I think part of the problem is that some people have gotten too politically correct, and try their damndest not to let anyone do or say anything that might have a snowball's chance in hell of offending others. It can be carried too far.
At the same time, there is a growing contingent of people who are so sick of political correctness that they intentionally try to rile up those with delicate constitutions, just so they can fire back with "get the fuck over it!" retorts. Basically, there are two extremes.
Meanwhile the average person uses common sense, and determines for himself or herself what offends them.
It was a sad fricking Christmas Eve at work when I was told to take a Santa hat off because it might offend someone who didn't believe in Christmas. I said, "That's okay- Christ didn't celebrate Santa Claus either". The joke was lost on the HR rep, and I got a "note to file". When asked why I made such an inflammatory comment, I said "I didn't know good cheer was offensive- and I'm Buddhist and still enjoy Santa".
Okay, that went off on a tangent.
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Eske wrote:
Quote:
Is it part of American culture to resent politeness? I can't understand why this is any different than telling anyone they look fat, which is another perfectly obvious yet rude thing.
Because "fat" has a negative connotation, while someone's race should not.
It shouldn't, but it sometimes does. If you live in a perfect society then, it shouldn't matter, but who does? You are taking it upon yourself to label the connotations of words as they make you feel, and you neglect the obvious: we're not all you. I respect your right to call your good friend "cracker", "*****", or "****", even "brownie" or **********", but if you don't know me, you sure as hell shouldn't assume that you know what will offend me. That's just respect 101, and what most kids learn along with their please and thank you's.
Wondroustremor the Flatulent wrote:
Meanwhile the average person uses common sense, and determines for himself or herself what offends them.
Quote:
I respect your right to call your good friend "cracker", "*****", or "****", even "brownie" or **********", but if you don't know me, you sure as hell shouldn't assume that you know what will offend me. That's just respect 101, and what most kids learn along with their please and thank you's.
I have no idea where you're going with this, frankly. No one is talking about racial slurs or lack of respect.
I don't see tiptoeing around on eggshells as respect. I don't see a stolid refusal to see or acknowledge ethinicity as respect.
Everything else that could usefully be said has been said, it seems. Apparently we just disagree on this.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
Jacobsdeception the Sly wrote:
If it makes you feel any better Ambrya, I like Japanese people and I think you have a nice rack. =)
Thanks!
As we're getting to the point where we're thinking of having kids, I'm hoping that we'll have one with my fair, porcelain skin and his dark, exotic eyes. Mixed genetics can be pretty cool. A caucasian friend of mine had a little girl with a half-African American father. She had light cocoa colored skin and bright, bright blue eyes.
Samira wrote:
I have no idea where you're going with this, frankly. No one is talking about racial slurs or lack of respect.
I'm following the thread of people knowing what should be offensive and what shouldn't.
Quote:
I don't see tiptoeing around on eggshells as respect.
Quote:
I don't see a stolid refusal to see or acknowledge ethinicity as respect.
Quote:
Everything else that could usefully be said has been said, it seems. Apparently we just disagree on this.
Interestingly enough, I've been criticised for calling my wife Black. Same with her- she calls me White, not caucasian. It's a cultural thing. I've been chastised for not calling my wife African-American. I've told the people that said that it would be stupid for me to call her that. When asked why, I explain that she's not American, and doesn't identify herself as African. African-Bermudian doesn't exist as a term, and most Bermudians that hear American speakers refer to African-Bermudians tend to scoff at the term. White people aren't generally called caucasian either. We're called White.
In the 2006 census report for Bermuda, we are listed as:
White
White & Other
Black
Black & Other
Other
So for all the people who get their dander up about me calling my wife Black, they're meddling where they have no understanding. And what's funny is that if you ask my wife, or any of my wife's family what race they are, they'll say with pride, "I'm Black."
And PC-insanity has been growing for years:
Shell-shock: Post-traumatic stress disorder
Rape: Sexual assault.
Garbage collector: Sanitation Engineer.
Merry Christmas: Happy Holidays.
Partner: Husband/wife/significant other.
It's a growing list.
In the 2006 census report for Bermuda, we are listed as:
White
White & Other
Black
Black & Other
Other
So for all the people who get their dander up about me calling my wife Black, they're meddling where they have no understanding. And what's funny is that if you ask my wife, or any of my wife's family what race they are, they'll say with pride, "I'm Black."
And PC-insanity has been growing for years:
Shell-shock: Post-traumatic stress disorder
Rape: Sexual assault.
Garbage collector: Sanitation Engineer.
Merry Christmas: Happy Holidays.
Partner: Husband/wife/significant other.
It's a growing list.
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Samira wrote:
I don't see tiptoeing around on eggshells as respect.
So, you've just effectively said that Sami's opinion is of lesser value than yours based on... her race.
Quote:
I'm following the thread of people knowing what should be offensive and what shouldn't.
Perhaps you should follow more closely. Or are double-standards inoffensive nowadays?
Celcio wrote:
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Samira wrote:
I don't see tiptoeing around on eggshells as respect.
So, you've just effectively said that Sami's opinion is of lesser value than yours based on... her race.
Nope. Based on her responses and point of view as evidenced on this thread. I have no idea of her race.
And who the fu[Black][/Black]ck are you?
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Celcio wrote:
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Samira wrote:
I don't see tiptoeing around on eggshells as respect.
So, you've just effectively said that Sami's opinion is of lesser value than yours based on... her race.
Nope. Based on her responses and point of view as evidenced on this thread. I have no idea of her race.
And who the fu[/Black]ck are you?
He's a
fuc[Aqua]ker.Peter Griffin Hey, boating's in my blood. Ever since my great-grandfather Huck Griffin, rafted down the mighty Mississippi.
Jim What did you just call me?
Huck Griffin I thought that was your name.
Jim That is our word! You've got no right using it!
Huck Griffin I'm cool. No problem.
Huck Griffin Could you pass me the oar, N-word Jim?
Jim Thank you.
Edited, Wed May 17 16:13:06 2006 by bodhisattva
Jim What did you just call me?
Huck Griffin I thought that was your name.
Jim That is our word! You've got no right using it!
Huck Griffin I'm cool. No problem.
Huck Griffin Could you pass me the oar, N-word Jim?
Jim Thank you.
Edited, Wed May 17 16:13:06 2006 by bodhisattva
Bode - 100 Holy Paladin - Lightbringer
Jacobsdeception the Sly wrote:
He's a
fuc[Aqua][/Aqua]ker.Ah. Makes sense, now.
Flea wrote:
It shouldn't, but it sometimes does. If you live in a perfect society then, it shouldn't matter, but who does? You are taking it upon yourself to label the connotations of words as they make you feel, and you neglect the obvious: we're not all you. I respect your right to call your good friend "cracker", "*****", or "****", even "brownie" or **********", but if you don't know me, you sure as hell shouldn't assume that you know what will offend me. That's just respect 101, and what most kids learn along with their please and thank you's.
Are you trying to say that calling someone "Japanese", is akin to calling someone by a racial slur?
No, race does not inherently have a negative connotation. Racial slurs have a negative connotation. They are very different things, and we're discussing the former, not the latter.
Quote:
Rape: Sexual assault.
I believe by definition those are two different things. Sexual assault is the more general term, I think. Though the definition is pretty open-ended, if I recall correctly.
Celcio's our WoW guild whipping boy.
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Jacobsdeception the Sly wrote:
He's a
fuc[Aqua][/Aqua]ker.Ah. Makes sense, now.
Uh huh. But it's incorrect, as facile factoids often are.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
Eske wrote:
Are you trying to say that calling someone "Japanese", is akin to calling someone by a racial slur?
No, race does not inherently have a negative connotation. Racial slurs have a negative connotation. They are very different things, and we're discussing the former, not the latter.
No, race does not inherently have a negative connotation. Racial slurs have a negative connotation. They are very different things, and we're discussing the former, not the latter.
You either missed or skipped over my previous response and I'm too lazy to re-type it, so you can look if you care to. It's somwhere back/up there.
Mistress Nadenu wrote:
Celcio's our WoW guild whipping boy.
Samira wrote:
Uh huh. But it's incorrect, as facile factoids often are.
I'd impugn your statement if I knew what it referred to. Not because I don't think you may be right, but just to keep this thread going. It's been generous.
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Celcio wrote:
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Samira wrote:
I don't see tiptoeing around on eggshells as respect.
So, you've just effectively said that Sami's opinion is of lesser value than yours based on... her race.
Nope. Based on her responses and point of view as evidenced on this thread. I have no idea of her race.
Ah, ok. It's because her experience is different than yours that her opinion is invalid. Gotcha.
Quote:
And who the fu[Black][/Black]ck are you?
I'm offended. I think I'll climb up on my shetland now.
seems to be what people do around here... just trying to fit in.
You'll need a much taller pony than a Shetland to fit in on THIS thread.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
Celcio wrote:
Ah, ok. It's because her experience is different than yours that her opinion is invalid. Gotcha.
Seems to be the theme of the thread, and I am a sucker for fashion.
Quote:
I'm offended. I think I'll climb up on my shetland now.
seems to be what people do around here... just trying to fit in.
seems to be what people do around here... just trying to fit in.
I can safely say that you have no reason to be offended, and that should make you feel better. Solid?
Quote:
You either missed or skipped over my previous response and I'm too lazy to re-type it, so you can look if you care to. It's somwhere back/up there.
Err...do you mean this? It's the only response to that statement that I could find.
Quote:
I'm following the thread of people knowing what should be offensive and what shouldn't.
If that's supposed to be some kind of counter-point to what I said, then I don't follow.
Nah, it was supposed to be a counter-point to something Samira posted that you echoed when you posted. If you don't follow, it's probably because you're white. Good thing that's not offensive! 
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Nah, it was supposed to be a counter-point to something Samira posted that you echoed when you posted. If you don't follow, it's probably because you're white. Good thing that's not offensive!
Mmm...yeah I suspected as much.
Just so we're clear on things,
Quote:
If you don't follow, it's probably because you're white. Good thing that's not offensive!
...would be offensive, because you're attaching a negative characteristic to the phrase by saying it's the reason that I wouldn't understand. I know you were being facetious, but I think that's a good example of where the gap between our understandings of the situation lies.
So....
.... Did you totally miss my sarcasm, or are you faking? Because I have a sneaky suspicion you might be faking it. You white folk are sneaky.
How about that time?
.... Did you totally miss my sarcasm, or are you faking? Because I have a sneaky suspicion you might be faking it. You white folk are sneaky.
How about that time?
It wasn't exactly hard to decipher...
Eske wrote:
It wasn't exactly hard to decipher...
Excellent! Understanding feels so good! Hug me.
The Glorious Atomicflea wrote:
Eske wrote:
It wasn't exactly hard to decipher...
Excellent! Understanding feels so good! Hug me.
Maybe if you change your avatar. ::shudders::
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