Sunday Evening Question: Sticks and Stones...

[Tye 1on]

(The reason why I was looking at them in the first place, wondering if they were going to get busted for an open container in a 1 block square park in the middle of town at noon on a Wednesday.)

McPherson Square Park? I thought beer was required there!

I was at a concert at the Kennedy Center, one of those Millenium Stage free concerts, had some rippin Mississippi blues singer/guitarist. Off to the side was a guy 'signing' the words. Now, I'm all for accomodating disabilities, but...deaf people at a concert??

[bklyn]

Being the anxious type, I the only thing I find burdensome is uncertainty.

Thanks, this is an angle I had not really considered.

It is impossible to please everyone. There are people who would seek to acquire power through being offended.

I'm very interested in your POV on this, right now I don't quite understand (can't see through the filter of my own POV) what you're saying. Could you write more on it, or give an example?

Personally, it is an attempt to keep the language from being hijacked by a small group of people. Words have meaning and we, as a society, can't allow them to be hijacked and changed every five years because some small group is now offended by the current usage.

I think here you may be talking about policeman vs police officer? Those arguments are outside the scope of my question. I'm talking about more obviously offensive terms.

For example, what are you? Are you a Black girl? African-American? A Negro? What would you call yourself?

All of those things are somewhat correct. My ancestry is diverse, yet I am visually identifiable as "black". I don't find it offensive to be described that way, as it is accurate as it can be considering no one is as white or as black as the actual colors. I have a long family history in the Caribbean, so I see my national (outside of the USA) roots in Barbados and Suriname. Africa is a bit far removed for me and non specific enough for me not to relate to it in the same way, but again I don't find it offensive, some of my ancestors came from there. My neighbor is a white South African, with roots in Cape Town and born here, he is technically more "African American" than I am. This term will also probably die out due to it's inherent ambiguity and inaccuracy since most African Americans are of multi-racial decent. I would say Bajan before African in the same way that someone else would say Italian or Irish before European. I fit the phenotype of "Negro", technically an accurate term but so archaic that it makes me wonder why someone would use that or "colored" in common speech today. The same with niggardly, which has so many other synonyms that have no other connotation, it's use is like some bad double entendre gone wrong in the present day.

If I am around a group of people and they have the quiet strength to look me in the eye and tell me that the term that I just used is offensive to them(with no animosity or condescension), then tell me the term they prefer, I will respect them for it and attempt to remember their preference in the future. But that is normally not what happens.

I doubt anyone would get a balanced response after they've said something offensive. Are you thinking of a one on one conversation with someone you know well? Offensive comments from strangers are often met with offensive responses.

Thanks for your responses & thoughts.

I would call her "Tracy".

Fuck political correctness in the ass. I say what I want bitches. If I cencor myself to protected the "delicate" feelings of others all I am doing is patronizing them which is worse IMO. Besides words are only as offensive as the intent behind them.

You are very young.

I'll take a swing at the question.

A few possible answers...

All very interesting points, thanks.

[Tippster]

Could you write more on it, or give an example?

The Rev. Al Sharpton comes to mind...

I do get the sense of there being somewhat of a Cottage Industry benefitting from the maintenance of ethnic division. It seems to be cloaked in "Pride," but the end effect is still a form of exclusion - ie NOT Black or NOT Christian or NOT Latino or NOT Irish. Your thoughts?

[mojorisin]

wow, so I wish I had the time to write up something about symbolic violence. quick google search didn't turn up anything easily quotable

[The AD]

Fuck political correctness in the ass. I say what I want bitches. If I cencor myself to protected the "delicate" feelings of others all I am doing is patronizing them which is worse IMO.

So you routinely go up to people and say "man, you're a fat fucking slob!" You know, speak your mind and all. No reason to sugar coat things.