Re: Filtering Out Racism (Long -sorry)

["Troy D Brewster" <tbrewste@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well Michiel,

I didn't realize I copied you on that response but that's irrelevant. Fir=
st,
I didn't see your reply until after I sent that message. If I did I would
have not done so, however, your reply does not change my mind. It is not =
at
all obvious that you were quoting what this merchant said. You made no
reference to the inappropriateness of what the merchant said or what he/s=
he
actually said for that matter. Did the merchant refer to the individual a=
s a
"nigger" or was that your reference? Reading your e-mail one would conclu=
de
the latter (Just a note). If your message stated "I went to XYZ Auto Salv=
age
and you wouldn't believe what happen... I was appalled that this stuff st=
ill
goes on," I doubt you would have gotten the same response from individual=
s.

Anyway, you noted that the word "nigger" can be found in the dictionary s=
o
is the dictionary racist? Well before I comment on that, here's and excer=
pt
from the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

    Main Entry: nig=B7ger
    Pronunciation: 'ni-ger
    Function: noun
    Etymology: alteration of earlier neger, from Middle French negre, fro=
m
Spanish or Portuguese negro,
                      from negro black, from Latin niger
    Date: 1700
    1 : a black person -- usually taken to be offensive
    2 : a member of any dark-skinned race -- usually taken to be offensiv=
e
    3 : a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons <it's time =
for
somebody to lead all of America's
         niggers... all the people who feel left out of the political
process -- Ron Dellums>

    usage: Nigger in senses 1 and 2 can be found in the works of such
writers of the past as Joseph Conrad, Mark
               Twain, and Charles Dickens, but it now ranks as perhaps th=
e
most offensive and inflammatory racial slur
               in English. Its use by and among blacks is not always
intended or taken as offensive, but, except in
               sense 3, it is otherwise a word expressive of racial hatre=
d
and bigotry.

Now the dictionary may not be racist but how many black people had input =
to
the contents of this dictionary in 1700? Do you think that this word woul=
d
have been included if they did? Personally, all such words, in reference =
to
any race, should not be included in any dictionary. It makes usage of the=
se
words seem acceptable. Anyway, unless you are using it to paraphrase what
was said, a black person, in particular, if reading it will take it as
offensive.

BTW, the dictionary comments on "nigger" being used among blacks as not
always offensive and I would tend to disagree. The word blacks sometimes =
use
when referring to each other is a bit different. You typically do not hea=
r
blacks referring to each other as "nigger" unless it's derogatory.

And Michiel, I am not calling you a racist but I found the contents of yo=
ur
message disturbing. I was trying to determine the connection between
purchasing wheels and calling a black person a "nigger", unsuccessfully o=
f
course.

/troyb

------------------------------