[mikestew]

Right, because there are no rednecks in the rest of the world, just an atmosphere of openness and a complete lack of xenophobia.

The reality is, tribalism and convenient categorization is everywhere, and the United States is not immune. Just because there might be a legal system in place to address discrimination in its various forms does not mean you won't run into close-minded, hateful individuals as you walk down the street. As Bruce Hornsby sang years ago, "Because the law don't change another's mind When all it sees at the hiring time Is the line on the color bar"

[itsathrowaway]

Great point. Just ask a Romani (Gypsy) if they think other citizens in the Czech Republic discriminate against them.

[aikah]

Romas =/= Gypsies ,they are 2 VERY different people.

[grecy]

> Right, because there are no rednecks in the rest of the world, just an atmosphere of openness and a complete lack of xenophobia.

Of course not. This is not black-or-white, all-or-nothing. There are shades in between.

When a country makes discrimination illegal, it forces people to stop doing it and slowly over time their minds will change, because otherwise they'll run afoul of the law. These days discriminating against a gay person in Canada is akin to discriminating against someone because they're female - it's unheard of, and you'd be quickly silenced and given a stern talking to, if not disciplined (if it was in the workplace)

If the US would hurry up and make discrimination of gay people illegal, the mind-set of people would slowly change. Maybe it would take a generation (or even two), but it's better to start that process now than x years from now.