Just a quick thought I had (again) today that I’ve hit on in everyday conversation before – why is it that people in Western society still use the word “homophobe”? And lest you mistake my meaning, I’m not saying that the term (or the type of people that inspire it) is outdated, but just etymologically incorrect.
I’m skipping over the fact that the “homo” part of the word means “the same” (and the obvious joke about the fear of twins – which is [oddly enough] tediously named “duomaieusiophobia”) and instead focusing on the “phobe” part. That part is the root of “phobia”, which as we all (should) know has to do with fear.
Now, I want to hasten to point out that fear is abso-fucking-lutely nothing like hate. They are two very different, unique emotions. Yet, when someone uses the word “homophobe”, they most certainly mean someone who hates gay people. Not only is that confusing, but it’s a dreadful misappropriation of the root words, which would be better voiced with other ones (if society weren’t so stupid – but more on that later).
Fear causes you to avoid the object thereof – avoidance to the point of actively fleeing from the cause if need be. Hate, on the other hand, most often incites active engagement of the object – as can be seen in the many examples of violent “hate crimes”, many of which have been directed against gay people.
An example for the visually inclined:
Hate:
Bitches are the reasons that some Ladies aren’t given the benefit of the doubt.
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Fear:
Spiders are the reasons that men buy heavy boots – and often hurl them at the ceiling.
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Do you understand now? Good – glad we’re on the same page.
Now, I’d never offer a critique like this without a ready solution, and I came up with it quite some time ago. The proper word would be “homomisanthrope” – one who hates all people that pair with the same sex, essentially. Only hate gay men? “Homomisandrist.” Only hate gay women? “Homomisogynist.” Simple, simple stuff.
The only reason it’ll never catch on is that people… are… stupid (and lazy). Hardly anyone makes the active effort to live Truthfully these days, so the people who speak incorrectly will just have to line up behind the Christians, the evolutionists, the atheists, the feminists, and the people who somehow think blogging from home will solve the world’s problems.
>_<
Show Me 
I’d say that maybe people that hate homosexuals and persecute them do so because of a fear so intense that it manifests as hatred…but I even have a hard time buying that. I mean, it’s POSSIBLE , but that would a helluva lot of fear.
Course, I have Westboro Baptist to observe, so, they could be irrationally fearful of becoming gay if they are nice to them. Like kids used to be afraid of cooties. I remember there was one girl who was said to have cooties in elementary school, and some of the things people would do to her, the names they would call her…they actually believed there was something wrong with her, and she was perfectly normal. Course, I was nice to her, and she even kissed me the last day of school, and all the kids tried to say that I was immune because I was a good guy or something. It was weird.
On a side note, I think that people who have a deep seated hatred of anyone should have a ridiculous name attached to them, just to make them mad. With any luck, they’ll blow up like Lemmings.
I’m glad you have such strong feelings on the subject, Aodhfin. ^_^
I personally don’t see why someone would hate gay people, although I have run into a few in my time that were some misandristic bastards, so I had an entirely different reason for disliking them. It’s an unfortunate rider that comes with more effeminate gay men – that they end up defaulting to the feminine side of any argument and thinking men are scum. (Benedict Arnold much, Shane?)
At any rate, I think hate is perfectly acceptable in some select cases, so long as it doesn’t cross into physical violence until such a thing is mandated via equal retaliation. Personally, I hate rapists, child molesters, torturers, murderers of the unwilling, bitches, and the snobby rich elite (generally white, although unfortunately it’s not only that culture group that becomes such awful people).