margaretchoad
MargaretChoad
margaretchoad

Ah, thank you!

I’m more talking about the people you have to deal with being possibly demeaning. And that some people find cleaning up the waste of other people demeaning. Again, and this is my point that you unwittingly make for me, I think it is up to each of us to decide for ourselves what is and is not demeaning.

Well, maybe my point is that this is impossible? Most work involves some level of being demeaned. Not all, but a lot. I mean hell, working the fry bin at Mickey Dees is demeaning, right? So is cleaning toilets. I think I’d rather work at a Hooters than do either of those things.

Can you tell me, WTF happened to that site? It got bought and shut down? Why? Why can’t we have nice things?

I dunno—don’t a lot of jobs involve sucking up to people we’d rather not? And for Hooters servers or the African village people, coming to be looked at/gawked at is how they make their money. If we all take the “high” road, they’re out of a job.

You are criticizing what they are doing, though, and casting them as victims. I think that is A) wrong and B) patronizing.

Exploitative how? You mean of the tatas? Isn’t that a choice an individual woman gets to make, without having to be shamed or talked down to for?

Reason is not the strong suit here.

Well, the black dude in back doesn’t seem to be offended. But thank Christ you’re here to be offended on his behalf. He needs you on that wall, even if he’s too benighted to see it.

I really want to agree with you, but I can’t quite see how we emerge stronger for this thing. I’m just praying for “intact.”

+ 3/5ths?

Cool. Thanks again for the thoughtful replies. If there’s anything you feel I’ve evaded/avoided, feel free to let me know...

Okay, just so I’m clear: you also don’t want black people using the word?

Good points all—but to clarify: I don’t know how I’ve given the idea that I am not interested in studying this word. I have in fact written on it and subjects concerning it in what you might call a professional, peer-reviewed context.

Yes, you can have it both ways. Words have varieties of meanings, and they mean different things to different people.

First off: thanks. That’s exactly the kind of well-reasoned, thoughtful defense of your position I was looking for. Now, since you ask, I will try to be as specific as I can about why I disagree.

Well, I think it’s fair to say you’ve shown 0 evidence you have any idea of said history, no? And even if we could establish that you had a great understanding of this subject (which I frankly tend to doubt) and that I had little (which is not in fact the case), that’s basis for more dialogue, not less. But hey, it’s

Why would you doubt it? If I wasn’t interested, I’d just ignore you, dismiss you, call you a name, or (as you did) just basically sneer at you.

I appreciate your waving the white flag of surrender here, but I was actually more interested in having a conversation.

You think black people who use the n-word casually are racists?