The N word is blatantly racist. That's why we shouldn't say it. That's true. I'm not talking about blatantly racist terms like that. I'm talking about ridiculous things like tickers or people being offended by the term "redskins." No one is trying to offend anyone(Like they would be when using the N word), they just thought that would be a good name for a sports team.
Every one has something to take ofence to these days it seems. I got some one mad at me (I won't say where or when) for saying 'homosexual'. Since when did this become a offensive word when you use it in a appropriate way?
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 28, 2006 07:06 PM: Message edited by: Tra ]</font>
I'll weigh in on this one....
1) MissCurlyCat, I think you're sweet, but I do think the tickers were excessive. But it should've stopped after you were told to take them down. Now we have all sorts of guidelines that are a little constricting. On many boards, your signature is your trademark!
2) Tra...your "janitor/sanitary engineer" thing made me laugh. Reminds me of a George Carlin bit I love. ANd yes, you do have a point there.
3) I agree that Political Correctness can be a real pain in the butt. But sometimes it is more considerate. I think it depends on the issue.
4) And on the subject of taking offense at everything, someone (I don't remember who) suggested we not list our dolls in our signatures anymore because it makes people feel bad when they don't have as many dolls as other people. To me, this is political correctness at it's worst!
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I must admit I was stunned to hear that you don't think the term ******* is offensive! It is a highly derogatory term referring to the skin color of American Indians. A quick jaunt over to dictionary.com yields this definition:Originally posted by Tra:
I'm not talking about blatantly racist terms like that. I'm talking about ridiculous things like tickers or people being offended by the term "redskins." No one is trying to offend anyone(Like they would be when using the N word), they just thought that would be a good name for a sports team.
*******
n : offensive terms for Native Americans [syn: ******* , Injun, red man]
I feel forced to assume that you have had miimal contact with American Indian peoples. How could this term be construed as anything but offensive, I wondered as I read your post. I could only think that it is because of things like the football team- things which normalize racism to the point that the general public doesn't even see how disgusting it is- that you find this disturbing term inoffensive.
It IS a racist word, a VERY racist word. Normally I would not deign to ask you to apologize, because I know we disagree, but in this instance, I can see no other option. Your insinuation (indeed, outright statement) that "******* " is anything but unsavory, was downright rude and bigoted.
Hmm. As you can see, r*edskin is such an offensive word that Hostboard has blocked it!
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I could only think that it is because of things like the football team- things which normalize racism to the point that the general public doesn't even see how disgusting it is- that you find this disturbing term inoffensive.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Football is disgustingly racist? Since when? Most of the players are black! And while there's only a handful of black Quaterbacks alot of the best players are black/hispanic/etc.
And as for the Redskins thing...yeah it's not a nice term when you're using it to describe a person, but it doesn't bother me as a football team name from another time when things like that weren't taken into account. And this is coming from someone who is 1/4 Native American and durned proud of it!
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Caucasians are not a group that experiences institutional racism. The words Indians, Braves, Chiefs, and Warriors refer to a specific racial group that has undergone genocide and been stripped of their humanity by being treated as caricatures. Cowboys and 49s are not groups that have experienced and continue to experience institutional racism and genocide.Originally posted by Tra:
What's your take on the football team names of "Indians" "Braves" "Chiefs" "Warriors"
"Spartans" "Trojans." "49ers" and "Cowboys"?
<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ March 02, 2006 12:47 AM: Message edited by: Tra ]</font></font>
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Football is disgustingly racist? Since when? Most of the players are black! And while there's only a handful of black Quaterbacks alot of the best players are black/hispanic/etc.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I didn't mean football was racist, I meant that the team name is racist.Originally posted by WritersRhapsody:
[ </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
And your second line smacks of that disgusting line "but some of my best friends are ...."
I didn't mean you should CALL someone a ******* , but I don't find it offensive for the name of a football team any more than I find being called a "caucasian" offensive (even though I've never been and have nothing to do with Caucasia).
What's your take on the football team names of "Indians" "Braves" "Chiefs" "Warriors"
"Spartans" "Trojans." "49ers" and "Cowboys"?
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 02, 2006 12:47 AM: Message edited by: Tra ]</font>
White people don't experience racism? What about reverse discrimination? What about affirmitive action? What about all those poeple who think all whites are wrong and bad and racist and should pay reparations to the descendents of former slaves even though none of us have ever owned slaves? What about the Romans and their slavery and the persecution of Christians? What about these things?
Honestly, football teams are not all that important to me, nor are their names, but I just don't see these things as "caracatures." And how are cowboys not caracatured if "redskins" are?
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 02, 2006 06:13 PM: Message edited by: Tra ]</font>
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