Wordsmith.org
Posted By: D Boelzner offensive words - 05/13/13 08:56 PM
Two of the comments to last week's words caught my eye. blackjack11155 refers to the black man who felt eyes on him when the word "niggardly" was used - I've occasionally felt it was exactly the word I wanted to use, and I was alert to whether anyone in the room was black, no doubt looked for such person - for the very reason that I did not want anyone to be offended. Thus the fear of offending leads us to offend! The other comment was to the effect that "appearances are reality," which I must reject, for that way madness lies. If the measure of offense is taken not from what was said or intended but from what another perceives it to be, then it will be found whenever one sees advantage to being a victim. Surely AWAD is about treasuring words for what they mean, so that one is NOT offended by "niggardly," because one knows what it does and does not mean.
Posted By: BranShea Re: offensive words - 05/14/13 03:54 PM
Thank you for your reasonable comment on the comments. You do have the possibility, when you see a comment in whatever thread, to react to it directly. :-)
Posted By: tsuwm Re: offensive words - 05/14/13 09:31 PM
I think, in this case, he is responding to comments in
AWADmail Issue 567 - the first is reposted from these forums but the second seems to be directly from Anu's mail.

awadmail567

Posted By: Faldage Re: offensive words - 05/15/13 10:43 AM
We do not directly perceive reality. Everything we know is filtered through our incomplete senses and is colored by our genetics and upbringing. The comment D Boelzner was referring to is:

Quote:
Appearances being reality, "terms that appear offensive but aren't" is a paradox.


The quoted line might better have been originally stated as "terms that appear offensive but aren't intended to be".
Posted By: jenny jenny Re: offensive words - 05/15/13 02:55 PM

I agree, Faldage. Well said, D Boelzner.

I am not offended by any of those words but I am most offended when someone calls me a redneck except another redneck.
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: offensive words - 05/16/13 10:53 AM
It's an interesting thing that we can identify as something but yet there are rules about who call call us that.
Posted By: Faldage Re: offensive words - 05/17/13 12:08 AM
When some outsider calls us one of those words it's an insult; when one of our own calls us that it's camaraderie. Or something like that.
Posted By: jenny jenny Re: offensive words - 05/17/13 12:57 PM
Not really.
To we who are rednecks the denomination "redneck" is a badge of honor. No matter who assigns us "rednecks" - yankee or otherwise - we sing out our superiority.

We are both black and white; being rednecks keeps us humble and full of grit. But don't call us "trailer trash" unless you want a busted lip. smile
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: offensive words - 05/17/13 01:36 PM
Originally Posted By: jenny jenny
but I am most offended when someone calls me a redneck except another redneck.


Originally Posted By: Faldage
When some outsider calls us one of those words it's an insult; when one of our own calls us that it's camaraderie. Or something like that.


Originally Posted By: jenny jenny

Not really.
To we who are rednecks the denomination "redneck" is a badge of honor. No matter who assigns us "rednecks" - yankee or otherwise - we sing out our superiority.


Wha?
© Wordsmith.org