Words can be powerful. The more that I write the more I believe this. A few days ago in casual conversation, a guy that I know (not a friend might I add) used a word disparaging African Americans. I was shocked. The look that I gave him must have spoken volumes. I’m sure that my turning and walking away gave him a clue as well. A short time later he approached me and said the following…
“You know, that wasn’t right of me to say that. I should have used “N-word “ instead of actually saying the word.”
“You’re an idiot!” was my response. And I again walked away.
This whole interaction really got me thinking. As I see it, substituting an abbreviation or another word for an offensive statement is fucking stupid. It does absolutely nothing to remove the hate or ignorance from the original utterance.
We need to change people’s way of thinking, not their vocabulary. Frankly I hate the word itself and any lame attempt to soften it or make a PC substitution. Am I off base here? Maybe I need a Prozac regime?
I mean WTF??? I’ve never said…
“…What was that Wetback thinking? Oh sorry, I should have said, “W-word.” But it’s OK, I have friends who are Mexican.”
See, it’s fucking stupid. No other word that is offensive to rational people gets this letter substitution bullshit! Why? Because it's complete idiocy!
Gay men and Lesbians aren’t “Q-words and D-words” they are people.
Asian people aren’t “G-words” they are human.
White people aren’t “C-words”. . .
Irish people aren’t “M-words”. . .
Polish people aren’t “W-words”. . .
Women aren’t “B-words or H-words”. . .
And please don't assume that I am downplaying bigotry towards those groups because I am not. Hatred is hatred it's as simple as that.
The poet Gordon Sumner said it well.
I don't want to bring a sour note
Remember this before you vote
We can all sink or we all float
'Cos we're all in the same big boat
One world is enough
For all of us
So, to all of you short minded people out there weather you are in bread, ignorant, or just and idiot…(sorry, maybe I should have used the “I-word”. . .)
Go “F-word” yourself!!!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Words. . .
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9 Beer Farts:
What? I can't refer to white people as Caucasians? *ducks*
I'm intentionally missing the point... I honestly get where you're coming from... and for the most part, I agree.
Bizza
Mike Birbiglia said it well. "You're not allowed to say Cracker! You can say Crack-aa, but only we can say Crack-er."
Jake
Cracker Plizza!
I call my ex-boss a C-Bag and I mean that in the most offensive way possible.
Now I am off to play Scrabble with Jay Z. D-R-I-Z-Z-A-A.
(please tell me you got that Birbig joke!)
This is a great post. One of my favorite quotes ever is "There is no darkness like ignorance", and I ALWAYS think of it in reference to assholes who are intolerant of others not like themselves.
Hatred IS hatred and it's pathetic.
The last time someone busted out an intolerant slur in my presence I asked her, and I quote: "What the fuck is WRONG with you?" in front of everyone. I got silence. It's golden. I'm guessing she's going to be more careful with her stupidity in the future.
Good for you for telling that guy he was an idiot. He, obviously, wasn't aware.
Okay, you're making me dig out The Police's "Ghost In The Machine" and listen to it again. That is one of my favorite albums of all time. Sting DOES have a way with words. But I won't pay umpteen hundred dollars to see them on tour, not without them playing some new material. I've got every single song they ever made. That's good enough for me.
And yes, derogatory terms are just silly. It really makes the user look worse than the intended target.
I'm the sixth beer fart. Beer fart is kind of the BF word.
For the most part, I agree with you. I do, however, have a few choice names for my spousal unit from tim to time.
Chardsy: Thats OK, I think he's a c-bag also. BTW Birbig is one funny MFer.
Corrina: Great minds think alike.
Marvin: I was lucky to see them twice as a kid.
Dr. K: Yes, BF is short for Beer Fart but few people know that is original meaning was "bubbling flatulence."
Meg: Inter-family derogatory coding is socially acceptable.
"What's the ugliest part of your body?
Some say it's your toes
Some say it's your nose
But I think it's your mind"
- Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention
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