Pissing Match: Micro to Macro

I really hate it when people want to automatically belittle another person's pain by stating that their own is worse. It's a clear sign of bitterness, and excessive bitterness just doesn't sell.

MICRO LEVEL
My ex boyfriend was like this. I'd tell some silly, embarrassing story in an attempt to make him laugh, and his response would be, "That's nothing. I've done more embarrassing things because I was always the poorest kid in the school."

Uh.

Look baby, I'm really sorry that you grew up in poverty. I am more than willing to acknowledge that you had it rough; I'm more than willing to listen, cuddle, and fuck. But I'm just telling a simple little story here. Could you tell the whiny victim in you to shut the fuck up for a minute?

Sometimes I want to say, “You win” to those who unconsciously or consciously turn conversation pieces into contests. You win! The weather on your side of the country is more bi-polar than the weather on my side. Your parents are crazier than mine. You tits are smaller than mine. Are you happy now? Because I really don’t care anymore.

And that's what I said to the ex. You win, big boy. His response was, "Winning sucks." But I think he secretly reveled in being "the winner" because it allowed him to wear his pain like a crown. How sexy.

Yeah, he and I don't talk anymore. He lives 20 minutes from me; I wanted to be friends, but Mr. Woe Is Me just couldn't deal. Too bad for him.

MACRO LEVEL
So most people know (at least I think they know) that 70% of African Americans approved Prop 8. The heat has been in the news: minority against minority. It's disheartening. I'm not going to pretend to know why this happened, but I can certainly speculate (with NO intentions to sound racist):

1. People who have been victimized can be more likely to become oppressors. At least according to the 3 psych courses I've taken and the countless hours I've spent watching Law and Order SVU.
2. It's hard enough to be black. But to be gay and black is like a double whammy.
3. Discriminating against gays is not equal to discriminating against blacks because blacks have been oppressed more.
4. Discriminating against gays is not equal to discriminating against blacks because the color of one's skin is hereditary, immediately obvious, and unchangeable (bleach aside). Gay people can mask and suppress their minority identity with more ease, and they can (possibly) choose to be straight. (Yah, tell that to Richard Simmons; butching him up would be so wrong).

Again, I'm just speculating from a more psychological standpoint. Who the fuck knows. I'll end with Wanda's take on it.