Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 17:07:39 -0500 (EST) From: Heggood@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1187$foo@default> Subject: Re: racism
john e. cavanaugh wrote:
>> Where does evil begin? Right here, right now, just like this.
>> Are we going to put up with it? Must we wait until the lynchings start up
>> again, or the stormtroopers kick in the doors? Or do we start now?
Being a southern born WAM (S.C. circa 1945) I am painfully aware of the
array of words an phrases concocted to intimidate and belittle members
of the black community and understand that they were designed to be
hurtful and degrading.
Times change, and the meaning of words change. This is why Latin is
used in descriptions of scientific terms (such as CP). You don't have
to worry about the meaning of a word like 'flava' being changed by
some ethnic (see Greek ENOS) group because they choose to use it to
describe a person, place or thing in their own context.
When I hear a prominent Black American such as James Earl Jones use
the word 'nigger' to refer to himself and other members of his ethnic
group, I gotta figure that it must be ok in today's times to use the
word unhatefully.
But, people have to be careful in their choice of words because of
an air of 'us and them' is stuck in society's craw these days.
To make my point, I'll use an excerpt from a letter to the editor of
the Atlanta Journal that I clipped out sometime back. It was in
response to an article that was written in the 'Journal on awards
presented by the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists.
The author writes:
"I can imagine the hue and cry if there were an Atlanta Association
of White Journalsists presenting awards to only white journalists."
"What's the difference? Why is a Miss Black Teenage America Pageant
OK, but not a White Teenage America Pageant?"
"Why is a Conference of Black Mayors acceptable but a Conference of
White Mayors immoral? Why is it laudable for 100 Black Men of Atlanta
to encoureage education for black children, but scandalous if 100
White Men of Atlanta dared to publicly utite to encourage education
for white children? I could go on and on."
I agree with the author, and furtermore, from my own perspective
why is it ok to have a Black Caucus in the Congress? Is that
constitutional?
Here in Atlanta the local city council has passed a resolution
to prevent the playing of the song "DIXIE" in the Geogia Dome
(Stadium). The most intelligent response that I heard was from
a truck driver passing though who said, "Anyone who would object
to the playing of the song "DIXE" shoud re-examine their own
prejudices".
So, why is it acceptable for a black person to use the word,
but intolerable for others?
I too am sick of racism, but it seems to me that the very ones
who are supposed to despise it the most are doing more than
their share to insure the wedge stays in the rail.
Hey, the fellahs got caught using a word which can have extreme
racial overtones in context. Give them a break.
Anyone out there got the first stone in a tight grip?
Sorry to gum up the server with rhetoric, I felt to respond,
but I did say 'flava'.
-steve-
P.S. Exclude any hate groups the benefit of anything I stated.
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