{"id":4560,"date":"2014-03-04T22:11:54","date_gmt":"2014-03-05T05:11:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stapletonion.com\/?p=4560"},"modified":"2014-03-04T22:11:54","modified_gmt":"2014-03-05T05:11:54","slug":"stapletonians-easily-relate-to-2014s-stories-of-bigotry-and-triumph","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stapletonion.com\/?p=4560","title":{"rendered":"Stapletonians Easily Relate to 2014\u2019s Stories of Bigotry and Triumph"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"bigotry<\/a>2014 has been a year where Americans have really had to look at our history of bigotry and hate, and decide whether we are okay staying with the status quo or if we are ready to move forward as progressive thinkers. Of course, gay rights and gay marriage have come out big winners so far in 2014, with several states legalizing gay marriage within the last year (Iowa was the second state to do this in 2009\u2014yes, Iowa<\/a>.\nMore recently, professional basketball player Jason Collins and SEC defensive player of the year Michael Sams have admitted to being homosexual, with little to no backlash from past, present, or future teammates. So, maybe mainstream America is over the whole \u201cgay thing\u201d and we are finally moving beyond discriminating against someone for their sexuality. Glad to see that\u2019s over.\n\nThe NFL is going to ban the use of the most racist term one could use (albeit, the rule was completely decided by rich white guys, although not the same group of rich white guys that know what\u2019s best for a woman\u2019s body. That\u2019s a totally different group of rich white guys). 12 Years a Slave won best picture on Sunday, which is a film about the struggles of a free black man sold into slavery. So, black people, we\u2019re cool, right?\nFinally, marijuana has been legalized here in Colorado and in Washington State, with other states looking to do the same. Not even potheads need to hide in the shadows anymore as weed is becoming more socially acceptable.\nSo, in what seems to be a changing of the guard when it comes to how mainstream Americans historically view hot button topics, why is it that Stapletonians aren\u2019t necessarily feeling the love. \u201cHey, I\u2019m happy for the gays and the blacks and the pot heads,\u201d said resident Luke Tracy. \u201cBut, their plight is not much different than what I and most Stapletonians face every day.\u201d Tracy mentions that he feels that he can\u2019t live down the Stapleton stigma. \u201cPeople will assume I think I am better than them, or joke about me having a lot of money. Maybe it\u2019s just jokes, but it\u2019s one of those things where I think it is okay if another Stapleton person says it to you, but it really isn\u2019t acceptable when someone outside Stapleton says it.\u201d\nOther Stapleton residents agree. \u201cAnytime you tell someone you live in Stapleton, you definitely get weird looks,\u201d says Kate McAllister. \u201cI\u2019ve heard people say things like, \u2018go back to Stapleton,\u2019 or \u2018stay in your own neighborhood.\u2019 It\u2019s pretty hurtful.\u201d Residents will often hear people making Stapleton jokes around them before people realize they are from Stapleton. \u201cI may be out downtown with work folks and someone will make a snide comment about Stapleton,\u201d said resident Cael Morris. \u201cThen, just to make them feel crappy I let everyone know I live in Stapleton. It usually gets quiet and awkward, but I want people to know that I don\u2019t think it is okay to say discriminatory things.\u201d\nSociety may be another decade or so away from accepting Stapletonians, as these things take time. However, with the way things have gone in 2014, maybe residents will begin to hear less and less negative comments. Hopefully, things will be a little easier on the next generation of Stapletonians.\n]]>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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