Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianL99
OK, so admittedly this is somewhat of a troll.
I know better than to think the conversation will remain civil, but I'm curious.
In today's world, we'd be pummeled for characterizing a person of color, as a ... (insert your own adjective).
We surely don't call people with physical disabilities, "cripples" or even "handicapped".
In some circles of government, words like "terrorist" are even verboten.
Hardly a comedian in the world, would risk mouthing a "Polish Joke".
We're not supposed to identify folks, based on their sexual preference or even their "birth gender/sex". Essentially, it's no longer deemed proper to identify people based on their lifestyle choices.
The acceptable stereotyping of our youth, has gone by the boards.
Aren't words like: "yankee", "northerner", "snowbirds", etc., used in the same sort of derogatory way, unacceptable stereotyping?
I read and hear those words every day in The Villages, used almost exclusively as a pejorative.
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Well yes, you are surely opening yourself for who knows what in "backlash". The words you listed can have a very positive meaning (Yankee for instance) but we all know those terms are purposely used in a derogatory manner by many ! If you want to see really mind blowing vitriol around those terms, there is an on line "newspaper" for news in the villages. The comments section after each "article" is shocking to say the least, gives you an idea of not only what "some" residents of the villages think of "snowbirds", "Yankees", etc. but some others (who appear to live in the areas outside the villages) are very blunt about how they not only wish none of them would never come here, but wish them "vanish permanently" (?? don't like the sounds of that at all, some get quite graphic).
My opinion of your question: to me people have become much more angry, nasty, suspicious, or just much less gracious and accepting as peopled USED to be in any retirement community. I am not sure what has "caused" this, I suspect it's a variety of circumstances: influx of people entering our country illegally, fear of American citizens who come from locations, philosophies, and cultures vastly different from the once rural, laid back, very hospitable, slow paced, area here where the Villages has been built. I personally believe people have changed as a result of the Covid pandemic also. Inside the Villages, some denigrate the "groups" you named because they believe they are somehow being cheated by part time people using the amenities of the community, and, if you read the stark opinions of "some" local residents in the small communities around us, they "lump" all village residents into a group they see as wealthy (?), "uppity" "untitled" "snobs" "drunken" "elites". Not a good perception of the retired, hard working, middle class seniors who make up most of the population. To those outside, everyone here is a trust fund idiot who was head of some technology firm and now things they live in some private, guarded, elite community. You just can't change the perceptions in people's minds. Inside the Villages, you have all the resentment of permanent residents, and those who own, and float among, two or more homes. I don't think there is a single root of this, and I don't think it's going to change, "snowbird, yum, tastes like chickin" was a bumper sticker when I was a youngster in Southern Florida, nothing has changed except it has gotten much more hateful and serious. I believe the Villages only reflects what is happening nation wide: outgoing, warm, loving, kind, RESPECTFUL, accepting, caring, concerned, spiritually focused, family oriented, community supporting, happy, the words used for years to describe "Americans", is definitely changing. Notice the responses you see just on this "community bulletin board". If someone is single, or ill, or has some kind of emergency, how many people rush over to offer to mow their lawn, or fix the broken screen, or trim the branch that may be hanging over the neighbor's property ? No, the go to the nearest public forum, the "social media" to complain, but no offer of "can I help you, do you need some help with that ?". I was raised to always extend a helping hand, not criticize and judge.