Words are important. I can't possibly get to know most of the people I
deal with everyday. All we are to most people is what is said about us.
I am an Irish Catholic. I am not going to go around having anyone call
me a mick, a papist, or a potato-popper. I'm not putting up with any
lowbrow cretin joking about these things around me.
The preconception that I am predisposed to drinking, fighting and
fornicating is untrue, but in the late 1800's and early 1900's, you
probably would have believed it before you ever met me. You could have
read plenty about the lustful passions of the Irish (and far worse that
I'm not going into) in any newspaper of the time.
Because of the prevailing mindset, the Irish experience in America for
about 100 years was vicious and awful. The people who came before me
were shut out of meaningful employment opportunities, lived in slums,
were looked upon as human waste by those in power. Starvation, poverty,
and great suffering was the result en masse.
Public sentiment didn't change because the public suddenly had some
epiphany and saw the light. Things changed because the Irish stopped
tolerating people who spoke about them as anything less than human
beings entitled to basic dignity and rights.
This gave way to great accomplishments, including an Irish Catholic
eventually rising to power and becoming President of the United States.
He was so good and such a threat to others that someone had to shoot
him.
Just as I would not want to be surrounded with reminders about a painful
past, I can see why someone would object to the phrase in question. Our
words become a burden for others when they have this kind of
significance, when they remind of times when we were regarded as less
than human.
I wonder why so many people see the need for snide remarks in relation
to this effort.
M
-----Original Message-----
From: Heald, Tim [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 1:23 PM
To: CF-Community
Subject: RE: Thank you LA for saving us
>people looking for relief from our language
I really don't even know what to say here man.
Timothy Heald
Web Portfolio Manager
Overseas Security Advisory Council
U.S. Department of State
571.345.2319
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S.
Department of State or any affiliated organization(s). Nor have these
opinions been approved or sanctioned by these organizations. This e-mail
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unclassified based on the definitions in E.O. 12958.
-----Original Message-----
From: Haggerty, Mike [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 1:08 PM
To: CF-Community
Subject: RE: Thank you LA for saving us
Boy, I wish I wasn't at work. Maybe then we could properly explore the
contrapostive of LA's decision and look at the words we don't use in
order to keep from offending people. I can think of at least 50 things
to say about people on the list that were perfectly fine 20-50 years ago
and would drive people nuts today.
Not that I'm overly PC, but there are definitely ways of putting things
are hurtful and only have a place in the lowest forms of conversation.
Just because we can't sympathize with (or conceive of) the people who
find the words or phrases offensive does not make them any less
troublesome.
If the City of LA wants people to stop referring to things a certain way
because they think it might be hurtful, who are we to criticize? They
are the ones purchasing products and services, and they are the ones who
get to decide who they want to do business with. If you can't watch your
words in a business transaction, who's problem is that?
Making fun of this effort is just another form of scapegoating the
people looking for relief from our language.
M
-----Original Message-----
From: William H Bowen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 12:44 PM
To: CF-Community
Subject: Re: Thank you LA for saving us
As a person offended by the term "rich white male", you have identified
yourself a one that should be tarred with the epithet "looney" for
thinking that those offended by aforementioned term are covered under
the Contsitutional "right to be offended" statutes had your right to be
offended not been unceremoniously eroded over time, your missive would
have been greeted with open arms by all those that embrace the right
thinking of the left.
But it wasn't. Please apply for state sanctioned sympathy by filling out
the appropriate forms (in triplicate) and filing them in the nearest
environmentally friendly waste recepticle.
;-)
will
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