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I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but I must love these people



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 2nd 08, 02:49 AM posted to soc.culture.african.american,soc.culture.irish,alt.support.schizophrenia,rec.pets.cats.anecdotes,soc.culture.jewish
Mason H Chelmsford
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Posts: 5
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but I must love these people

When I was a kid I was harrassed, and beaten up by both Irish and black bullies who picked on me for being Jewish. I grew to hate the irish and the blacks but what was funny about it was although I was lonely and alienated because of the treatment I was getting every day in school, it was always weird Irish outcasts who reached out to me, and came to my emotional rescue. My best freinds were eccentric Irishmen wit outstanding senses of humor which I believe exists in the soul of the irish people. Two of these irish friends were homosexuals, one was flaming and the other was a closet case. They were weirdos but were important figures in my life. Also I began noticing that black girls found me attractive probably because I have big dark eyes like a black man. It started to become obvious to me that black people in general were not really a threat to me at all, and that we actually had a lot in common because blacks are the ultimate outsiders and this is
their existential dillema. years later I rescued two homeless cats. One was all black, and the other was white with black spots. I a very isolated, and a diagnosed schizophrenic, so the cats are important emotional outlets to me. The black cat lives with my ex-girlfriend now, and the white cat who is ver old is living with me. Since I love my cat, I often talk to him and sometimes shout out to him affectionate nicknames. Its almost like I am having a fit of love and I start calling him "black spot jackson" and then I will csall him "gentle jack mahoney" or "mr Mcgee". I used to call the black cat "blacky Jackson" and sometimes "mr Jones" or "blacky Johnson". I think its fair to assume that when you are experiencing a love attack, and then spontaneously shouting out terms of endearment, the words are the signature of the subconcious, and what I am wondering now is if I must really love the Irish and the blacks even though I am still bitter about the bad
treatment and emotional damage I received in childhood. I know that the readers of this post are not psychoanalysts, but given all the facts I have presented what do you make of this? Do I really love the people I thought were my enemies?





  #2  
Old December 2nd 08, 03:40 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
[email protected]
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Posts: 9,349
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but I must love these people

Mason H Chelmsford wrote:

When I was a kid I was harrassed, and beaten up by both Irish and black
bullies who picked on me for being Jewish. I grew to hate the irish and
the blacks but what was funny about it was although I was lonely and
alienated because of the treatment I was getting every day in school,
it was always weird Irish outcasts who reached out to me, and came to
my emotional rescue. My best freinds were eccentric Irishmen wit
outstanding senses of humor which I believe exists in the soul of the
irish people. [snip]


It started to become obvious to me that black people in general were
not really a threat to me at all, and that we actually had a lot in
common because blacks are the ultimate outsiders...


Newsgroups trimmed to RPCA.

You sound a lot like the guy who posted the other day about teaching
his cat how to hug. Was that you?

Anyway, I relate a lot to your story. I was also the only Jew in my
school while growing up, and I was shunned, ostracized and ridiculed
by my charming schoolmates. So my heart goes out to you, because those
kinds of experiences have lifelong repercussions. I'm in my 50s and
I still occasionally find myself responding in groups as though I'm
back in that schoolyard.

I know what you mean about only the "weird" people being nice to
you. People who have lived their entire lives within the comfort of
normalcy and social acceptance usually don't understand just how
important that is. OK with me, though - I'd rather hang out with my
fellow eccentrics.

Animals are a wonderful comfort when you can't trust other humans,
that's for sure.

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)
  #3  
Old December 2nd 08, 06:34 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Yowie
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Posts: 3,225
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but I must love these people

wrote:
Mason H Chelmsford wrote:

When I was a kid I was harrassed, and beaten up by both Irish and
black bullies who picked on me for being Jewish. I grew to hate the
irish and the blacks but what was funny about it was although I was
lonely and alienated because of the treatment I was getting every
day in school, it was always weird Irish outcasts who reached out to
me, and came to my emotional rescue. My best freinds were eccentric
Irishmen wit outstanding senses of humor which I believe exists in
the soul of the irish people. [snip]


It started to become obvious to me that black people in general were
not really a threat to me at all, and that we actually had a lot in
common because blacks are the ultimate outsiders...


There's at least one other person in RPCA I know who has a psychiatric
issue, but I personally find them pretty much the sanest person I know
because they are acutely aware of their disorder and its implications. I
believe that particular person finds cats a great solace too - because they
are not judgemental and give their love based on the goodness of someone's
soul, not the appearance to others.


Newsgroups trimmed to RPCA.

You sound a lot like the guy who posted the other day about teaching
his cat how to hug. Was that you?

Anyway, I relate a lot to your story. I was also the only Jew in my
school while growing up, and I was shunned, ostracized and ridiculed
by my charming schoolmates. So my heart goes out to you, because those
kinds of experiences have lifelong repercussions. I'm in my 50s and
I still occasionally find myself responding in groups as though I'm
back in that schoolyard.

I know what you mean about only the "weird" people being nice to
you. People who have lived their entire lives within the comfort of
normalcy and social acceptance usually don't understand just how
important that is. OK with me, though - I'd rather hang out with my
fellow eccentrics.

Animals are a wonderful comfort when you can't trust other humans,
that's for sure.


Add another person who grew up in social isolation who was teased and
harassed mercilessly at school Why? For three reasons:

1) I was - and still am - very very tall. I am female, and 6'1", and have
been since I was in highschool. I was taller than most of the 18 year old
boys when I was 11
2) I was advanced a year due the difference between the English school
system and the Australian school system and therefore was emotionally
immature compared to my classmates
3) I have always been a geek, but I didn't know other geeks actually existed
until much later on in life.[1]

Having found fellow geeks has helped me alot - they're my 'tribe' so to
speak and really the only bunch of people I feel comfortable around without
having to get to know them all very well over a long period of time. I have
no issues walking up to a fellow geek and just starting to chat - I am
virtually incapable of doing this in a 'regular' crowd.

As to cats, well, they are amazing creatures in their own right. I love my
doggy too, but she would adore me whether I was kind to her or beat her.
Cats on the other hand are not so easily swayed and htey make up their own
mind about people. Cats don't give a hoot about gender preference, or skin
colour or even what God (if any) you worship. The latter perhaps because
they know for certain tha t there is a God and what that God is like - its
them!!!

For example, Suki has decided that Joel is her twolegs. Joel isn't a
cat*slave* like folks her - he likes cats just fine, don't get me wrong, but
he's not a *sl ave*. This doesn't bother Suki one bit, however, and Joel
finds Suki demanding pettins and the right to his chest (she doesn't do mere
laps) rather bewildering in a nice sort of way. "What did I do to deserve
this?" he asks me, and I don't know whether he's implying its an unfair
punishment or unconditional love that he's referring to - maybe its both.
Suki pretty much ignores me, and I'm now OK with that. I've stopped trying
to bribe her with treats and long fingernail scritches (Joel doesn't have
fingernails of course) and accepted her decision. I couldn't bribe her nor
could I threaten her (not that I would) into bestowing her affection onto
me. And I like that about cats. They are their own person with allthe weird
kooks and eccentricities - and brute force honesty - that I both love,
appreciate and respect.

If all the world behaved like cats....

Yowie
[1] The more I read about Asperger's syndrome, the more I suspect I have (I
don't 'suffer from') a mild version of it - whilst I am no expert, I also
suspect that Asperger's in females manifests itself somewhat differently
than it does in men. But Geeks and Asperger's people are so strongly
correlated (and its genetic - my Dad is a classic Asperger's guy), it would
not surprise me at all.
--
"because its more fun to be evil" - Jarppi, _The Dudesons_


  #4  
Old December 2nd 08, 09:32 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
[email protected]
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Posts: 9,349
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but I must love these people

Yowie wrote:

There's at least one other person in RPCA I know who has a psychiatric
issue, but I personally find them pretty much the sanest person I know
because they are acutely aware of their disorder and its implications. I
believe that particular person finds cats a great solace too - because they
are not judgemental and give their love based on the goodness of someone's
soul, not the appearance to others.


And cats, often unlike people, are safe to love. That's how I felt as a
kid, anyway. I also felt that way about dogs. Also, cats are magical. I
always feel very honored by their affection. (I did/do *not* feel that
way about dogs, as much as I like them. )

3) I have always been a geek, but I didn't know other geeks actually
existed until much later on in life.[1]


Having found fellow geeks has helped me alot - they're my 'tribe' so to
speak and really the only bunch of people I feel comfortable around without
having to get to know them all very well over a long period of time. I have
no issues walking up to a fellow geek and just starting to chat - I am
virtually incapable of doing this in a 'regular' crowd.


Yeah... I used to think I was a geek, until I moved to the Bay Area
(which includes Silicon Valley, one of the major computer/tech hubs
in the world) and met Real Geeks(TM). I am a rank amateur! OK, I love
science and always have, and I've always been good at math. But there's
a particular culture around here that I really don't fit in with *at
all*. One of my closest friends is part of a big circle of sf and
computer geeks, and I find it extremely uncomfortable to hang out with
them. They're often really arrogant about their opinions and beliefs,
and think they're smarter than everyone else. OK, maybe they are smarter
than most people, but they think that makes them *better*. And Vicky,
you are not at all like that. If you are, you do a great job of hiding
it here! You have a very healthy amount of humility, by which I don't
mean low self-esteem. I just mean that you don't act like you feel
superior to other people.

Also, I'm really different from the average geek. I'm not a science
fiction *Fan* (capital F). I do like some of it, but, for example,
I would never go to a con. I'm definitely not a gamer. And despite
working in the high tech field for 25+ years, I'm not a nut about
technology. I don't have the latest stuff (my PC is so ancient I'm
embarrassed to say how old it is) and I don't get overly excited about
new techie products. I'm not a purist about precision, accuracy,
correctness of factoids or grammatical correctness. I don't give a
hoot if someone splits an infinitive, or calls an arcane ocean species
by the wrong name. And last - perhaps the most important - I do not
own a collection of wind-up toys, fandom action figures, or fidgety
science toys.

Maybe I'm just my own kind of geek... or maybe I'm not, at all.

Still looking for my tribe...

Suki pretty much ignores me, and I'm now OK with that. I've stopped trying
to bribe her with treats and long fingernail scritches (Joel doesn't have
fingernails of course) and accepted her decision.


LOL on the fingernails. My ex was a guitarist and had long nails on her
right hand (for plucking strings). I was so jealous that Smudge would
let her scritch her for a long time, that I actually grew my own nails
so that Smudge would like my scritches, too! (I still keep my nails
long enough to give good kitty scritches - am I a slave or what?)

[1] The more I read about Asperger's syndrome, the more I suspect I have (I
don't 'suffer from') a mild version of it - whilst I am no expert, I also
suspect that Asperger's in females manifests itself somewhat differently
than it does in men. But Geeks and Asperger's people are so strongly
correlated (and its genetic - my Dad is a classic Asperger's guy), it would
not surprise me at all.


I totally agree with this. A lot of the characteristics that we usually
consider "geeky" are actually Asperger's. Here in the Valley where there
are lots and lots of software engineers, and hence, lots of geeks, there
is an unusually high percentage of autistic children being born. The
theory is that this area, being the software mecca that it is, has a
disproportionate number of adults with Asperger's, who are passing on
genes for autism in higher than usual numbers, causing more autistic
children to be born here, relative to the population, than in other places.
Interesting, isn't it?

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)
  #5  
Old December 2nd 08, 10:54 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Yowie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,225
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but I must love these people

wrote in message

Yowie wrote:

There's at least one other person in RPCA I know who has a
psychiatric issue, but I personally find them pretty much the sanest
person I know because they are acutely aware of their disorder and
its implications. I believe that particular person finds cats a
great solace too - because they are not judgemental and give their
love based on the goodness of someone's soul, not the appearance to
others.


And cats, often unlike people, are safe to love. That's how I felt as
a kid, anyway. I also felt that way about dogs. Also, cats are
magical. I always feel very honored by their affection. (I did/do
*not* feel that
way about dogs, as much as I like them. )


There's something about weirdos, writers and witches that attracts cats (or
alternatively cats attract weirdoes writers and witches) I do firmly believe
that cats are very mcuh in tune with a world beyond our senses and although
we joke about 'the mothership' and greeblings, I think they really do see
things we can't and are incredibly well tuned into our thoughts feelings and
moods. It may be as something as mundane as smell, but Shmogg could always
tell if it was that time of the month and a warm gently vibrating furry
creature across my tummy would make me feel better (and it always did). He
could always cheer me up when I was down, could just look at me and I felt
as if he understood. Snoopy would dissappear for days at a time but would
always appear to stareintently whilst my boyfriend of the time and I were
having 'a good pash' (as it was called int he day).

I swear that all three current cats know Cary is a kid that doens't know any
better. he's done things to all three of them that I'd have my face removed
for. He doens't mean any harm of course, but he can get terribly
*enthusiastic* about them and is still relatively oblivious to the signs of
an annoyed cat (also jsut as oblivious to signs of annoyed parents
actually).

We're working on that 'psychic connection', and whilst I am usually quite
skeptical about anything involving estra sensory perception, the cats of my
life has taught me that if they aren't actually 'psychic' they do a damn
good impression of it using their other senses.


3) I have always been a geek, but I didn't know other geeks actually
existed until much later on in life.[1]


Having found fellow geeks has helped me alot - they're my 'tribe' so
to speak and really the only bunch of people I feel comfortable
around without having to get to know them all very well over a long
period of time. I have no issues walking up to a fellow geek and
just starting to chat - I am virtually incapable of doing this in a
'regular' crowd.


Yeah... I used to think I was a geek, until I moved to the Bay Area
(which includes Silicon Valley, one of the major computer/tech hubs
in the world) and met Real Geeks(TM). I am a rank amateur! OK, I love
science and always have, and I've always been good at math. But
there's
a particular culture around here that I really don't fit in with *at
all*. One of my closest friends is part of a big circle of sf and
computer geeks, and I find it extremely uncomfortable to hang out with
them. They're often really arrogant about their opinions and beliefs,
and think they're smarter than everyone else. OK, maybe they are
smarter than most people, but they think that makes them *better*.


Bah! They're *nerds*.

Geeks are geeky, and are happy to celebrate their geekishness, but learnt
that arrogance, snobbishness and exclusion are *hurtful* to others (usually
by being the butt of it themselves).

And Vicky,
you are not at all like that. If you are, you do a great job of hiding
it here! You have a very healthy amount of humility, by which I don't
mean low self-esteem. I just mean that you don't act like you feel
superior to other people.


Well, thankyou, but I can get snobbish and be a total biatch just as good as
anyone else. I just *try* not to. Its wrong.

Also, I'm really different from the average geek.


Hehehe. I am amused at the notion of the 'average' geek. Don't mind me.

I'm not a science
fiction *Fan* (capital F). I do like some of it, but, for example,
I would never go to a con. I'm definitely not a gamer. And despite
working in the high tech field for 25+ years, I'm not a nut about
technology. I don't have the latest stuff (my PC is so ancient I'm
embarrassed to say how old it is) and I don't get overly excited about
new techie products. I'm not a purist about precision, accuracy,
correctness of factoids or grammatical correctness. I don't give a
hoot if someone splits an infinitive, or calls an arcane ocean species
by the wrong name. And last - perhaps the most important - I do not
own a collection of wind-up toys, fandom action figures, or fidgety
science toys.

Maybe I'm just my own kind of geek... or maybe I'm not, at all.


There are all sorts of geeks (theatre geek, history geek, music geek etc
etc). Perhaps you are a cat geek?

Still looking for my tribe...


There's one here :-)

*snippity*

[1] The more I read about Asperger's syndrome, the more I suspect I
have (I don't 'suffer from') a mild version of it - whilst I am no
expert, I also suspect that Asperger's in females manifests itself
somewhat differently than it does in men. But Geeks and Asperger's
people are so strongly correlated (and its genetic - my Dad is a
classic Asperger's guy), it would not surprise me at all.


I totally agree with this. A lot of the characteristics that we
usually consider "geeky" are actually Asperger's. Here in the Valley
where there are lots and lots of software engineers, and hence, lots
of geeks, there is an unusually high percentage of autistic children
being born. The theory is that this area, being the software mecca
that it is, has a disproportionate number of adults with Asperger's,
who are passing on genes for autism in higher than usual numbers,
causing more autistic children to be born here, relative to the
population, than in other places. Interesting, isn't it?


Well, traditionally, hypergeeks didn't breed because they weren't attractive
enough to the opposite gender and they weren't that *interested* in the
general members of the opposite gender to breed anyway. But now with places
like Silicaon Valley where hypergeeks suddenly become attractive because
they are rich and influential, mixing with other geeks and their sisters....
well, yes, it makes sense they'd breed a higher percentage of ultrageek than
the regular populace.

Yowie
--
If you're paddling upstream in a canoe and a wheel falls off, how many
pancakes can you fit in a doghouse? None, icecream doesn't have bones.


  #6  
Old December 2nd 08, 11:30 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Rozagy, artistic Autistic
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but Imust love these people



On Dec 2, 1:49 am, Mason H Chelmsford wrote:
When I was a kid I was harassed, and beaten up by both Irish and black bullies who picked on me for being Jewish. I grew to hate the Irish and the blacks but what was funny about it was although I was lonely and alienated because of the treatment I was getting every day in school, it was always weird Irish outcasts who reached out to me, and came to my emotional rescue. My best friends were eccentric Irishmen wit outstanding senses of humor which I believe exists in the soul of the Irish people. Two of these Irish friends were homosexuals, one was flaming and the other was a closet case. They were weirdos but were important figures in my life. Also I began noticing that black girls found me attractive probably because I have big dark eyes like a black man. It started to become obvious to me that black people in general were not really a threat to me at all, and that we actually had a lot in common because blacks are the ultimate outsiders and this is
their existential dilemma. years later I rescued two homeless cats. One was all black, and the other was white with black spots. I a very isolated, and a diagnosed schizophrenic, so the cats are important emotional outlets to me. The black cat lives with my ex-girlfriend now, and the white cat who is very old is living with me. Since I love my cat, I often talk to him and sometimes shout out to him affectionate nicknames. Its almost like I am having a fit of love and I start calling him "black spot jackson" and then I will call him "gentle jack mahoney" or "mr Mcgee". I used to call the black cat "blacky Jackson" and sometimes "mr Jones" or "blacky Johnson". I think its fair to assume that when you are experiencing a love attack, and then spontaneously shouting out terms of endearment, the words are the signature of the subconscious, and what I am wondering now is if I must really love the Irish and the blacks even though I am still bitter about the bad
treatment and emotional damage I received in childhood. I know that the readers of this post are not psychoanalysts, but given all the facts I have presented what do you make of this? Do I really love the people I thought were my enemies?


The fact that you were picked on has NOTHING to do with being Jewish.

I'm Jewish, I never mention it and you can't tell by just looking at
somebody if they are Jewish or not because over the centuries we
became rather white in appearance (Jews are of Middle Eastern origin,
in case you didn't know).

I also have Asperger's - in fact I was diagnosed with it 3 years ago
as an adult while my son was diagnosed with Asperger's also (that's
how I first heard about it and then - boom! got diagnosed myself! that
was a shock!)

Another very important point to you and to anybody else reading it:
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE STOP referring to it as a 'very mild version'!!

There is no such a thing as the 'mild version' of Asperger's. You
either have it or you don't!

You can't be a 'little bit black'. Even if you're mixed-race you are
not white! It's like if people were ASHAMED of being non-white
(nothing wrong with being non-white - in fact, you're far more
beautiful usually - I know, my kids are half-black and I'm not just
saying it cause they are my kids. People of colour are beautiful,
talented and less stuck up and arrogant than us, whites! It's a fact!
Maybe, because they have to work for everything a lot harder than we
do. Even autistics)

No, you're NOT supposed to be a dribbling idiot 'locked in your own
little world', devoid of friendships, with glaring eyes and two heads
if you have Asperger's! Just because you 'look normal' - it doesn't
make you a 'mild version/case of Asperger's' - that's because
Asperger's is an invisible difference, it's neurological! And even if
you did have a see-through scull and your brain was perfectly visible
- nobody could still tell the difference because the difference is in
the way your brain is wired and it's practically on microscopic level!

So if you do think you have Asperger's - that's what ****es people off
(it usually does on subconscious level - that's why they 'turn on you'
because humans always turn on anyone who is 'different' - it's
programmed in their psyche. Unless people use intellect to work around
the subconscious prejudice and try to understand you and accept you
(which makes things fine for both parties then).

It's not your Jewishness! Come on! Unless you live in a Communist
Russia, wear our religious headgear and openly go to Synagogue in
which case you may get some drunk shout obscenities at you - you're
just not gonna be identified as anything other than white and
prejudice against the blacks and the Pakistanis in the Western World
is much greater than it is against the Jews or Irish or anyone else. I
know - I'm a Jew through and through.

If you get your official diagnosis of Asperger's (or even if you won't
but suspect you're 'one of us') find out as much as you can about what
it means being an Aspie and work around the difficulties through
intellectual effort.

I found it helpful to study counselling and psychology to understand
people better and I no longer have an 'empathy problem' or the lack of
that Autistics are supposed to have.

In fact I care about people a great deal (always have) but now I have
tools to spot how people feel even though it may not come 'naturally'
to me - I can still figure it out and respond accordingly. And it'd
helped a great deal.

You sound very young so you're ahead of the game anyhow as with age
comes experience in dealing with people.

And don't be ashamed of who you are - there is a great number of
positives in being Autistic (Asperger's is Autism without verbal delay
and without learning difficulties which often accompanies classic
autism although not always).

We all matter and we all can get on.

I found the saying treat others the way you want to be treated very
true, only if you're Autistic - you have to go that extra mile to meet
the society. And they do respond positively in the end. You can't
change other people, but you can change their reaction to you by
understanding yourself and others. That way you CAN CHANGE your
immediate environment and perhaps even further away.

best!

Rozagy

(as in Roza - Gee pronounced)

www.myspace.com/rozagy
  #7  
Old December 2nd 08, 02:20 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Granby
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,742
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but I must love these people

I think we all can look back on being picked on for one reason or another.In
my case it was the deaf kids from their school harassing the blind kids from
mine. No, it was really rough and those in power had to be diligent in the
times we were "socialized" together. Never did figure out whose bright idea
that was without some training in communication first. Also there was the
institutional "haves and have nots". Sixty years later, it is still a
bitter pill but, it is 60 years later.
"Yowie" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Mason H Chelmsford wrote:

When I was a kid I was harrassed, and beaten up by both Irish and
black bullies who picked on me for being Jewish. I grew to hate the
irish and the blacks but what was funny about it was although I was
lonely and alienated because of the treatment I was getting every
day in school, it was always weird Irish outcasts who reached out to
me, and came to my emotional rescue. My best freinds were eccentric
Irishmen wit outstanding senses of humor which I believe exists in
the soul of the irish people. [snip]


It started to become obvious to me that black people in general were
not really a threat to me at all, and that we actually had a lot in
common because blacks are the ultimate outsiders...


There's at least one other person in RPCA I know who has a psychiatric
issue, but I personally find them pretty much the sanest person I know
because they are acutely aware of their disorder and its implications. I
believe that particular person finds cats a great solace too - because
they are not judgemental and give their love based on the goodness of
someone's soul, not the appearance to others.


Newsgroups trimmed to RPCA.

You sound a lot like the guy who posted the other day about teaching
his cat how to hug. Was that you?

Anyway, I relate a lot to your story. I was also the only Jew in my
school while growing up, and I was shunned, ostracized and ridiculed
by my charming schoolmates. So my heart goes out to you, because those
kinds of experiences have lifelong repercussions. I'm in my 50s and
I still occasionally find myself responding in groups as though I'm
back in that schoolyard.

I know what you mean about only the "weird" people being nice to
you. People who have lived their entire lives within the comfort of
normalcy and social acceptance usually don't understand just how
important that is. OK with me, though - I'd rather hang out with my
fellow eccentrics.

Animals are a wonderful comfort when you can't trust other humans,
that's for sure.


Add another person who grew up in social isolation who was teased and
harassed mercilessly at school Why? For three reasons:

1) I was - and still am - very very tall. I am female, and 6'1", and have
been since I was in highschool. I was taller than most of the 18 year old
boys when I was 11
2) I was advanced a year due the difference between the English school
system and the Australian school system and therefore was emotionally
immature compared to my classmates
3) I have always been a geek, but I didn't know other geeks actually
existed until much later on in life.[1]

Having found fellow geeks has helped me alot - they're my 'tribe' so to
speak and really the only bunch of people I feel comfortable around
without having to get to know them all very well over a long period of
time. I have no issues walking up to a fellow geek and just starting to
chat - I am virtually incapable of doing this in a 'regular' crowd.

As to cats, well, they are amazing creatures in their own right. I love my
doggy too, but she would adore me whether I was kind to her or beat her.
Cats on the other hand are not so easily swayed and htey make up their own
mind about people. Cats don't give a hoot about gender preference, or skin
colour or even what God (if any) you worship. The latter perhaps because
they know for certain tha t there is a God and what that God is like - its
them!!!

For example, Suki has decided that Joel is her twolegs. Joel isn't a
cat*slave* like folks her - he likes cats just fine, don't get me wrong,
but he's not a *sl ave*. This doesn't bother Suki one bit, however, and
Joel finds Suki demanding pettins and the right to his chest (she doesn't
do mere laps) rather bewildering in a nice sort of way. "What did I do to
deserve this?" he asks me, and I don't know whether he's implying its an
unfair punishment or unconditional love that he's referring to - maybe its
both. Suki pretty much ignores me, and I'm now OK with that. I've stopped
trying to bribe her with treats and long fingernail scritches (Joel
doesn't have fingernails of course) and accepted her decision. I couldn't
bribe her nor could I threaten her (not that I would) into bestowing her
affection onto me. And I like that about cats. They are their own person
with allthe weird kooks and eccentricities - and brute force honesty -
that I both love, appreciate and respect.

If all the world behaved like cats....

Yowie
[1] The more I read about Asperger's syndrome, the more I suspect I have
(I don't 'suffer from') a mild version of it - whilst I am no expert, I
also suspect that Asperger's in females manifests itself somewhat
differently than it does in men. But Geeks and Asperger's people are so
strongly correlated (and its genetic - my Dad is a classic Asperger's
guy), it would not surprise me at all.
--
"because its more fun to be evil" - Jarppi, _The Dudesons_



  #8  
Old December 2nd 08, 02:47 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Dan M
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 506
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but Imust love these people

Add another person who grew up in social isolation who was teased and
harassed mercilessly at school


Add yet another. I came away from my childhood years with some enduring
"gifts". A pathological fear of conflict, extreme discomfort in crowds,
and problems with self-worth. I've pretty well handled the last item - I
now don't really have problems acknowledging my worth. But the other
problems are still with me and probably always will be.

Having found fellow geeks has helped me alot - they're my 'tribe' so to
speak and really the only bunch of people I feel comfortable around
without having to get to know them all very well over a long period of
time. I have no issues walking up to a fellow geek and just starting to
chat - I am virtually incapable of doing this in a 'regular' crowd.


Likewise here. I'm still not truly comfortable in crowds of fellow geeks,
but I'm a lot closer to it than when I'm in crowds of "normal" people.

What has helped me more than anything was my discovery of cats. I never
got to spend time with cats until I was in my 30's, then when I did first
encounter them I was immediately captivated. No matter how bad my day
might be I can count on Harri to climb into my lap for a snuggle when I
get home, and that makes everything better. No matter how down I might
be, I always knew that as soon as I'd get into bed Sammy would be right
there with me to knead me and purr (I'm still searching for him). Cats
make the world right again.

[1] The more I read about Asperger's syndrome, the more I suspect I have
(I don't 'suffer from') a mild version of it - whilst I am no expert, I
also suspect that Asperger's in females manifests itself somewhat
differently than it does in men. But Geeks and Asperger's people are so
strongly correlated (and its genetic - my Dad is a classic Asperger's
guy), it would not surprise me at all.


I had never heard about Asperger's until I read a mystery novel in which
one of the primary characters was afflicted with it. This lead me to do
some research into Asperger's, and as I read more I realized that the
characteristics I was reading described me! I recognize that there is a
broad spectrum of conditions that falls under the "autism" umbrella, and
a spectrum of degrees to which people manifest the symptoms of
Asperger's. I fall well to the milder side of the spectrum, but I
certainly do show the signs. I can't tell you why, but it makes me feel a
little bit better to be able to apply a label to my own characteristics.

Dan
  #9  
Old December 2nd 08, 03:37 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
john sumner[_8_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 40
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish but I must love these people

"Granby" wrote in
:



I think we all can look back on being picked on for one reason or
another.In my case it was the deaf kids from their school harassing
the blind kids from mine. No, it was really rough and those in power
had to be diligent in the times we were "socialized" together. Never
did figure out whose bright idea that was without some training in
communication first. Also there was the institutional "haves and
have nots". Sixty years later, it is still a bitter pill but, it is
60 years later.


Guys i get the feeling the originater of this thread is a troll who was
doing some baiting in this group
  #10  
Old December 2nd 08, 04:10 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Cheryl P.[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 626
Default I got picked on by blacks and Irish people for being Jewish butI must love these people

john sumner wrote:
"Granby" wrote in
:


I think we all can look back on being picked on for one reason or
another.In my case it was the deaf kids from their school harassing
the blind kids from mine. No, it was really rough and those in power
had to be diligent in the times we were "socialized" together. Never
did figure out whose bright idea that was without some training in
communication first. Also there was the institutional "haves and
have nots". Sixty years later, it is still a bitter pill but, it is
60 years later.


Guys i get the feeling the originater of this thread is a troll who was
doing some baiting in this group


Undoubtedly, but it sparked some interesting discussion.

I've put a good deal of effort into forgiving and forgetting any
childhood bullying and picking on, and am a lot happier as a result.

Living well is the best revenge - especially when you have to make an
effort to even remember the incidents that were so painful at the time!

Cheryl
 




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