden at all. Every state, every locale, every service has its issues. Kentucky simply hates people who aren't white Christians. You know what they say, 'for every person who says something, 10 more are thinking it.' Just imagine everyone in your firehouse acting like this. All of them. All the time. And they are at work and on their best behavior. Scary. Unfortunately here in Kentucky it is assumed you are part of the club and things like this are stated openly. The closed door conversation was for my benefit because I was obviously NOT part of the club and he was making sure that I did not take my stance on things too far. It was not uncommon to be sitting around the dinner table with as many as 6 to 8 people and have racial slurs come out in normal conversation. It is not hidden at all. Every state, every locale, every service has its issues. Kentucky simply hates people who aren’t white Christians. You know what they say, ‘for every person who says something, 10 more are thinking it.’ Just imagine everyone in your firehouse acting like this. All of them. All the time. And they are at work and on their best behavior. Scary.

]]> By: Steve http://gomerville.com/2009/12/07/mutual-exclusivity/comment-page-1/#comment-1092 Steve Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:44:25 +0000 http://gomerville.com/?p=602#comment-1092 I've encountered both racism and minority bashing in the firehouse as well. Not to the extent you're describing in Kentuky but it exist here too. I'm always observant of the cowardice of the racial remarks. Just like your Captain who needed to pick the right time and come in and close the door, the racist always needs to wait until the right "private" moment. It's as if they all know that their belief system is jacked up enough to warrant "secret club" status. The public remark is always reserved for the moment that only people in the ideology club are present. Those open expressions of racism are reserved until only white employees are present. The minority and gender comments are reserved until the subject of hostility is out of ear shot. I’ve encountered both racism and minority bashing in the firehouse as well. Not to the extent you’re describing in Kentuky but it exist here too.

I’m always observant of the cowardice of the racial remarks. Just like your Captain who needed to pick the right time and come in and close the door, the racist always needs to wait until the right “private” moment.

It’s as if they all know that their belief system is jacked up enough to warrant “secret club” status. The public remark is always reserved for the moment that only people in the ideology club are present.

Those open expressions of racism are reserved until only white employees are present. The minority and gender comments are reserved until the subject of hostility is out of ear shot.

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