Fire fire fire

I just watched the pilot episode for a TV series from the 70s called Firehouse. I don't know what the series was actually like (it only lasted for 14 episodes), but the pilot was about a black firefighter joining an all white firefighting crew. It was the typical story of battling racism. I found it interesting, though, because I found it hard to be overly sympathetic towards the black character (played by Richard Roundtree, aka SHAFT!)(you legally have to spell it in all caps. The exclamation mark is optional).
Normally in these types of movies, I find myself getting rather outraged at the views and opinions of the racist characters. I find it hard to believe that anyone could ever truly believe that a person's skin colour makes them different or inferior. I felt some of that here, but the black character was a jerk, so it was hard to empathise with him. He didn't try to get along with his new coworkers. He was confrontational and defeatist. He assumed that everything everyone did was because he was black and they hated him, and so he hated them in return. There was only one character that was really hard on him, the rest weren't even all that bad - he just hated them all anyway.
And I found it fascinating, because it is all too common for the minority character in these anti-racism dramas to be much better than everyone else. The black man comes in and is longsuffering and patient and understanding, and everyone is mean until a big crisis makes them rethink their own position and now everything is okay. But in this movie, the anger and sarcasm and ill-will flows equally both ways and both sides have to come to a mutual understanding. Because it was a TV show, at the end, the worst of the white guys finally has some respect for SHAFT, even though "I don't like you, and I probably never will".
On an unrelated note, one fireman dies, and another almost dies in the movie rescuing dogs. That bothers me. I've seen the stickers people can put on their house saying how many pets they have so that the firemen know to rescue all the animals. I don't like it because it means the fireman is rescuing his life to save an animal, and while I understand that pets are important to people and like a member of the family, I don't think they are worth risking a person's life for - especially someone who's job is saving lives. That fireman who died could have rescued (if it were real life) many more people who may now not live because he was trying to save a dog. I don't agree. I know that makes me a horrible person, but that's just my take on the matter. Maybe my attitude would change if I had a pet. But that day is far away.

My two cents

"I disagree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." It's a phrase heard often in debates, especially in a controversial topic. It sounds like a very noble sentiment, but it bothers me the more I hear it. I agree that free speech is important - it seems that all of the worst dictatorships were quick to strike that freedom down. The problem is, there is no reason to point it out except as a way of proving ones superiority over an opponent.
There is a smugness that comes with saying that - it's a way of saying that not only am I right, I am better than you because I will allow you to say what you want, no matter how wrong you are. Unless you are actually having a discussion on free speech, there is no reason to say it other than to make yourself look better than your opponent. How does it make a difference on the morality of abortion if you are willing to hear me say my peace? How does the existence or not of the holocaust rest on the fact that you will let me say what I believe, even if you disagree? The fact is, those issues don't change because you allow me to say what I believe - the issues stay the same. The only difference is, now you look like you are magnanimous and more understanding and a better person, and maybe that will sway some people.
Like I said, it comes across very smug and can even be almost taunting. It doesn't change the issue, and in fact probably hurts your chance of swaying the one you are arguing with because now they think you are a magnanimous jerk with a superiority complex.
Anyway, that's my two cents, and you can agree or disagree as you like, but frankly, don't tell me that you'll allow me to speak. I already have.