I often get letters, emails and lectures from right-wingers when I use language unbefitting a lady.
Oh my.
Unfortunately for dignified people everywhere, and my mom, being a lady isn’t really my thing.
Although I no longer write much about politics and social issues, I still speak up at dinner parties and other social events when I disagree with whatever the church crowd is spewing. I’m also not afraid to comment online in order to contribute a verse.
Most of the time, I’m quite respectful of opposing views, and can have cordial conversations with anyone about anything. Other times I am so appalled by those opposing views, and have such little respect for the bigots in attendance, that my Zen-like persona is put to bed. That’s right. Catherine goes into deep meditation and Katie once again is called upon to kick some serious ass.
Consider a recent exchange, actually several edited together to save space and interest, regarding the controversy over a mosque near Ground Zero.
Donny: Muslims are basically saying "Kiss our ass!" and pissing on the graves of all the innocents that perished that day.
Virginia: As a Christian, for me it is about being a human being and showing compassion for the suffering of your fellow human beings. The builders of the mosque should be sensitive to feelings that are still raw!
(At this point, you might be thinking I should walk away. But when we walk away, folks, the fundamentalists win.)
Me: This is ridiculous. Most New Yorkers don’t care about your opinions, spewed from whatever couch your fat asses are lazing around on. Protests ensue whenever a mosque is erected, even from as far away as California. As a people, we have a vested interest in allowing moderate Muslim groups to gather and pray and help heal our nation because you Christian freaks obviously can't do shit on your own.
Virginia: I suggested that as human beings they have compassion for those who are suffering. It’s not a religious issue, but a human issue. Examine who is doing the hating here.
Donny: Catherine you are a typical liberal launching personal attacks on those who do not share your view. I suppose it would be okay then to let the Klan build a hall right next to the hotel where MLK was shot?
Me: You just compared the Klan to a group of Muslims who've never advocated violence or hurt a soul.
Doug: As a Catholic, let me say this — Islam is disrespectful toward women. Honor killings, stoning, last week they cut the nose off of a woman’s face because she talked to a man. Their crazy ass prayer, shouted from the loud speakers, is the same battle cry that the passengers on 9/11 heard before they died.
Me: Catholics did more harm during the Crusades than Islam did during the 400 years it ruled Europe. Your own Bible condones stoning women, raping children, and a host of other ills. I'm going to try to end this without calling you an ignorant fuck, but it'll be hard.
Doug: You’re demeaning.
Me: Did any of you get worked up about the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act that failed because of inadequacies in both parties? Or did I lose most of you at "inadequacies"? Instead you criticize that which can be directed at your own faith, your own elected reps, and yourself. Try to focus on something that can actually help your community rather than hating a group of people you have never met in a town you don't live in.
Doug: The Imam is going around the world telling people that the World Trade Center towers were evil.
Me: That Imam has worked with the FBI to hunt down terrorists and make them pay. I seriously hope all of you spreading lies about this get down on your well-worn knees tonight and pray to your God for forgiveness for bearing false witness, you sorry sacks of shit.
(At this point, you can hear a pin drop. These people are not used to such a tone unless it comes from Ann Coulter. And then it’s okay.)
Virgina: Catherine I am so sorry for whatever happened in your life that has made you such a sad and hateful person. You must be very comfortable in your elitist little mind to know that you have all the answers. I will pray that you obtain some humility and peace for whatever pain is at the root of your nasty, vulgar tirades.
Me: Well, I drove someone to prayer and even managed to get the "typical liberal" card thrown at me — even though we all know typical liberal women have flabby arms and hairy upper lips — and I wax. The only thing we don't have is a Nazi reference or a crack about my forehead, but other than that, my work here is done. Drive safely and don't forget to tip your waitresses.
That’s when I usually grab a beer, pull the chute and get out of there before someone kills me.
I’m not surprised my words fall on deaf, or insulted, ears. Most people hear what they want to hear and couldn’t care less about pesky facts or relevant historical anecdotes. I find it fascinating that so many of us can tolerate bigotry and hate as long as the writer or speaker doesn’t use a curse word.
Fascinating, and a little sad.
Catherine Durkin Robinson is a handful, creating quite a scene over at Out in Left Field. Her first novel, Olivia's Kiss, is available on Kindle.
