Jay Bookman

By Dusty

June 15, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

Dear Jay Bookman,

Perhaps you enjoy PoFo’s comments as he is so generous with them. He has more IDs than a dog has fleas.

Not all people are filled with hate. In fact, this is the day when many people enjoy each other in a most peaceful way. That is church.

Not many churches are preaching politics as is usually acclaimed by those who never attend. It is usually a place to set the mind and soul on “better things”.

Anyone depending on train rides for fellowship needs to find something else. The church doors are open to one and all. Try that. It is better than a train ride and carries you to a better place.

By Abomi Nation

June 15, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this

Maybe we hate people because acceptable public behavior seems to be changing. Like the girl on that MARTA train that harassed that old lady for example.

The complete lack of manners on the MARTA trains is out of control. I ride MARTA a lot and am getting sick of it. During a recent trip I witnessed three people smoking, numerous people chowing down on fast food, a couple almost exposing themselves in a disgusting display of affection, loud music, and a person going seat to seat selling candy. All during one trip.

This type of public behavior does not exactly create a love your neighbor atmosphere.

By ron

June 15, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this

I went to church on December 24th,1963.I wasn’t all that impressed.Never felt any desire to go back.

My wife and I used to go to a medium sized city near where we live,park the car and take the city busses around the city.We had to stop doing this due to the behavior of some of the riders.Ignorant doesn’t even begin to describe their behavior.They all seem to be twenty years old with an IQ to match their age.It’s going to be very hard to sell us on mass transportation.

By Dusty

June 15, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this

Dear Ron,

Sorry about your one day. I guess you learned to walk in one day. Got your education in one day. Learned to swim in one day. And on and on.

Perhaps you should try “church” one more time. And here’s something yu already know. Worthwhile things are not always acquired in one try.

By Dusty

June 15, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

Abomi Nation,

I can see why you had a bad trip on MARTA. But….the squeaky wheel gets the oil and all that good stuff! Tell MARTA by e-mail, phone or at the next station about all the illegal things going on in that trip…the exact time you were on, the stations you got on and off and all that. THEY are responsible. Nothing will be done until they get reminded enough. They can’t make riders responsible but they can stop eating, drinking, selling and loud music. Don’t give up. Tell MARTA to get their act together. You paid to ride and you deserve better.

By ron

June 15, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

Dusty,Worthwhile and beauty are in the eye of the beholder.You attend if you want to,I’ll pass.

By cleandeliver

June 15, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this

and eat for a while, I remember trees I noticed to our things.

By Me

June 15, 2008 7:41 PM | Link to this

I’ll admit I’m not a people person and never will be but I can barely stand to go out in public anymore. People’s manners are atrocious. All this foul language in public no matter whether children are around or not. Everybody thinks they have a God given right to be first in line. I could go on and on. Kids are allowed to run wild in stores, restaurants, etc. Of course the little darlings are just being themselves so Heaven forbid they should ever be corrected. I guess its like Daddy always said, “If you’re gonna train a dog, first off you got to have more sense than the dog”. As for MARTA, I sent an email complaining about their service and didn’t even get the courtesy of an email blowing me off.

By Taxpayer

June 15, 2008 8:10 PM | Link to this

Which came first — people hating others so much that they seek solitude or so much time alone that we can no longer stand each other’s company. What would happen if people had to spend more time “together”. What would happen if we had these exchanges “face-to-face” or would they even happen. I wonder. Anyway, I suspect that if people had to spend more time around a more diverse crowd, it could eventually have a positive effect. It could.

By Dusty

June 15, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this

Dear “Me” 7:41

I’m glad you e-mailed MARTA. I’ll bet somebody got the message even if they did not let you know. I only ride MARTA occasionally but I really hear a lot of complaints.

If this is the main public transportation system in Atlanta we really need to keep it in order. I’m for letting them know what is happening on the trains.

If it is any help, the MARTA Customer Service Center is open from 7-6PM. Their phone number is 404-848-4800. MARTA Police Services can be reached at 404-848-4900.

Remember..like any report..they need to know when, where, and exactly the complaint. That way they will have at least one good lead to start some enforcement.

I think bus drivers keep their buses OK. But trains don’t have close surveillance as you know. That’s the problem.

By Mike

June 15, 2008 10:12 PM | Link to this

What role do hyper-partisan pundits like Bookman play in “People hating people?”

Whether it is Bookman accusing folks who don’t share his views on immigration of racism to Rush Limbaugh accusing those who don’t share his foreign policy views unpatriotic, partisan pundits and the partisan “news” outlets who employ them are perfectly willing to demonize others and fan the flames of hatred and misunderstanding to pay their bills. Then they shake their head and wonder why people hate each other.

Give me a break.

By Bob Ford

June 16, 2008 1:27 AM | Link to this

And so we read that the dreadful state of Georgia’s mental hospitals has finally come to the attention of the federal government. Now there is hope that - at some point in the coming months or years - the state will provide some minimum quality of care for our mentally ill citizens. Not because it is the right thing to do. But because the federal government is making Georgia do it. And then, just a few days later, we read that funding for the state’s family & children services is so severely inadequate that the governor’s office is taking money from the already severely underfunded mental health system to supplement the “defax” budget. Even though the mental health system is a catastrophe at current funding levels. For example, the state psychiatric facility for adolescents - which is to say, children - is so dangerous and dysfunctional that these kids might be better off outside the hospital. Stop for a moment and think about this. Consider how seriously ill a kid must be for his or her family - or anyone else responsible for that child’s care - to decide he or she needs to go to a state mental hospital. Then consider how bad it must be - at that state mental hospital - for some of the people who are familiar with the conditions there to say these kids would be better off being left untreated away from the hospital. And we - the people of Georgia - don’t really care. I do not recall hearing about any major discussions during this year’s General Assembly on finding the additional funds needed to improve the dreadful conditions and chronic underfunding that exist throughout the Dept. of Human Resources, which manages all of these programs. Mostly, it was about cutting taxes. As usual. I do not know if there will be a tax-cutting or revenue-reducing measure on the Georgia ballot in November, but if there is, I have no doubt it will pass easily. Because we - the people of Georgia - don’t really care. And this mystifies me. The people of Georgia are said to be a very religious people, part of that region of the United States known as the Bible belt. But we in the Bible belt don’t seem to read the Bible very much. Or at least, not the teachings of Jesus Christ. Anyone who is familiar with the Gospels is well aware that a major theme of His ministry was helping other people - the old, the sick, the poor, and the young. The people who were less able to help themselves. This was so important that Jesus repeated it again and again. He even provided a standard, which I’ll paraphrase: “As you treat the least of these, so do you treat me.” We consider ourselves a devoutly religious people. We say we love Jesus. But do we really? Or is ours a self-centered, feel-good kind of religious faith? One that doesn’t demand too much from us. Especially, one that doesn’t interfere with our desire to keep as much of our money as we can for ourselves. I would challenge any Christian of conscience to consider how we as a people measure up. How well are we demonstrating — by a standard which He set - that we love the One we hold to be the Son of God. If Jesus Christ came back today, and wanted to see how we are treating “the least of these,” would you want to be the one to show Him?

By ByteMan

June 16, 2008 6:49 AM | Link to this

@Mike: you’re close to the truth, although Jay could easily have blamed it all on “conservatives”… but didn’t, so it’s harder to lump Jay into the buckets you created to support your theory. Sometimes he does throw out a partisan attack, most times he just sounds frustrated about the idiots in power (whoever they may be).

Anyway, I think part of the issue is also generational and has been with us forever. Each generation has been more permissive and “courser” in their discourse than the one before it. Eventually, most of them grow out of it, but it leaves the older generation shaking their heads. We don’t “hate” them, but we sure don’t understand them (actually, that tends to work in both directions).

Another thought is that the current generation is the most interconnected of all generations — between unlimited cell phone minutes for calls to anyone in the country, text messaging, remote interactive play stations that can connect you with other players around the world, video conferencing from your desktop, etc. I think that additional connectedness with those who are not nearby decreases our chances to connect with those who are nearby, so we tend to choose to sit on a cell phone and blab to someone who is faraway than to talk to the person sitting next to us. We don’t “hate” them, we just don’t care to take the time to get to know them when we can spend time with people we already know. So we lose a chance to learn about someone new.

By Mike

June 16, 2008 7:04 AM | Link to this

“@Mike: you’re close to the truth, although Jay could easily have blamed it all on “conservatives”… but didn’t, so it’s harder to lump Jay into the buckets you created to support your theory. Sometimes he does throw out a partisan attack, most times he just sounds frustrated about the idiots in power (whoever they may be).”

It’s not hard at all to lump Jay in that bucket. He regularly accuses those who don’t share his narrow views as immoral (“racist”, “nativist”, “uncaring”, “selfish”, “chcikenhawk”)

The notion that Bookman is not a partisan and is instead upset at “idiots who happen to be in power” is an absurd fig leaf used by every liberal commentator to deny their partisanship. Bookman is a big a partisan as Sean Hannity, except Hannity makes no attempt to lie about his partisanship. His positions rigidly hew to liberal orthodoxy, just as they did when Clinton was in power.

By Brian

June 16, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this

In general, I don’t hate people. I enjoy going to church and being with everyone and socializing at ballgames and other functions. However, as a sales rep who is in his car all day long, its drivers who think they are the only ones on the road; you know the ones….BMW’s that come with all kinds of high tech equipment but no blinker. People who go from the far left lane to far right lane to either exit or make a turn, KNOWING for a while that their exit is coming yet they wait till the last minute and cut off everyone with no concern of causing an accident. We are just suppose to lock everything down and let the moron do his/her thing. I see it every day, could probably write a book about it. These are the people that could make me “lose my religion”.

By Kevin

June 16, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this

Bob, I absolutely agree it is time to address many of the ills, but the question is whose job is it? One of our issues as a country is that we have confused the role of the Church and the state. Let the church be the Church, and the state be the state.

In the eyes of liberals, inclduing Mr. Bookman, ironically, the state is the “church” - out to right the wrongs of society, but without the moral foundation, and personal accountability. And to do it with other people’s money.

I gladly vote for every tax cut I can, and give generously to my Baptist church and the many things the people do there every single day to make the lives of the less fortunate better. Don’t believe it? Go ask the police department in every smaller town in Georgia who they call when someone is passing through and needs help. Do they call DeFacs or the government? No, they call the church in town that will take care of the person quietly, efficiently and with the love of Christ. And no one ever knows it.

I had the honor of serving in a lay leadership capacity in one of those big churches in suburban Atlanta, and saw things happen every day that I as a member for 20 years didn’t even know about. That’s when I learned what real servant leadership as Christ demonstrated was all about. Not the TV program we did, or the radio, it was the little things -telling the “old, old, story” of Jesus and his love as we ministered to physical and emotional needs.

Finally, it is also a fact that “people haters” like we conservatives, including Baptists (OH, the horror of that word to liberals), give a LOT more to charity than our “bleeding heart” liberal brothers and sisters. How do you explain that? Maybe some or even most of us do understand what and why we are doing things.

By Jaron

June 16, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this

People like hanging out with decent people. People don’t hate people, they just hate *holes. Let’s see..I can go to a hip hop fest in ATL and risk my life, or take in an Eagles concert in Alpharetta. What educated choice will I make? or I can hang out at West End Mall or take a stroll around the square in Dahlonega. Which choice will I make? The hoodlums and thugs of the ATL have not had to answer for their actions and any time someone brings this up, they are branded a racist. PS- I am a black man living in North Georgia.

By atlanta native

June 16, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this

This is the price we pay for the politically correct definition of multiculturalism: “There is no right way or wrong way to be or act, all peoples actions and customs are to be treated equally and none is better than the other”. As evidenced by the responses, this is wrong. There are societal norms and, until our society feels free to recognize them, we will be forced to suffer the boors and the filth who are “expressing themselves”.

However, we may be too far down the slippery slope. We seem unable to exercise enough discernment to look at our actions. The mantra is: Teachers are wrong when they punish our darlings. It is police brutality that lead to someone being hurt. It’s my right to act as I please. The reality is your kid is a pain, the guy resisted arrest and you need to sit down, be quiet and allow other people to ride Marta in peace.

Sadly, the people who need to read this advice won’t. All we can do is set an example for our children and others and hope civility makes a comeback.

By KnowItAll

June 16, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this

I wouldn’t mind riding MARTA (or any train) at all if:

1) It was clean; 2) It was predictably safe; 3) It was consistent and on time; 4) It was reasonably priced;

MARTA has NONE Of these things, and I dare say any train to a dead-end location like “LOVEJOY” (please, please—-give me a break!) won’t either.

By Denny

June 16, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this

I doubt that the motivator for most people is hate. Real hate requires one to use significant energy.

Fear maybe, because fear in its many forms allows us to be lazy. Allows us to recuse ourselves from society. Allows us to make ourselves one with our TV or video game, or computer or whatever.

As long as I can afford my car, it is unlikely that I will ever ride commuter rail or any public transit. The reason: No matter where I live or where I want to go, public transit is almost certainly the least convenient way to get there.

Any increase in use of public transit caused by high fuel cost, will disapear over time. As each of us seek to regain the convenince of our automobile.

By Vicki

June 16, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this

I openly admit I don’t have much use for the human race. I’ve never been given a reason to feel otherwise. I was born with severe facial disfigurements. My birth mother/parents immediately gave me away & for the first 18 years of my life was shunted from foster home to foster home where I was either neglected or beaten & always spoken to harshly. I never in my life had any friends or family, never even received a birthday or Christmas card nor any type of social invitation. Even though I’m female, I was beaten up in school almost daily & no matter how I begged, the authorities refused to intervene. At 18, I was thrown out on my own & have since supported myself with a series of low-paying jobs. I live in a small rented room but there have been times when I was homeless. Not easy to get a job when you have a deformed face. I’m in my 50’s & have never experienced a hug. I once tried volunteer work & was even rejected by the people I was supposed to be helping. Anyone care to ask me again why I hate the human race??

By Taxpayer

June 16, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this

People eat together in restaurants. People ride planes together. People stand in the security lines at the airports — they look at other people’s bare feet and pocket contents — together. People maneuver past each other in crowded stores. People hang out with others at swimming pools and beaches and concerts. One person says to a stranger, “Go ahead” and the stranger looks back and says “thank you”. Another person bends over and picks up a coin and returns it to the person that dropped it. A couple that appear to be in their seventies or eighties approaches a door and someone else has beat them to it and is ready to hold it open for them. I see these things along with all those other people who hate people. Maybe my cup is half full but I still see hope for people.

By saywhat

June 16, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

Dusty says - “The church doors are open to one and all.” - Well, Dusty - that is just not true. Try accepting the gay man or woman setting next to you in church. Try the smelly Homeless person setting next to you in church. Try the heroin addict next to you in church. Try the young punk rocker with multi piercings and tattoos next to you in your church. Try what everyone knows as the town prostitute setting comfortable next to you in church. Try the black man or woman or family (assuming you are white) next to you in your church. Try a man of Arab origin, dressed in a long white tunic, deciding to set next to you in your church.
So, Dusty - what do you say? IS “the church doors are open to one and all” a true statement. If not - which I assume is the case - you likely need church more than anyone else.

By DavidEm

June 16, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

I’ve been riding MARTA for over 7 years now as my primary means of transportation. I bought a place right by a station so I could do so. My only complaint is the slower service on the weekends. Yes, the crowds are “diverse,” but I’ve only had one unpleasant experience in all that time, and that involved a young man spouting a homophobic rap. But the guy was so brimming with hate that I wound up feeling sorry for him. I get a lot of reading done on the train, and it’s a great stress-reliever, apart from that ubiquitous plague of modern civilization: the Cellphone Yak.

By John

June 16, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

There is a lot of hate now. It seems that everyone’s philosphy is “do unto others before they do unto me”.

When we can go back to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, the hate will go away .

Treat others as you want to be treated. That’s all there is to it.

By swolf4810

June 16, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

Symptoms:1) Raised in extreme South Ga I was taught to hold a door for a lady whether I know her or not. I have literally been cussed for a dog for doing so. 2) Speak to a stranger on the street (particularly in the Metro area) and say “good morning”… and just watch the attitude of mistrust and suspicion you’ll recieve in return. Sometimes you’ll even get an expletive in return. 3) Far more often than not, peole who take thier kids out to resturants feel absolutely no compunction to even attempt to make those kids behave….no matter how much the degrade the dinning experience for everyone else there. Should you, gawd forbid, even dare to glance disapprovingly, you’ll find yourself the recipient of a sever cussing by one or both parents. Our society no longer believes in, nor many times, even tolerates manners or common civility. And folks wonder why we seem to be going to hell in a handbasket!?!

By JAY BOOKMAN

June 16, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this

To Mike:

You claim: “(Bookman) regularly accuses those who don’t share his narrow views as immoral (“racist”, “nativist”, “uncaring”, “selfish”, “chcikenhawk”)”.

Regularly? In all my columns and editorials, the word “nativist” has never appeared.

The word “chickenhawk” has never appeared.

I have never used the word “selfish” to describe those who disagree with me. I have never used the word “uncaring.”

I have indeed written that some who argue the anti-immigrant case most fervently are acting out of racism. I did so once, in a column three years ago, that also expressly acknowledged that “The continued influx of millions of illegal immigrants poses an undeniable threat to overwhelmed communities, often swamping local schools and health-care systems. On a broader scale, it undercuts the bargaining position of lower income Americans forced to compete with immigrants willing to accept lower wages.”

I stand by that analysis. In fact, anyone who claims that racism plays no role whatsoever in the anti-immigrant movement denies the plain facts.

I am more than willing to take responsibility for the words I have written. I cannot, however, take responsibility for the words that you and others imagine I have written.

By GodHatesTrash

June 16, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this

Your typical “suburbanite” in Georgia is an obnoxious wasteful pretentious idiot that loves living in his/her cookie cutter McMansion SUVing here and there and everywhere in the middle of some of the worst traffic sprawl in the world. This is their idea of the “good life” - for many, going to their segregated church on Sunday to hear their preachers lie to them about how entitled they are to their wasteful empty superficial hate- and rage-filled lives while sitting with other obnoxious cretins has nothing to do with Christianity but with their “holier-than-thou”-ness, their smug self-righteous ignorant arrogance.

These people are afraid of everything, so of course the idea of sitting on a bus with other people, especially people who are different from them, is too great a sacrifice.

Of course, some of the people that ride on public transportation are just as vicious and stupid as they are, so maybe these vacuous suburbanites have a point. And MARTA will let you “kiss and ride”, but not “pack and ride”, and many Georgians feel nekkid without a gun always handy, especially when having to deal with furriners, colored folks, them gays, … and sassy wives and kids…

So folks - turn off the hate radio - it’s just about fear and stupidity and perversion, and you are all ready fearful and stupid and perverted enough. Turn off the TV - people getting shot and stabbed stories are just more interesting than the stories about people getting killed in car wrecks commuting. Stop living your lives in fear and stupidity. It’s humankind’s only hope - that people like you stand up on your hind legs, and say “yes we can! yes we can!”

By Taxpayer

June 16, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

swolf4810,

Your comments brought back some memories. I remember an incident that occurred shortly after I went to work, in the early Eighties, for a large corporation in Atlanta. On my way in one morning, I held the door open for a female employee and she promptly read the riot act for daring to insinuate that she either wanted or needed my “help”. I was caught completely off guard. I apologized and went on my way. The next morning, we arrived at the entrance at the same time again. She held the door open for me and I entered and thanked her. She apologized for the previous morning’s encounter and we began to talk to each other. We both learned a little bit about customs, perceptions, etc., that morning.

By thogwummpy

June 16, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

I think one of the great unspoken truths, is the hypocrisy of the hater. You see, I’ve observed that the people who are the most malcontented, CLAIM to be the most “tolerant and enlightened.” Claiming don’t make it so! Think I’m wrong? Which side of the spectrum HATES yuppies? HATES the rich? HATES corporations? HATES Christians? HATES their boss? HATES their parents/school/popular people/hometown/state/country? HATES the military? HATES the President? HATES work? HATES, HATES, HATES? And on and on. But such persons have convinced themselves that they are above hate!!! NONSENSE! Hate is what they do, and it guides everything from personal relationships to politics. The malcontent just freakin’ hates; and deludes themselves by wrapping themselves in lies about it. Yep, they’re dishonest to the core. They even con themselves by thinking their charitable—-by voting to steal OTHER people’s assets to fund their Marxist causes (justifying it with false rationalizations). You want to see the face of hate? Go to Berkley—-look into the frothing hostility of the Counter Culture! They try to disguise their hate—-but their venom is top notch!

By h ryder

June 16, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

There are still a few people with the financial assets who have the temerity to question why some of us reside in armed guarded or gated communities! See most of the above remarks or comments.

By Surprise

June 16, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

I have been riding MARTA for about 3 years now as my principle means of getting to work. I take both a bus and the train and never once have I been in a situation where I was concerned for my safety. My biggest complaint is with the busses that never leave the station on time but overall it’s a very stress free way to commute. When I first started using MARTA there seemed to be a lot of panhandlers on the train but in the last year I have only encountered 1. Yes sometimes people eat on the train or bus, so what? It’s not a big deal. For the most part people just go about their business and leave each other alone. I use the time for reading which I enjoy very much. Georgai and especially Atlanta should really focus on MARTA and enlarge it. More train routes is a great thing. Drive up Peachtree someday and count the number of new highrise condos being built. The city planners apparently don’t realize that all these people will have cars. The traffic we have now will only get worse. A moritorium on building or at least the requirment that the builders subsidise public transportation would be an excellent policy. We all need to realize that the car is just about dead!

By thogwummpy

June 16, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

Oh, curiously…those same people who seem to hate everything about America…couldn’t manage a crumb of their bile for a mass murdering aggressive tyrant like Saddam! Their hatred is very selective; and hating Saddam…would mean some vindication for Bush—-who they REALLY hate.

By Dusty

June 16, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this

Jay Bookman,10:16

I agree with your analysis made in the reprint about illegal immigrants. But, I could not see where your argument expressed racism. Everythng you wrote involved education, health care and lower wages but I did not see the problems involved as racist.

I see the problems as “breaking the law of USA” i.e. illegal. Crowding the schools as overwhelming the school system. Healthcare set up for the poor as swamped by immigrants not able to pay. Lowering wages as an economic result. Why is all of that RACIST? Are these not problems caused by various factors, none of which are racist?

The reputation of Hispanics as hard workers is well known. Also they seem “family oriented” and those with families here seem dedicated to them. Not 100%, of course, like all humans.

The complaints come from the facts you and I have mentioned. I still don’t think it is a racial issue.

By GodHatesTrash

June 16, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

Regarding charity and evangelical churches: Evangelicals have the highest rates of divorce, incarceration, spouse-and child-abuse, drug addiction, alcoholism, abandonment, teen pregnancy, incest, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum.

So you folks need the most charity.

Actually, given your poor performance in society, perhaps you need a different religion? It sure seems that giving money to evangelical faith-based charities seems like throwing money down the toilet, based on results…

Think about it.

By Matt

June 16, 2008 11:01 AM | Link to this

I don’t hate people. I hate jerks. I hate ignorant *holes who could care less about the person standing next to them. Like the four animals who drove to Cobb County with the intention of committing an armed robbery. I hate those animals - not people.
Except the ones who talk loudly on their cellphone in public as if I care about their conversation. Our society is disintegrating right in front of us.

By gttim

June 16, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this

I love hanging out, but then you invariably get some religious freak like Dusty cramming his religion down your throat! If they want to live that lifestyle, fine. Just quit trying to make it mine, parading it front of me, or trying to convert me.

By History Speaks 4 itself

June 16, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this

From the cross, Christ didn’t say, “Father forgive us”, he said, “Father forgive them”.

How many groups of people are included in the “blessed” of the Beatitudes? Lets see, poor in spirit, the meek, the crybabies, the peacemakers, the merciful, the hungry and thirsty,

By Dusty

June 16, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this

gttim @11:02

Perhaps you would like to mention where I “crammed” religion down your throat. An invitation to visit churches where so many people renew and enjoy their faith is not much of a “cramming”. Honest!! We don’t use chains and whips and drag in folks to make them “perfect”. We open the doors and say “Come on in.” That’s it!

Christians don’t lose “problems” (as you mentioned). They stay human but keep trying with the given hope that God understands and forgives.

We even get around to helping the poor and the stricken, not only here, but all the way around the world. But you might not know that.

By The Truth

June 16, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, You do regularly call people racists. You’ve called me racist for not agreeing with you. It’s political correct liberal crap that’s hurt this country.

By Crafty

June 16, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this

Jay Bookman, I’ve read so many of your hack opinions that I have come to this conclusion. You hate people. You hate the president, conservatives, rush limbaugh, white people, and southerners. How do I know this? Every single article that you’ve written involves tearing someone down. The only good opinion you’ve given, that I agree with, is why John Smoltz is a great player. Other than that your opinion pieces are about trashing others that you don’t agree with.

By Shane

June 16, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this

I have become more and more misanthropic the older I’ve gotten. I used to think people were generally good and that selfishness, ignorance and stupidity weren’t the norms. Turns out I was wrong and with age comes at least some wisdom. The older I get (and the older everyone in my generation gets - I’m 30 by the way) the more I realize how incredibly selfish, ignorant and just plain stupid people are - why would I want to surround myself with that? Especially in Atlanta - idiocy and malicious behavior are the norm here now, not the exception - you can blame deplorable public schooling and even more deplorable parenting on the problem, and even MORE deplorable governance by the city and state on these problems.

By JAY BOOKMAN

June 16, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this

No, Truth/Crafty (same IP address), I don’t believe I have ever called you a racist. Most people who disagree with me aren’t racist.

On the other hand, Truth/Crafty, you have forced me to pull down comments you have authored, such as the time you attacked a black commenter by callling her a “ho” and telling her to “Get back home and churn me out some kids.”

Maybe you have a guilty conscience, I don’t know…

By Crafty

June 16, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, Guilty conscience? Nope. Funny you bring up the “ho” comment because it was meant as a “joke” yet you take it seriously. By the way, would you also like to condemn your AJC political artist for painting Condi as Aunt Jamima? By the way, you did call me a pathetic white person for not agreeing with you.

By The Truth

June 16, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, That black commentator turned out to be a hoax. Remember? Because you pointed it out. Thanks for trying to paint me as a racist. That’s about the only thing you’re good at.

By JAY BOOKMAN

June 16, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this

To CRAFTY/TRUTH:

Your ability to simply fabricate things is amazing. Our “AJC political artist,” Mike Luckovich, has never drawn Condi Rice as Aunt Jemima. But hey, if you imagine it, it must be true, huh?

By JeepersCreepers

June 16, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this

Jay and all others: I have constitutional rights not to like you…I have constitutional rights not to be like you….I have constitutional rights to associate with whom I please or not….I have constitutional rights to be aloner or mingle with the crowd…why are you imposing your views on me? I do not like a lot of people and a lot of them work for AJC.

By Red Foreman

June 16, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Hey, I ride the train to see the Thrashers. I will drive to the College Park Station and go from there. I wish the train system would be expanded further in to the burbs.

I have only had one problem and it was with a drunken white girl, but we will save that for another blog. As for being afraid to ride…never. No one bothers me and I find most people very polite and pleasant.

Must be something about a white dude in a hockey jersey!!!!!

By ByteMan

June 16, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

@Jeepers: you certainly do have a right to all those things. However, the rest us have a right to expect a higher baseline for human interaction and behavior. Guess you’re just trying to prove us wrong.

By The Truth

June 16, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

Y-y-yeah! If cr-cr-crappytooth can imagine it, then it m-m-must be t-t-true!

and j-j-jeepers has the constitutional right to G-G-GFHimself!!!!

B-B-BWA!

By RightyTighty

June 16, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

Perhaps you guys are just playing for the wrong team. No, not that team. And please, don’t hate my mutiple blogality disorder too.

Don’t worry, be a Republican.. http://pewresearch.org/pubs/301/are-we-happy-yet

An

By CraftyTruthScoobyDoo

June 16, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

JAY BOOKMAN, The only fabrication I see on the AJC is you as a writer/editor.

By Leah

June 16, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

I don’t hate people… I dislike IGNORANT people of any race, gender, or age. As I’ve stated before: Ignorance does not discriminate.

I wish we could all just get along. I wish we could appreciate and celebrate our differences. We should learn to accept those things that make us unique.

By Mike

June 16, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this

Here’s why I dislike people: Half of you actually believe that Barack Obama will be good for the country and plan to vote for him. You believe that “Big Oil” companies are to blame for $4 gas. And, you drive 55 mph in the left lane when regardless of how many people have passed you on the right in the past five minutes.

Like Leah, I dislike IGNORANT people. Unfortunately, I can’t get through much of my day without running into them.

By gttim

June 16, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

“Perhaps you would like to mention where I “crammed” religion down your throat. An invitation to visit churches where so many people renew and enjoy their faith is not much of a “cramming”.”

If a gay man invited people to visit a local gay bar where so many people could enjoy the hospitality with lovely beverages and witty conversation to renew themselves, the religious right would go nuts! They would have Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly go on a crusade about gay folks trying to convert. The wingnuts would be outraged that the gays were cramming their lifestyle down their throats. Yet you feel it perfectly OK to do the same thing. You just outed yourself as a hypocrite.

By Crafty

June 16, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this

gttim, Would the gays try to convert people? I’ve yet to see any religious person go after a gay person for inviting people to a bar. By the way, religious people don’t invite others to church to drink. So, where does the hypocrite part come in?

By theprogressivebigot

June 16, 2008 3:31 PM | Link to this

I’m with Leah. I hate ignorant people! And since I have two advanced degrees and an IQ above 140… That includes most all of you!!

By Abomi Nation

June 16, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

Are you kidding me gttim? The fact is the religious right did have to intervene not too long ago. How much damage did that gay Purple Teletubbie do when he was recruiting children to become homosexual? Do you think that the gibberish Purple Teletubbie was saying was meaningless?

Its quite possible that the Purple Teletubbie gibberish such as “googoo-gaygay” is responsible for the homosexualization of millions of our young children.

A whole generation of our children had to be deprogrammed with the Rev James Dobson Focus on the Family gay child therapy method after watching the Teletubbies. Many a boy’s father had to do his part. He was forced to mirror and affirm his son’s maleness. He played rough-and-tumble games with his son, in ways that were decidedly different from the games he would play with a little girl. He showed his son how to throw and catch a ball. He taught him to pound a square wooden peg into a square hole in a pegboard. He even took his son with him into the shower, where the boy couldn’t help but notice that Dad has a peepee, just like his, only bigger.

Rest in peace Jerry Falwell! And thank you Rev Dobson for forcing our children to turn off that evil Teletubbie liberal PBS gay inducing program and participating in good clean activities.

By me

June 16, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this

vicki-whats your email address? you deserve a card! It’s long overdue.

and Jay Bookman, keep up the good work. I love your articles and the comments they generate!

By Scholar

June 16, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this

I like the people I meet at the gun range. I can’t hear them over the noise of the guns going off.

By BGB

June 16, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe how little our governor is concerned with mental health care for children. He is a vocal opponent of abortion, claiming to be “pro-child”. I guess he’s only pro-child until the child actually gets born. Then, F**K ‘em! Shove them in a horribly understaffed facility and let them die from preventable causes and neglect. Somebody should lock Sonny up in an institution. He is an evil man and does not deserve to be walking amongst free men.

By vassar493

June 16, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this

I only use MARTA as a last resort. And never with any family member along. I have been through my last ride from the airport with my mother and daughter being forced to listen to a constant barrage of ‘mother**er this and that for thirty minutes straight. It’s all about control and at least they have it for that amount of time. You can e-mail complaints to MARTA if you want, I will burn up my 4.00 gas.

By Gman

June 16, 2008 5:15 PM | Link to this

I rode MARTA to work everyday for 4 years, from Inman Park to North Ave, or to the airport and had no real issues - of course I am a 6’4” 250 lb redneck, so draw your own conclusions as to my preferred treatment.

Atlanta ceased being a real Southern city some time ago, friendliness amongst strangers was one of the first things to go. If you truly miss chatting with strangers and friendliness in general, then you need to move further South.

I have moved to Mobile, AL a year ago after a lifetime in Atlanta and it has been the best decision I have ever made. Good luck folks, I am out of the ratrace and livin’ the dream….. Selah!

By Bill

June 16, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this

THE HATE, INTOLERANCE, AND FEAR TAUGHT IN CHURCHES HAS PERMEATED SOCIETY AND MADE PEOPLE INTOLERANT OF OTHERS.

By Crafty

June 16, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this

Bill, You mean Obamas church, right? Because I can’t think of a lot of churches who preach racism and hatred for others.

By swolf4810

June 16, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this

‘progressivebigot’ just proves you can have an IQ of 140…..and still be a total schmuck!

By swolf4810

June 16, 2008 6:32 PM | Link to this

What’s funny (sad?) is that the statement “people hate people” seems to have, for some reason, cut all the bigots, racists, eletiests, and nutcase fringe ‘evangelicals’ loose to spew their particular brand of ilk. NO WONDER people are reluctant to get out in crowds anymore…. just about everyone in this country falls into some category that others relish hating!

By ItIsWhatItIs

June 16, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this

Jay ryhmes with gay. How sweet is that.

By Peace and Quiet, Please

June 16, 2008 6:51 PM | Link to this

Well, let’s see. We “the people” spend 8 or more hours a day in large cube farms with the sort of folks who think it cool clip their fingernails while talking about work with you or to speaker-phone one another when they are seated only one aisle away from each other! We stand in lines everywhere nowadays only to get crappy service and our order wrong and/or cold. We then finally go home to a town home/condo/apartment with walls so thin you can hear everything your neighbors are up to. Maybe, just maybe some of “the people” enjoy the peace/solitude of their cars, since it’s the only peace and quiet they get for the whole day. Keep Marta - and I’ll keep my car.

By hot dog

June 16, 2008 7:12 PM | Link to this

I find it truly amazing how many people pounced on Mr. Obama about being a member of Rev. Wright’s church for 20 years.

What I really find amazing is how many of our white citizens, who will not vote for Mr. Obama, (never had any intention of voting for him in the first place), are still members of a church or churches that not only believed in but participated in the lynching and burning of black american citizens, their churches, their homes and their families of this country, are still members to this very day.

I call those same people hypocrites and we all know what Jesus said about hypocrites!

God was never a part of their lives if they can sit and be members of that kind of church that tells it’s members to harm and destroy another human being. Tell me white citizens of Georgia and America as well, are you really being honest when you say, “Jesus Loves Me”?

By gentle

June 16, 2008 8:22 PM | Link to this

Hotdog, your post is the only one which caused the “cricket sound.” Just like roaches, turn on the “light” and boy they go running. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great post, buddy!!! :-)

By Smitty

June 16, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this

Jay: Just a question: If someone criticizes homosexuality as a sin, does that make them a hater? If you do believe that, I’d like to hear your explanation.

By Smitty

June 16, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this

Hot Dog: The answer to your question is, there is probably no one on this forum who ever belonged to such a church or even knows anyone who belonged to such a church. And I grew up in the south during the 50s and 60s. And yes, someone will come back and say they did. They will be lying. Peace and love, brother … but not paranoia.

By Me

June 16, 2008 9:35 PM | Link to this

I live up here in North Georgia where we all used to know each other. We still speak to everybody we meet whether we know them or not. The flatlanders moving up here have about brought an end to that though. They just look at you blankly as if you are some sort of space alien. Everybody used to wave at every car they met but that vanished long ago. Ain’t progress grand? And to the guy who likes to walk around the square in Dahlonega I hope your not one of the ones who walks out into the street without even looking. It’s a pain trying to drive thru town and trying to read the minds of folks who don’t pay attention to cars and trucks. You never know when somebody looking in the opposite direction is just going to suddenly bolt out into the road.(Almost never at a designated cross walk by the way). I know pedestrians have the right of way but at least give me some kind of heads up.

And on a totally different subject I don’t understand all this “hater” talk that has taken over the language. Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean you hate it. I’ve noticed alot of times someone refers to another as a “hater” because they can’t refute their position.

By Lisalu

June 16, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this

I didn’t really “hate” people until I went on a Carnival Cruise a couple of years ago. I have never been so filled with disgust toward my fellow man. I spent 8 miserable days packed on board a ship with 1000’s of people pushing, shoving, stuffing their faces and generally acting like first class jerks. I was nearly body slammed by a passenger trying to cut in front of me in a food line even though we had all the food we could eat and all the time in the world to eat it (I simply walked away, having lost my appetite). I was shoved so tight into an elevator I nearly suffocated even though the people who kept pushing to get in could have waited about 15 seconds for the next one - or let ME out and I’ll just walk up the stairs, thank you. Fellow passengers would get up early in the morning to throw a towel on a deck chair so they could claim it as their personal property all day long even when they weren’t using it. God forbid anyone should SHARE! By the last few days of the cruise I was pretty much staying in my cabin and ordering room service rather than deal with all the rude, obnoxious jerks. I couldn’t get off the ship fast enough when it was over. Of course this kind of behavior is becoming more common everywhere you go…stores, restaurants, theaters and especially on the road. Whatever happened to manners, courtesy and respect for other people?

By "Charles" The Original

June 16, 2008 10:41 PM | Link to this

Prior to integration, I loved black people and would do anything under the sun to assist them. Most black people held the same position for all people.

After integration, consciously and unconsciously, the position of most African Americans changed. Presently, if a black person is not a part of my circle of influence, I’m not interested in him or her at all…

For the record, the so called educated integrationists Negroes are deceiving the masses by misrepresenting the obvious. The breakdown of the black family/ community is not due to gansta rap or post slavery syndrome/, blame white people. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The destruction of the black family/community is the direct result of integration/integrationist and their failed policies/practices; integrationist Negroes and their minions are to blame. They are directly responsible for the genocide taking place in the black community. And their motive is the personal acquisition of money, fame, jobs, status, etc. by way of the larger society, white people.

It is my contention that the so-called educated integrationist Negroes and their minions should be tried by an impartial court and found guilty of high crimes/misdemeanors against the American people; the penalty should be none other than death.

By Lewis

June 17, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this

Wow! What a racist rant! Translation: “I loved black people before they got uppity and started thinking they were my equal!”

Of course if MARTA had adequate funding, there would be a stronger security presence that could crack down on inappropriate behavior.

By "Charles," The Original

June 17, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

It’s obvious that Lewis@9:44 AM has no interest in solving the race/hate issues in the United States. Instead of seriously addressing the comment, he reverts to playing mind games on the misled, simple, and ignorant. But it’s possible that he just doesn’t know any better.

An accurate translation of my comment @10:41 PM would be: The so-called educated integrationist Negroes traded the love, respect, and admiration that African Americans had for each other and others before integration for money, jobs, status, fame, etc. That trade-off is directly responsible for the genocide that is taking place in the African American community today.

The penalty for genocide according to the laws and impartial courts is death.

By Hot Dog

June 19, 2008 6:12 PM | Link to this

To Gentle, Smitty and Charles:

There are a lot of people who remember the lyncings and Jim Crow laws in the south. You are not being honest.

Obviously you have forgotten or perhaps you were not aware of Mr. Evers and Mr. Till..just to name 2 famous murders. There are many more that were never ever recorded.

If people want to be honest about race, they have to accept the truth. White People and other races fear black people out of ignorance. America is beholden to a past that will always continue to haunt them because they have chosen not to acknowledge it.

The Hip Hop croud is a very small minority of the black citizens of America. That is how the majority of whites think of it’s black citizens.

The majority of black america is more like Mr. Obama and because of that, some white people fear that Mr. Obama has a great chance of being president.

It’s unfortunate they will never see that so I say, continue in your ignorance… You have the right to do so!

I hope one day, you will see the light!

By "Charles,"The Original"

June 20, 2008 12:24 AM | Link to this

Hot Dog,

You must be a Negro. Your thought process or lack thereof betrays you. You wrote: “…The Hip Hop crowd is a very small minority of the black citizens of America. That is how the majority of whites think of it’s black citizens.

The majority of black america is more like Mr. Obama and because of that, some white people fear that Mr. Obama has a great chance of being president..”

Hot Dog, only Negroes are concerned with the thoughts of white people. Why? Accordingly to Negroes, black people receive almost a trillion dollars annually from the economy. Considering that number of dollars, you can’t point to a single industry or major institution in America that Negroes control; not one. So guess who is servicing the basic needs, feeding, clothing, sheltering, employing, educating, etc. of black people? When an ethnic group, black people, is in that pitiful condition, they must be concerned with what the people are thinking who are servicing their basic needs.

White people don’t have to fear that a Mongrel, Barack Obama, will become President. Elitist white people selected the presidential candidates from the start. If the elitist white people could not exploit him, they would not have selected Barack Obama from the beginning. Additionally, Barack Obama can’t do anything significant for Negroes from that office because the masses of black people do not control major industries or institutions. In order to get anything significant accomplished from the office of the Presidency or any other position of governance, groups must have power; major industries and institutions.

It is conceivable and likely that the people who have power will demand and direct the President of the United States, namely Barack Obama, to imprison most black people in America and around the globe. He would have no other choice but to comply. And because he is so-called black, there will be no outcry in America or any other parts of the earth. A white president would have greater resistance.

Negroes are so stupid.

By "Charles,"The Original"

June 20, 2008 12:24 AM | Link to this

Hot Dog,

You must be a Negro. Your thought process or lack thereof betrays you. You wrote: “…The Hip Hop crowd is a very small minority of the black citizens of America. That is how the majority of whites think of it’s black citizens.

The majority of black america is more like Mr. Obama and because of that, some white people fear that Mr. Obama has a great chance of being president..”

Hot Dog, only Negroes are concerned with the thoughts of white people. Why? Accordingly to Negroes, black people receive almost a trillion dollars annually from the economy. Considering that number of dollars, you can’t point to a single industry or major institution in America that Negroes control; not one. So guess who is servicing the basic needs, feeding, clothing, sheltering, employing, educating, etc. of black people? When an ethnic group, black people, is in that pitiful condition, they must be concerned with what the people are thinking who are servicing their basic needs.

White people don’t have to fear that a Mongrel, Barack Obama, will become President. Elitist white people selected the presidential candidates from the start. If the elitist white people could not exploit him, they would not have selected Barack Obama from the beginning. Additionally, Barack Obama can’t do anything significant for Negroes from that office because the masses of black people do not control major industries or institutions. In order to get anything significant accomplished from the office of the Presidency or any other position of governance, groups must have power; major industries and institutions.

It is conceivable and likely that the people who have power will demand and direct the President of the United States, namely Barack Obama, to imprison most black people in America and around the globe. He would have no other choice but to comply. And because he is so-called black, there will be no outcry in America or any other parts of the earth. A white president would have greater resistance.

Negroes are so stupid.

By susan

June 26, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this

To Jay,

I would argue that the excercise of hating others is a manifestation of a person hating themselves.

We all have the freeedom to choose how we are going to live our lives. If hatred appeals to you then hatred is what you will choose to act on and what you will find in your life.

No surprise there.

The internet cafe society is a part of who we are, remember? It is not all of who we are; it is only a part.

Remember the song, “People, people who need people, are the luckiest people in the world”? This sentiment reflects the need all but a small minority of people still have to connect to another human being, at the store, in the park, or simply in passing in order to excercise kindness, respect and consideration. WE perform this excercise because in caring about someone outside ourselves we benefit by feeling cared for ourselves when they look at us and smile, or laugh, or say thank you. Kindness is a great gift we give others and then in turn are given ourselves.

Again, it is my belief that people who hate people, who hate crowds, who hate contact with humanity hate themselves.

The ego has not developed successfully enough to develope a self strong enough to connect with other people. It may be that they suffer from bi-polar disorder, or schizophrenia, or some other personality disorder.

It could be hoped that any cyber space which gives an individual the freedom to connect to and own their hatred would then offer them the chance to adopt some more socially inclusive attitudes and behaviors. Once they succeeded in sharing their hatred they would then look to share other stuff and then realize they had a choice about what to share. The shared stuff didn’t have to be about hatred or disgust; it could be about happiness or any of the many other human concerns there are out there to experience. Hell, they might end up having fun.

From Atlanta, susan