[Karinya]

Originally Posted by Murphie

Doesn't matter. He's not allowed to refuse service to customers just because he doesn't like them. That's a whole can of worms we closed a long time ago.

If by "we" you mean "the US", yeah. Note the thread title. (Although frankly I'm not sure even our antidiscrimination laws would cover something like this.)

I agree that the safety "issue" is a blatant pretext, a feeble attempt to cover the company's ass after the fact. And that the bus driver was an asshole.

But that doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have the right to be an asshole. Sometimes freedom includes the freedom to be an asshole.

[DakAttack]

Originally Posted by Ziero

Why should they care what's more "successful" or "accepted"? They're doing fine, happy with themselves and not hurting anyone. People spending hundreds of dollars on shoes and paying triple digits for a simple shirt because it's got some fancy name on the label are socially accepted, but I'll still think those people are morons. Society as a whole, ain't too bright to begin with, so why the hell should they worry about having everyone "accept" them. If you have a problem with how they look, that's your problem, not theirs.

My ideal for society is one not filled with idiots, d-bags, attention whores, druggies, and idiots. Being goth fits into one or more of the above categories.

Honestly, I really don't care what the average person thinks of me. Their opinion has no effect on who I am or what I do so let them think what they want. I'm a nice guy because I like being nice. I wear what I wear because it's comfortable and I like what's on my clothes. I listen to music I listen to because I like that music. I am me because it's what I want to be, and whether you (as a society) like it or not doesn't mean a damn to me because ultimately I decide what I do and who I am.

That was the most lamest, cliche thing I've ever read. The only people who really don't care what people think are antisocial.

[Tipsy]

I bet if it was a woman with high heals on, he'd have let her on. When clearly you can take someone down with one of those.

This goes to say for alot of items people bring onto a bus that is just considered a "normal item", being not "normal" doesn't change the fact of how they can be used.


It's just as dangerous.

Some other items you can kill people with:
Pen
Shoe Lace
Purse Strap
Pencil?
Lipstick
Hands?
Belt.
Walking stick.
Tie
Rubberband
Necklace

It goes without saying that a leash isn't any more dangerous than any of those items listed.

[BurningPanther]

If it was really an issue of safety, it would have been a simple matter for the driver to ask/demand they remove the collar and leash for the remainder of the ride, to put it back on afterwards.

No, this was a case of blatant discrimination.


In other news, the collar thing is fucking hot. It'd be nice to get a woman who's into that.

[TheGrandMom]

Originally Posted by DakAttack

I don't know what I'd do if I saw one person leading another person with a leash. That's not goth at all, that's just trying too hard to be different. You cant call people fascists when you're trying THAT HARD to be different. I'm sure there's something we can call them, but it slips my mind.

You'd call them unique.

I personally don't see anything wrong with alternate lifestyles as long as people are considerate of mainstream societies hangups about it. The bus driver was wrong in the way he handled it but so was the "master". If it was about the leash then he should have taken it off and taken his ride. Afterwards, he should now know that the chain isn't acceptable and take some other means of transportation or realize it comes off when he enters. The bus driver's attitude (IF the 2nd story is factual) was out of line and he owes them an apology and needs to be reacquainted with his company's policy on dealing with sticky issues such as this.

I've been in some sticky situations myself because I don't usually "tow the line". Back in the day when computers/video games were getting their start in the mainstream, I would be the only girl at the arcades (actually playing) or at lans or computer events, etc. Nowadays young men would think that is awesome but it was FAR from awesome back in those days. I was ignored, called names, spit on, and many other nasty things. Add to that my love of motorcycles, fast cars, sci fi, tatoos, and other male orientated (usually) things and I was VERY VERY uncommon.

At my job, they had no idea. I looked just like everyone else though I did at times find it hard to think of something to talk about with women my age. LOL I don't think comparing the 360 and PS3 is something they would have known about. LOL Or how about trying to converse about how I put a new carberator on my Harley? Only in summer did some people get to see how different I am when I wear short sleeves to work on my Harley. (I change into heals and a skirt in the bathroom. LOL) There were a few times that people I would be friendly with at work would shun me after finding out I had tattoos, drove a Harley, and was just.....different.

Being myself and not something that society expects of me is nice. I am who I am and either you accept me or you don't. I don't have any hangups on what I wear or how my hair is cut because I don't want to have people stare. Let them stare, I dress the way I want and do with my hair what I want and that's that. I am a fiercely loyal friend/employee and I like to think I'm pretty fun too. But just because I look different and do things differently a lot of people miss out on my good qualities and it's their loss not mine. So the next time you look down your nose at someone who's not "mainstream", you could be missing out on a great friend that could help change your life for the better.

Originally Posted by DakAttack

That was the most lamest, cliche thing I've ever read. The only people who really don't care what people think are antisocial.

I can assure you I am not antisocial. That would be absolutely impossible in fact. I don't care what uptight people think because it really doesn't matter. What does matter is that I had a family to support so there were times I had to conform to societies demands in order to hold down a job, so I did. My issue with people that like to live their lives outside the box is when they refuse to do things like this. If you want to ride the bus with your "slave" but the bus has rules against leashing, then you conform and take the leash off. If you can't conform to that, then don't ride the bus. Both sides have to give an inch and when one side refuses to thats what irritates me.

[DakAttack]

Originally Posted by TheGrandMom

Both sides have to give an inch and when one side refuses to thats what irritates me.

My definition of mainstream is pretty broad, but I agree. I don't see anything wrong with the way you lived your life.

I'd probably be more sympathetic if every 'unique' person I've met wasn't a complete idiot, d-bag, druggie, etc, and doing it simply to fit in with other idiots, d-bags, druggies, etcs.

What were these people going to do anyways? Go to the store? A walk through the dog park? Comfort the terminally ill at a hospital or old folk's home? Sniff out drugs at the local airport? Where else would they have gone where they would not have exactly the same issue?

[Aksannyi]

Well, if the Goth's account is true, then they were treated very badly. Granted, I might stare (or try not to!) at people dressed in such a way, but if that's what they're into, who am I to judge?

Wonder if that bus driver would have objected if two gay guys got on and started making out.

[Neomage]

Geez... Tolerance for other people has just vanished...

Or did it ever exist in the first place?

[Murphie]

Originally Posted by Karinya

If by "we" you mean "the US", yeah. Note the thread title. (Although frankly I'm not sure even our antidiscrimination laws would cover something like this.)

I agree that the safety "issue" is a blatant pretext, a feeble attempt to cover the company's ass after the fact. And that the bus driver was an asshole.

But that doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have the right to be an asshole. Sometimes freedom includes the freedom to be an asshole.

Even in Britain, bus services, though owned privately, are contracted through the government. As such, they aren't allowed to discriminate against people who pay for the service they are providing with their tax dollars.

Doesn't matter where in the world it was, the bus driver was out of line as a government employee.

[Murphie]

Originally Posted by DakAttack

What were these people going to do anyways? Go to the store? A walk through the dog park? Comfort the terminally ill at a hospital or old folk's home? Sniff out drugs at the local airport? Where else would they have gone where they would not have exactly the same issue?

Irrelevant. Though it's incredibly likely that they were going to do any number of different everyday things. Where they were going and what they were going to do doesn't matter. Nor does your opinion of it. Sure, they might have encountered some closed minded idiots who believe that someone else actually cares about their opinion, but they'd also run into a lot of people who believe that they should just live and let live.

You'd be surprised how few people actually care about what other people think. I don't mean walking around saying "I don't care what other people think," because those people usually care more than anyone else. But people who genuinely don't care don't really make a big deal about it.

[Tipsy]

The bus driver should be banned from the server.

[Murphie]

He probably bots anyway.

[TheGrandMom]

Originally Posted by Onionsoilder

Geez... Tolerance for other people has just vanished...

Or did it ever exist in the first place?

I don't think it ever did, nor will it ever.

[DakAttack]

Originally Posted by Murphie

But people who genuinely don't care don't really make a big deal about it.

At least we have a little common ground.

[Ziero]

Originally Posted by DakAttack

My ideal for society is one not filled with idiots, d-bags, attention whores, druggies, and idiots. Being goth fits into one or more of the above categories.

No actually, being goth does not fit into those categories. Unless you think dressing wierd is some grave sin or what have you. I might think they're dumb for dressing how they dressed, but in the end, they weren't doing anything to anyone so I don't give a rats ass as to what two strangers were wearing.

That was the most lamest, cliche thing I've ever read. The only people who really don't care what people think are antisocial.

Well, I do dislike most of society. Mainly because it's filled with "idiots, d-bags, attention whores, druggies, and idiots". And because there ARE so many of those types of people in society I really don't care what *they* think. But apparently you do because you care how society veiws you.

But the question I have to ask it, why should I care what strangers think about me?