If you voted for Obama or you're a Muslim, you better not try to learn gun safety in Texas

[Aleksandr Fritz]

That's right. It's wrong to generalize Obama supporters and Muslims as idiots and murderers. It's right, though, to assume the same thing about all of Texas.

 

[Gamblerjoe]

I try not to use the same kind of bigotry and prejudice against the south, but damn its hard. If we let the confederacy secede, all of the America hate would be directed toward them, and the north would be viewed mostly with indifference or love.

Pot shots aside, I feel bad for all the liberals, democrats, non-Christians, and homosexuals that live in Texas or the deep south.

 

[Crazy]

I don't think the class is worth the time anyway, I'll just practice in the highway.

 

[Stickfigure]

You're right, it isn't wrong for you to call him out.

However, most of the posts in here are

Only in Texas, what a shitty place full of bigots

or

Only in America where this goes on

90% of the posters here are doing the exact same thing as what the original guy did, grouping a whole bunch of people together in a negative way. In the Gun Instructors case it's grouping Obama-voters and Muslims. Here on the Escapist it's grouping all Americans (specifically Texans) and all Conservatives as backwater morons.

Everyone seems to be forgetting the fact that about 95% of the time, the media never reports the Good Stuff. Who reads this Headline? Gun Instructor in Texas offers course to all people, regardless of any petty bullshit. Nobody reads that because that's boring, but I would say that's what's going on in virtually every Gun Range in the County.

But with this controversial news, it get's more page hits, more people commenting, more site exposure, which all adds to one thing...more money. Saying

Losing Faith in Humanity

is a huge overreaction to something that is going to be a non-issue in a week. And most of the posters here are acting as bigoted as this guy, only with anonymity

Before I start my response: I totally dig your profile pic. Long before the inherent racial prejudices of human cultures, Tyrannosaurs in F14s were very well-known for their indiscriminate hatred of Chasmosaurs.

Anyway, I both agree and disagree with your sentiments. People are pretty quick to cast a disparaging eye on America as if it's the only place that endured enormous civil rights issues, but it's not as if Europe didn't (and doesn't) suffer from the same hideous widespread ethnocentrism and xenophobic backlash against minorities. Hell, read Color Me English by Caryl Phillips. He quite ably outlines the enormous problems with racial prejudice in Europe, whose xenophobia is actually more exacerbated by the notion that each nation, by its own definition, has a "right" ethnicity and all others are therefore "foreign."

That said, this is by no means a "non-issue." It's not just a man flouting the conventional wisdom on what's socially acceptable and what isn't. Nor is this a rare, isolated instance of racism that can be casually ignored. This man is not only defying some fairly strongly outlined laws, (Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and, to a lesser extent, 1991) but he is in many way representative of an uncomfortable trend amongst Western nations: a preternatural disdain for Islamic people. Much in the way that it is appalling that so many people lump all of America in with one particularly loud fringe element, this man is making an aggressive stand against the rights of all citizens of our nation. Nevermind the underlying racism of this action (after all, someone who is quick to simply condemn all people who don't share his views likely does not speak from a position of colorblindness), there have been many recent events that tie in with this one down south. From Hotels insisting that Spanish never be spoken amongst their staff to Arizona giving free reign for cops to simply pull someone over on suspicion of Brownness, the undercurrent of nationalistic hatred has become a lot more pronounced and public in the south.

And whether or not this is a "non-issue" for most of us (being that most of the people here are probably not from Texas and more than a few of said people are neither liberal nor muslim), that doesn't make it a non issue for the people who endure this kind of behavior. Whether or not they want the service that is being provided, the notion that it's being disallowed on the basis of political affiliation or religion (and, possibly, skin color) is a stinging slap in the face, especially considering how this person is flaunting his actions.

 

[Bravo 21]

well, he was saying that you cant be a "true American" if you were a Muslim. I think that the First Amendment may disagree with him.

 

[superdelux]

I hate living in that state sometimes ,but at least I don't live in Alabama.

 

[Grospoliner]

His advert has opened him up for litigation. He can't legally discriminate though somehow I get the feeling that any civil suit would result in next to no punishment, assuming it is tried in Texas.

You are so right. Those bigoted rednecks in Texas would never, ever punish someone for being a racist. I mean, when was the last time you saw a Texas jury award a plaintiff damages in a civil rights lawsuit?

http://www.wfaa.com/news/consumer/Vulgar-voicemails-force-debt-collector-to-pay-15M-95163714.html

Oh. DAMN you Google!

Seriously, I could provide plenty more, but the awards themselves don't generally make headlines unless they're very high, and I can't provide links to the paper verdict reports sitting on my desk right now.

Certainly, Texas has its fair share of ignorant, backward, and loud-mouthed people. But its fair share isn't any more than any other state or country. It gets very tiresome to listen to people who decry intolerance and bigotry and then, in the same breath, apply stereotypes to the entire state of Texas, or Alabama, or [insert whipping boy state/country here] (and I'm no longer responding directly to you, Grospoliner - your comment was comparatively benign).

The obvious difference being that the voice mails in that article are harassment directed towards the one individual.

http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/initiatives/e-race/caselist.cfm

Here are a few discrimination cases from Texas, they are mixed in with a bunch of others, so just keyword Texas. Now, those settlements in the above cases are comparatively low compared to the harassment case you linked. So yes, based on these past cases I can rightly say that I don't know if much will come of any litigation if tried in Texas.

Would you still like to criticize me for making an observation based on a review of historical facts?

 

[Metalix Knightmare]

Thank you Texas! Once again, you make my state of Alabama look better with your unrelenting stupidity on a much more massive scale.

 

[repeating integers]

I hate living in that state sometimes ,but at least I don't live in Alabama.

Thank you Texas! Once again, you make my state of Alabama look better with your unrelenting stupidity on a much more massive scale.

Do Texas and Alabama have a rivalry going on, then?

*is British and oblivious to all inter-state relationships*

 

[Psychedelic Spartan]

Isn't that kind of thing against the law? I thought you couldn't discriminate based on religon or political views

Well technically you can, as the constitution guarantees freedom of speech to the nation, no matter what it is. However, that does not make discrimination right.

 

[superdelux]

I hate living in that state sometimes ,but at least I don't live in Alabama.

Thank you Texas! Once again, you make my state of Alabama look better with your unrelenting stupidity on a much more massive scale.

Do Texas and Alabama have a rivalry going on, then?

*is British and oblivious to all inter-state relationships*

Yes its a competition for least tolerant state. Alabama has had a major lead since the Civil Rights movement but thanks to 9/11 and Homosexuals were catching up. Its a contest no one wants to win, but idiots keep dragging it on.

OT: No not as far as I know.

 

[Hectix777]

Let me say this now: Not all Texans are like this some are good. These kinds of people are the same people whon want the bars and stars on their license plates.

 

[NightmareWarden]

After watching that video, I have something to say:
If Rick Perry is elected president and other states come to see jerks like this Crockett Keller as the typical Texas citizen, then I think that the country is going to start hating Texans like myself. I'm scared for the future.

Every Texan I've ever met has apologised on behalf of the people of Texas.

That's how I feel about Perry. If someone brings up this Keller fellow, I guess I'll just have to add another name to the list.

 

[Chelsea O'shea]

Only in America. Its hard to believe such bigoted, ignorant people exist. Muslims and Arabs that live in America are American because they chose to make it their home, just like all Americans. America was founded on beliefs of political freedom, religious freedom and secular government. Crockett needs a lesson on how and why the Americas was settled and eventually became independent from overseas rule.

it's Texas,most there think history is just a theory,same with math and logic.

 

[JPArbiter]

I would love to see what happens if a Republican Sikh walks up asking for gun safety lessons to this schmuck.

if you do not know what Sikhism is look it up.

 

[Jodah]

A private institution can deny anyone they want. Any business can do it, most won't, however, due to bad publicity. This only applies to service btw. Hiring is a whole different story.

 

[bjj hero]

Let me make this clear, as the resident Texan, a majority of us are not the redneck inbred idiots that everyone else thinks we are, even though we have a governor who's plan to increase jobs is to drill for more oil and gas.

Im not writing Texans off. I lived there for 2 and a half years (Houston, traveling out to Austin, San Antonio and Dallas) and found everyone warm and welcoming. My best friend there described himself as a redneck (His truck was gorgeous) but he was the nicest guy you could ever meet and would give you the shirt off his back. I have different expectations from rednecks I guess. Its a great place to live and the people are really friendly but its also a big place and can get a little strange in parts.

If you're a Texan sir, I already like you. Apologies for any offence caused.

 

[FallenMessiah88]

I love how this topic almost instantly turned into a "America sucks!!!111!1!!one11!!!!" thread. Seriously people, this is just one guy and last time I checked, one man does not a country make.

OT: What I find most hilarious about this article is how the guy states that "The fact is if you are a devout Muslim then you cannot be a true American" when one of the most special things about America is how anyone can be an American, regardless of race, ethnicity and religion.

 

[deletethisone]

For every subjectively-written article a journalist writes, God shoots a puppy. Please journos, think of the puppies. >C

Well, there's always other shooting classes to go to. This idiot's just making it harder for himself. Although, they do say any publicity is good publicity...

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I love how this topic almost instantly turned into a "America sucks!!!111!1!!one11!!!!" thread. Seriously people, this is just one guy and last time I checked, one man does not a country make.

OT: What I find most hilarious about this article is how the guy states that "The fact is if you are a devout Muslim then you cannot be a true American" when one of the most special things about America is how anyone can be an American, regardless of race, ethnicity and religion.

oh this. so much this.

i came in to this thread already sighing at the irony of saying "only in america" or "only in texas"....

-_-

but really, this guys logic is so hypocritical and backwards..fuck me sideways.