No one that I know of wants to ‘ban’ anything Zelda.

It’s called discretion. If we all call on that piece of ourselves that realizes that “words have power” (both positive and negative) there can be no doubt personal change can dictate the eventual archaic designation of that word and “faggot”.

The goal is never to eliminate the prejudice itself, but to be concerned with the perception of such prejudice.

I guess this is where our points of view part company.

Political correctness is a term I think of more in the light of “social correctness”. I realize that the phrase has been given a negative spin by those who want to continue to let racially and socially negative and ambiguous adjectives and nouns remain in popular usage to give our culture and “us and them” designation. It’s just easier I guess not to be careful of what you say and many remain resistent to positive change.

But the disuse of “nigger” and the slow lessening of “faggot” in the common vernacular can only – IMO – help to diminish the use of these nasty words to connote anything acceptable since they’re always used in a negative sense by those who aren’t those things.

I also dislike the word “gay” morphing into something to mean “lame”. Homosexuals generally need a word to describe them which has no hetero-imposed negative connotation like “gay” and those who resent the meaning of the word no longer being “carefree and happy” as it once meant can simply adjust.

The culture changes (ideally in a positive sense) and so does the verbiage.

I have no trouble hot calling a Jew a “heeb”, a black person a “nigger”, a Chinese person a “chink”, or a gay one a “fag”. It’s just not too difficult for me to accomplish.

If that’s political correctness I’m all for it.

# 24
You can’t ban a word.

No you can’t… not by decree. But you can ban one personally.

The goal is never to eliminate the prejudice itself, but to be concerned with the perception of such prejudice.

I guess this is where our points of view part company.

Political correctness is a term I think of more in the light of “social correctness”. I realize that the phrase has been given a negative spin by those who want to continue to let racially and socially negative and ambiguous adjectives and nouns remain in popular usage to give our culture and “us and them” designation. It’s just easier I guess not to be careful of what you say and many remain resistent to positive change.

But the disuse of “nigger” and the slow lessening of “faggot” in the common vernacular can only – IMO – help to diminish the use of these nasty words to connote anything acceptable since they’re always used in a negative sense by those who aren’t those things.

I also dislike the word “gay” morphing into something to mean “lame”. Homosexuals generally need a word to describe them which has no hetero-imposed negative connotation like “gay” and those who resent the meaning of the word no longer being “carefree and happy” as it once meant can simply adjust.

The culture changes (ideally in a positive sense) and so does the verbiage.

I have no trouble hot calling a Jew a “heeb”, a black person a “nigger”, a Chinese person a “chink”, or a gay one a “fag”. It’s just not too difficult for me to accomplish.

If that’s political correctness I’m all for it.

# 24
You can’t ban a word.

No you can’t… not by decree. But you can ban one personally.

Well it’s probably a non-issue since so many in the recording industry are gay I suspect. It may easily not come up. With regard to ‘racial slurs’ Michael Richards it the latest casuality.

And no. It makes no sense.

Much as one has to respect the Firt Amendment it falls somewhere short (IMO) of negative homophobic lyrics in hip hop and rap or the rantings of a Fred Phelps be he at the funeral of a gay person or a military lost in war-related casuality.

Much as I’m a proponent of Free Speech I think (as in all things) reason must prevail. There’s a very fine interpretive line here peejz.

re #20 Ted-

I still think saying publically “I’m pissed” is déclassé so… different things offend different ears.

re #21 Zelda-

I think ‘nigger’ needs to be used by more people not less. It would take away the importance of the word and leave us to deal with any real issues that remain.

Categorically disagree. The word’s too racially charged to be used.

By your logic Zelda we’d all better say what we will, arm ourselves, batten down the hatches and take to our respective sides of the streets.

No matter who the target/focus group of the moment society will forever need someone to perceive as somehow lesser by genetics, religious association and social background.

It’s a pecking order thing.

It is totally hypocritical and racist that black people can say ‘nigger’ and white people can’t.

I think ‘nigger’ needs to be used by more people not less. It would take away the importance of the word and leave us to deal with any real issues that remain.

Ask yourself; are you really offended when someone says ‘damn’? 60 years ago that word was very offensive.

The problem here is that PC can’t sucessfully used to eliminate prejudice. The most accurate definition of PC IMO is “Being or perceived as being overconcerned with such change, often to the exclusion of other matters.”. The goal is never to eliminate the prejudice itself, but to be concerned with the perception of such prejudice.

“In my world the use of the “n”word Ted is ‘out of place’. Were I to use that among my white friends they’d never stand for it – nor should they.”

So it is in my world, however the question here is “why?”. If it for PC purposes, then frankly you and your friends are no better than the folks that use it for “sincere” reasons.

“‘Keep on truckin’ is a vestige of subculture.”

As is the use of “nigger” among young black people.

“There’s nothing controversial about the use as there is with the “n”word and the “f”word.”

There is nothing controversial with the use of those words in aforementioned subculture either.

I don’t see the comparisons of the phrases you use as comparable in social ramification.

Those phrases were given not for comparision of severity, but for that of example. At one point the words “suck”, “bitch” and “hell” would also be good examples if you wish to make the comparison in that manner.

Honestly, I see no comparision between the word “fuck” and the word “nigger” though. The word “nigger” did not always have a racial connotation to it, however the languauge evoled. Now the word caries such conotations, which is exactly why it should not be used. “Fuck” doesn’t have those conotations.

17- re #15 Yes. I agree with peejz. It is glorified within the black community because of its continued use. Nothing can really be changed and improved unless all people stop using it including those it originally referenced.

Now would anyone like to talk about rap and hip hop music and the Jamaican degradation of the homosexual community? Those bastards are militant and those lyrics are beyond homophobic. Jamaicans are unapologetic in their lyrical slander of homosexuals and finally (it appears) some few in that community are crying foul.

That is where I think the lessons that Cosby is trying to convey come in…Something to ponder for you though Eben..what do you think would happen to an employee of any of the recording companies that was overheard making racial slurs or derogatory remarks about homosexuality? My point is, they would be warned and/or fired..but the company can sell the hate..does that make any sense? Talk about assanine logic!