Politics 2016 (election edition)

[jff]

Along these lines - over the last year or so - I've heard from Trump and his followers that they're sick of the whole Political Correctness thing. But what does that exactly mean? They want to call brazil nuts "nigger toes" again without someone finding offense? They want to be able to say "he jewed me" when they get ripped off?

 

All political correctness is - is having respect for fellow human beings, and being aware that certain language would probably be offensive. So, by all means, if you don't want to be politically correct, then go for it. But what you don't get to decide is what offends people. That's what it really comes down to. 

 

It's funny how these folks say they hate political correctness, but conveniently forget how they vilified Bill Maher for making a true, but politically incorrect statement on his TV show, Politically Incorrect.  I think that's a pretty good demonstration of how disingenuous their stance is.

 

But ultimately it's a fear response, almost entirely by white men, to the fact that white men don't have 100% control of the highest levels of government anymore. They know their heyday is over for good, and all they can do is throw around racist and sexists insults.  But the aim of political correctness is to tamp down on that.  So what does that leave them with?   Guns?   

[tinnitus photography]

Along these lines - over the last year or so - I've heard from Trump and his followers that they're sick of the whole Political Correctness thing. But what does that exactly mean? They want to call brazil nuts "nigger toes" again without someone finding offense? They want to be able to say "he jewed me" when they get ripped off?

 

All political correctness is - is having respect for fellow human beings, and being aware that certain language would probably be offensive. So, by all means, if you don't want to be politically correct, then go for it. But what you don't get to decide is what offends people. That's what it really comes down to. 

great post.

[ditty]

http://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/14/donald-trump-cuban-embargo-castro-violated-florida-504059.html

 

more facts about Trump, I'm sure he was just being a smart business man

[Winston Legthigh]

http://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/14/donald-trump-cuban-embargo-castro-violated-florida-504059.html

 

more facts about Trump, I'm sure he was just being a smart business man

 

As I read this, I keep hearing Bill Murray's chant from Meatballs: It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter!

 

I think Trump was right when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose any support. 

[ditty]

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Along these lines - over the last year or so - I've heard from Trump and his followers that they're sick of the whole Political Correctness thing. But what does that exactly mean? They want to call brazil nuts "nigger toes" again without someone finding offense? They want to be able to say "he jewed me" when they get ripped off?

I think this is exactly what they want to do. Maybe not do these things without anyone finding offense, but at least do them without facing consequences.

 

I have been listening to people bitch about political correctness for 30 years, and it's funny: I never used to sympathize with them at all, but as I get older (and, presumably, slightly more conservative), I have begun to see their point to a small extent.

 

I was at a networking event recently, and talking one on one with the guy that runs the group. He's gay, but he's also white and from Missouri, so I believe him when he says he grew up in a very white bread area. He told me a story of an African American woman getting offended by someone referring to a group of kids as those from "the black school" in a casual conversation (out of earshot of the kids). She wanted to make it all about racism. He told her that the reference was just a realistic observation, and called over a black janitor to weigh in.

 

"What do you see over there, Leroy?" he asked.

 

The janitor looked at the kids and said, "I see a group of white kids, a group of black kids, and a bunch of Asian tourists."

 

"Thank you, Leroy." 

 

So it wasn't about racism, it was about simple observation: the black kids were from "the black school," and everyone knew it...including the black janitor. He didn't feel obliged to say "the kids from Whatnot Elementary." Same thing when he pointed out the other groups.

 

Then my networking colleague said something interesting. He kind of read the black woman the riot act, and then said something about how confusing it was trying to find the right word to address an African American person without offending them. Paraphrasing what he said, it was something like, "Ya'll used to be called Negroes, then it was Afro-American, then African-American, then black, then back to African-American. I wish y'all would pick one and just stick with it!"

 

Meanwhile, as white people try increasingly to not cause offense to black/African-Americans and Spanish people, er, Hispanics, er, Latinos, some of us see people in these same "minority" groups being just as racist and offensive as anyone else. My ex-wife was Filipina, and worked for a large corporation with a high % of black people in her department. She would sometimes bring in Filipino food for her lunch. Here's an exchange between her and a black girl:

 

"Damn, girl, that food stank!"

"It's good," says the ex. "It's Filipino."

"I like Chinese food, but that don't smell like no Chinese food I ever had."

"It's not Chinese, it's Filipino," repeats the ex.

"Girl, it's all Chinese food to me!"

 

Basically, all Asian people are Chinese, I guess. Just imagine someone doing that to an African-American person. You'd be seeing it on CNN that very night.

 

So now we live in a world where the fat people can't be called fat (it's big-boned, or plus-sized, or thick, or some stupid shit), you might as well not bring up race at all (I've see African-Americans get huffy at being called "black" but others make fun of being called African-American, and insist on being called black, so it's hardly a homogeneous group), and you can't tell an American woman anything about anything, but she can stand there and throw around terms like "mansplaining" without anyone bothering about it. It's a messed-up situation that remains in a constant state of flux, and I can see why older, not-that-sensitive people are just like, "Oh, fuck all this. Just call a spade a spade." Well, not a spade, but...

 

Then there are the total racist assholes who make normal people look not racist at all, like this guy: http://wspa.com/2016/09/28/video-man-in-gorilla-mask-hands-out-bananas-at-blm-event/

[John Smith]

I work in a building with a wide variety of people, mostly white, but lots of Indians, pakistani's, other Asians, African Americans, brazilians etc...our IT center is in the building and we have contractors from all over the world here. Any how I don't really have that difficult of a time. I just try to treat everyone with decency and respect.

 

I did not grow up in a very diverse environment. The high school I went to had one black student, one Indian student and maybe a dozen Hispanics, I lived in a very white community. So I don't know how I came to

This where being PC isn't an issue, it's really a non-issue,

[Doug C]

"Leroy"? Was his name really Leroy? When you orally tell the Filipino food anecdote, do you speak in dialect or do you only use that when you write the anecdote?

So this one co-worker of your ex represents the black population? I'd be willing to bet that a boorish white co-worker could have found the food's odor unpleasant and also could have offensively told your ex that, rather than showing respect by keeping her mouth shut. A boorish Latina, too. I wonder if you'd relay that story this way, "Daaeem, chica. Daht food steeenk".

 

"Girl, it's all Chinese food to me!" But it is all Chinese food to her. She is displaying her own ignorance and lack of intellectual curiosity. It has absolutely nothing to do with the color of her skin.

 

 "Ya'll used to be called Negroes, then it was Afro-American, then African-American, then black, then back to African-American. I wish y'all would pick one and just stick with it!"   Yeah, that's a hilarious exchange. Was this 'networking event' a Trump rally?

 

I could not care less that females say "mansplaining". It doesn't make me wistful for the days of "telephone, telegraph and tell-a-woman". I don't want to talk about women, or any group, in a stereotypical way. When I catch myself speaking or thinking in a biased way, I take time to self-reflect and figure out what's going on in my head.

Wow.

[lost highway]

Well... here's an olive branch: things usually get dicey when we talk about race. Even when extremely well-meaning people talk. But talk we must, with humility and a forgiving spirit.

 

The entire goal of being PC is to communicate without verbally marginalizing someone. It's a good goal.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

"Leroy"? Was his name really Leroy? When you orally tell the Filipino food anecdote, do you speak in dialect or do you only use that when you write the anecdote?

 

So this one co-worker of your ex represents the black population? I'd be willing to bet that a boorish white co-worker could have found the food's odor unpleasant and also could have offensively told your ex that, rather than showing respect by keeping her mouth shut. A boorish Latina, too. I wonder if you'd relay that story this way, "Daaeem, chica. Daht food steeenk".

 

"Girl, it's all Chinese food to me!" But it is all Chinese food to her. She is displaying her own ignorance and lack of intellectual curiosity. It has absolutely nothing to do with the color of her skin.

 

"Ya'll used to be called Negroes, then it was Afro-American, then African-American, then black, then back to African-American. I wish y'all would pick one and just stick with it!" Yeah, that's a hilarious exchange. Was this 'networking event' a Trump rally?

 

I could not care less that females say "mansplaining". It doesn't make me wistful for the days of "telephone, telegraph and tell-a-woman". I don't want to talk about women, or any group, in a stereotypical way. When I catch myself speaking or thinking in a biased way, I take time to self-reflect and figure out what's going on in my head.

 

Wow.

When I tell the anecdote orally, I only try to do the black dialect. My Filipino accent is terrible.

 

I think you may have willfully misunderstood my point, which was that even a far left liberal like me can see why so many folks are tired of falling all over themselves to avoid offending anyone. We have become a nation of namby pamby wimps.

 

As for your question about a Trump rally...I don't even know where to start with that one. I guess you think that if two white men have a conversation about race that's NOT a Black Lives Matter commercial, we must be right-wingers?

 

You don't have any idea who you're addressing here, but that was a really funny question.

 

So to reassure you of my pinko bona fides, I am a registered Dem who voted for Bernie in the primary. But I'm also not blind or deaf. Can you really not see how a white person less sensitive and empathetic than yourself might be upset that, if they are not downright apologetic for being white, they get labeled as racist? Why is it such a minefield? Every time I turn on the computer or TV I see people talking about this stuff.

[Winston Legthigh]

I think you may have willfully misunderstood my point, which was that even a far left liberal like me can see why so many folks are tired of falling all over themselves to avoid offending anyone. We have become a nation of namby pamby wimps.

 

The better response of your friend, instead of "reading the riot act" to someone he just offended, would have been "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you by the term I used. What term would you prefer?" Instead, he just tried to prove to the offendee that he wasn't offensive by pulling in a 3rd party for his opinion.

 

That's essentially what mansplaining is: "Let me explain to you why you shouldn't be offended."

 

It doesn't need to be a minefield. One-on-one communication goes a long way.

[KevinG]

To be fair the term "black school" can be seen as racist, especially in the South. It was only 50 to 60 years ago schools were segregated in the South. Thus woman may have or knows someone who was effected by that. At that time back school meant inferior. Also it appears the school is still segregated (though not by law). And African American neighborhoods are historically have a lower tax base thus worse schools. This woman felt your friend was making a comment on the school, rather than just a description, whatever his intent. The woman was in the wrong about complaining so vocally about this being racist, but your friend was wrong reading her the riot act.

 

Tip toeing around language does not make us mamby pamby or weak. People need to understand the context of what we say, we need to understand that it has an effect on people. But also just as I try my best to understand words, people who have been effected by these words have to understand the context of the person saying it.

[Winston Legthigh]

(I've seen African-Americans get huffy at being called "black" but others make fun of being called African-American, and insist on being called black, so it's hardly a homogeneous group), 

 

The part in bold is the whole point. 

 

There was a recent segment on the Samantha Bee show - where her colleague, who is black, went to a GOP/Trump convention (could have been the RNC, I don't remember), and a white woman was relaying the same frustration about being PC that you describe above - that she didn't know which term to use: African American, Black, Afro American, Negro... The reporter kindly suggested "You could ask me which term I prefer" and the woman asked her "Which term do you prefer?" And the reporter said "I like the term "Black", and then they both smiled and hugged. 

[Winston Legthigh]

The woman was in the wrong about complaining so vocally about this being racist, 

 

Why?

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Pretty sane responses here. Good job! 

 

I should know better than to try to type an anecdote on my iPhone: too abbreviated and too many details left out.

 

1) This story took place at a railway museum. The guy who told the story was the manager, and responsible for getting groups through the line quickly. He was talking one-on-one with someone else about getting these three groups outside the building through the line.

 

2) The woman was a teacher, and was not part of the original conversation. She overheard one person pointing out three groups in a conversation with another. For time purposes - and because it was common knowledge what the student population was at each school - they said, "The white school, the black school and the Asian tourists." The woman then interjected herself into this conversation and jumped all over the guy - loudly, in a way that drew attention to something no one else was hearing. She turned a private conversation into a public event, and was way out of line.

 

3) The guy didn't read her the riot act. He calmly addressed her as ma'am and then brought in a black employee, and then a Latino employee. Both of them said they saw the exact same thing: white school, black school, Asian tourists." The black and Latino guy were not likely racists, any more than the man who made the original statement. The woman was in the wrong: she dipped into a one-on-one, falsely accused someone of racism, and did it very publicly. 

 

There was a recent segment on the Samantha Bee show - where her colleague, who is black, went to a GOP/Trump convention (could have been the RNC, I don't remember), and a white woman was relaying the same frustration about being PC that you describe above - that she didn't know which term to use: African American, Black, Afro American, Negro... The reporter kindly suggested "You could ask me which term I prefer" and the woman asked her "Which term do you prefer?" And the reporter said "I like the term "Black", and then they both smiled and hugged.

 

I love Samantha Bee and Jon Stewart and all those folks as much as the next guy, but can you see how many people would think this is ridiculous? It reminds me of Principal PC on South Park, or Stephen Colbert's character saying, "I don't see race." Everyone sees it, including racial minorities. Hell, I have a hard time remembering people's names, for God's sake...I can just picture myself at a party, going, "Okay, let's see, Clara, John, and Mia prefer to be called African-American, and Dina, Jesse, Michael and Leroy prefer black." (Uh-oh, I did it again.) In the same way, no normal person would have said, "The group from Stuyvesant DeLand Elementary, the group from Phineas J. Whoopee Middle School, and the group that appears to be a contingent of tourists from the fine country of Japan."

 

I'm all for empathy, and I'm all for equal rights, and I wish our country were much more progressive. But empathy requires empathy for all sentient beings, and that includes the old, baffled person who is still trying remember if it's okay to say Afro-American or does it have to be African-American. There's a curious double standard that I think conservatives are calling out, with some justification. They're already being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, what with gay marriage, Caitlyn Jenner, etc. etc. The way to get this stuff accomplished is incrementally, not by ramming it down people's throats.

 

[Chez]

The Chicago Tribune editorial board has endorsed Gary Johnson for President.

[Winston Legthigh]

I can just picture myself at a party, going, "Okay, let's see, Clara, John, and Mia prefer to be called African-American, and Dina, Jesse, Michael and Leroy prefer black." (Uh-oh, I did it again.) 

You and I both know you're not going to a party where this scenario would play out.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

You and I both know you're not going to a party where this scenario would play out.

Is that because of my poor memory, or are you assuming I don't have any black friends?

[Winston Legthigh]

Is that because of my poor memory, or are you assuming I don't have any black friends?

Probably a little of both? You just made up those names though, right?

 

If you do have black friends, you probably take due care in not offending them, and know what their racial hot buttons are?

 

Full disclosure: I'm not completely PC myself: Here's a story for you. In a tasteless way, (and I blame my mom, who is where I get the term from) I used to call those cheap 5 for $1 grocery store Ramen kits: "chinky soup" (no need for anyone here to lecture me - I know it's wrong and offensive). One day, in the grocery store, my wife and I split up to get things done faster. I'm in one aisle, she's in the next. She calls out "Hon! I can't find the Chinky Soup!!" I turn white and run to her aisle, giving her the "No no no no no DON'T SAY THAT" gesture. She had never heard the term before, so had no idea that it was a racial slur. (I was incredulous too). She was livid with me for not prepping her. 

[Mr. Heartbreak]

See, now, that story is hilarious, right? Unless you're Asian. Then maybe you have a sense of humor about it, but maybe not.

 

To answer your question: sure, I made those names up on the spur of the moment. I don't have that many black friends. (After all, I'm on a Wilco board, and what could be whiter than a Wilco concert? A: Via Chicago.) 

 

That was more like a scenario that could have played out during one of the campaigns when I was volunteering for Obama. But if you're on my Facebook, you'll see a veritable Rainbow Coalition of white, Asian, Latino and black friends.

 

However - and this goes back to my point - I haven't had to worry about racial hot buttons with some of them, because, again, they are not a homogeneous group. I think of a guy I befriended long ago, a guy from Michigan with a PhD named Kevin (a pretty race-neutral name). We met at a gathering, exchanged numbers, and then he called me. I think he was the only black dude at the event, but not sure. Anyhow, I was trying to figure out which person he was, but didn't want to go with "Are you the black guy?" So I asked him what he looked like. He said, "Oh, I'm African-American." Boom, problem solved. I can't help but think that another person in his spot might not have helped me out, if you see what I mean. But he was not a humorless person with a chip on his shoulder.

 

My friend Marva broke my balls big-time when I tried to ask her about her "black vs. Af/Am" preference. Pretty sure she preferred "black" but that was a while ago. Never came up again.

 

I think my larger point was that people need to chill out a little about this stuff, and have at least a modicum of empathy for the baffled oldsters. By the way, prefer not to be referred to as either white or Caucasian American. I prefer "sir." 

[John Smith]

If you are at a party with these people, who I assume you know, why not just use their names?

 

Not to change the subject or anything, but...boy oh boy Trump sure does know how to use Twitter.

[Doug C]

When I tell the anecdote orally, I only try to do the black dialect. My Filipino accent is terrible.

 

I think you may have willfully misunderstood my point, which was that even a far left liberal like me can see why so many folks are tired of falling all over themselves to avoid offending anyone. We have become a nation of namby pamby wimps.

 

As for your question about a Trump rally...I don't even know where to start with that one. I guess you think that if two white men have a conversation about race that's NOT a Black Lives Matter commercial, we must be right-wingers?

 

You don't have any idea who you're addressing here, but that was a really funny question.

 

So to reassure you of my pinko bona fides, I am a registered Dem who voted for Bernie in the primary. But I'm also not blind or deaf. Can you really not see how a white person less sensitive and empathetic than yourself might be upset that, if they are not downright apologetic for being white, they get labeled as racist? Why is it such a minefield? Every time I turn on the computer or TV I see people talking about this stuff.

Sigh.

 

I easily took your point about "and I can see why older, not-that-sensitive people are just like, "Oh, fuck all this. Just call a spade a spade." ". I, too, "can see why so many folks are tired of falling all over themselves to avoid offending anyone.". It's because they don't truly care if they offend anyone. Times change, meaning societal norms and mores change. If someone is unwilling to change, fine, but they can't get upset if others react accordingly. 

 

The thing is, you made other points. Those were the ones that I was addressing.

 

If you truly tell that "food" story and use dialect, thinking about how that sounds to many people and whether or not you want to be thought of as someone that speaks in that manner could be a worthwhile exercise. What is the reason for using dialect other than to make sure the ethnicity/culture of the person is clearly conveyed? No need to even say "black". Just say some thick arse insulted my ex's Filipino food and the dumb ass called it Chinese.

 

If you actually laughed at ""Ya'll used to be called Negroes, then it was Afro-American, then African-American, then black, then back to African-American. I wish y'all would pick one and just stick with it!", thinking about why you found it funny and whether or not you want to thought of as someone finding it hilarious could also be a worthwhile exercise..

 

You said, "...Spanish people, er, Hispanics, er, Latinos,", but also said this (as a criticism of the food critic), "Basically, all Asian people are Chinese, I guess.".Reflect on that and draw your own conclusions.

 

You addressed some of my comments, but not all. I respectfully ask again, was the gentleman's name actually "Leroy"? If your ex had told you the same story but it was a Latina, would you relay the anecdote using dialect? Any response to this: " "Girl, it's all Chinese food to me!" But it is all Chinese food to her. She is displaying her own ignorance and lack of intellectual curiosity. It has absolutely nothing to do with the color of her skin."

 

"You don't have any idea who you're addressing here," Well!

 

I have no interest in your "pinko bona fides". Though you didn't explicitly say it, I think that you may believe that I implied you are racist. I do not think that you are. I think that you are human. Therefore, your mind, like mine, is constantly looking for patterns, because nature is all about patterns, so that we can organize and understand the world. It's just that ethnic/cultural/racial group members don't fit easy patterns, meaning we often make errors. It is our duty, as people wanting others to feel comfortable and to be treated with respect, to do our best to recognize fallacious patterns and the inaccurate beliefs based on them. 

 

I'm no saint. I live in a majority black neighborhood and have taught at a minority white school (about 50% black, about 30% Latino/Latina, next Asians of various cultures/ethnic groups, then whites) most of my 31 years. I sometimes catch myself stereotyping, as I try to be on guard for it. When I do, I find time to reflect on it and realize that's it's that particular individual(s) due to their specific life experience behaving that way, it isn't indicative of their "group". One of my life goals in general, and teaching goals, specifically, is to never hurt anyone's feelings, if I can avoid it. Understanding what might possibly be offensive to someone is critical to fulfilling this goal. Am I perfect at it? Of course not, I still on occasion in weak moments, hurt others feelings. Fortunately, only family or friends, rarely strangers or students. It doesn't matter whether or not we find something offensive, what matters is that we understand that others could be offended, so we avoid those words and deeds. It's a fluid process and I'm doing my best. I hope that we all are.

 

Thank you for reading. Wilco!

[Winston Legthigh]

See, now, that story is hilarious, right? Unless you're Asian. Then maybe you have a sense of humor about it, but maybe not.

Yes, but the difference is that I would fully expect to be reprimanded about my casual racism, and I would not get defensive, or tell the potential offendee to "lighten up and take a joke."

[Mr. Heartbreak]

If you truly tell that "food" story and use dialect, thinking about how that sounds to many people and whether or not you want to be thought of as someone that speaks in that manner could be a worthwhile exercise. What is the reason for using dialect other than to make sure the ethnicity/culture of the person is clearly conveyed? No need to even say "black". Just say some thick arse insulted my ex's Filipino food and the dumb ass called it Chinese.

 

If you actually laughed at ""Ya'll used to be called Negroes, then it was Afro-American, then African-American, then black, then back to African-American. I wish y'all would pick one and just stick with it!", thinking about why you found it funny and whether or not you want to thought of as someone finding it hilarious could also be a worthwhile exercise..

 

You said, "...Spanish people, er, Hispanics, er, Latinos,", but also said this (as a criticism of the food critic), "Basically, all Asian people are Chinese, I guess.".Reflect on that and draw your own conclusions.

 

You addressed some of my comments, but not all. I respectfully ask again, was the gentleman's name actually "Leroy"? If your ex had told you the same story but it was a Latina, would you relay the anecdote using dialect? Any response to this: " "Girl, it's all Chinese food to me!" But it is all Chinese food to her. She is displaying her own ignorance and lack of intellectual curiosity. It has absolutely nothing to do with the color of her skin."

 

"You don't have any idea who you're addressing here," Well!

 

I have no interest in your "pinko bona fides". Though you didn't explicitly say it, I think that you may believe that I implied you are racist. I do not think that you are. I think that you are human. Therefore, your mind, like mine, is constantly looking for patterns, because nature is all about patterns, so that we can organize and understand the world. It's just that ethnic/cultural/racial group members don't fit easy patterns, meaning we often make errors. It is our duty, as people wanting others to feel comfortable and to be treated with respect, to do our best to recognize fallacious patterns and the inaccurate beliefs based on them. 

 

I'm no saint. I live in a majority black neighborhood and have taught at a minority white school (about 50% black, about 30% Latino/Latina, next Asians of various cultures/ethnic groups, then whites) most of my 31 years. I sometimes catch myself stereotyping, as I try to be on guard for it. When I do, I find time to reflect on it and realize that's it's that particular individual(s) due to their specific life experience behaving that way, it isn't indicative of their "group". One of my life goals in general, and teaching goals, specifically, is to never hurt anyone's feelings, if I can avoid it. Understanding what might possibly be offensive to someone is critical to fulfilling this goal. Am I perfect at it? Of course not, I still on occasion in weak moments, hurt others feelings. Fortunately, only family or friends, rarely strangers or students. It doesn't matter whether or not we find something offensive, what matters is that we understand that others could be offended, so we avoid those words and deeds. It's a fluid process and I'm doing my best. I hope that we all are.

 

Thank you for reading. Wilco!

 

I made use of dialect for a specific purpose: I'm a pro writer and I wanted to make the post as easy to read as quickly as possible. And, as Frank Zappa once noted, there are plenty of ethnic groups who have certain characteristics, and those characteristics are generally made fun of by other ethnic groups. It was an illustration - a single anecdote - of a person who is black and had little racial sensitivity toward Asian people. That was about my ex, who was Asian, and I could tell many, many similar stories of my current wife (also Asian, though a different nationality) and the poor treatment she has received from African-American clients.

 

The fact is, there is racism among all people: there are black people who are racist toward white people, which you have surely noticed in your work, and there are people in Mexico who are bigoted toward Guatemalan people, there are Indian people who hate the Chinese, and on and on. Racism is hardly limited to white folks. It's pervasive across cultures throughout the world.

 

As for my Latino/Hispanic comment, I was trying to convey that there are issues there, too. Again, not at all a homogenous group!

 

Your goal of never wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, while admirable, is a pretty tough road to hoe. Good luck with it! I don't purposefully set out to hurt someone's feelings, but I don't want to live in a world where I have to be hyper vigilant about everything I say or do. I could never write fiction and live that way.

 

Oh, and asking if I was at a Trump rally...that actually is the closest anyone has ever been to calling me a racist. Lol Man, would I be uncomfortable at a Trump event...

 

I wish I had more time for this today, but I've got too much work...the main reason I haven't posted on VC much lately in general. Been fun, cats. Stay cool.

Yes, but the difference is that I would fully expect to be reprimanded about my casual racism, and I would not get defensive, or tell the potential offendee to "lighten up and take a joke."

I don't actually tell people to lighten up, but sometimes I think it.

[Doug C]

I made use of dialect for a specific purpose: I'm a pro writer and I wanted to make the post as easy to read as quickly as possible. And, as Frank Zappa once noted, there are plenty of ethnic groups who have certain characteristics, and those characteristics are generally made fun of by other ethnic groups. It was an illustration - a single anecdote - of a person who is black and had little racial sensitivity toward Asian people. That was about my ex, who was Asian, and I could tell many, many similar stories of my current wife (also Asian, though a different nationality) and the poor treatment she has received from African-American clients.

 

The fact is, there is racism among all people: there are black people who are racist toward white people, which you have surely noticed in your work, and there are people in Mexico who are bigoted toward Guatemalan people, there are Indian people who hate the Chinese, and on and on. Racism is hardly limited to white folks. It's pervasive across cultures throughout the world.

 

As for my Latino/Hispanic comment, I was trying to convey that there are issues there, too. Again, not at all a homogenous group!

 

Your goal of never wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, while admirable, is a pretty tough road to hoe. Good luck with it! I don't purposefully set out to hurt someone's feelings, but I don't want to live in a world where I have to be hyper vigilant about everything I say or do. I could never write fiction and live that way.

 

Oh, and asking if I was at a Trump rally...that actually is the closest anyone has ever been to calling me a racist. Lol Man, would I be uncomfortable at a Trump event...

 

 

"Damn, girl, that food stank!"

"It's good," says the ex. "It's Filipino."

"I like Chinese food, but that don't smell like no Chinese food I ever had."

"It's not Chinese, it's Filipino," repeats the ex.

"Girl, it's all Chinese food to me!"

 

"Damn, girl, that food stinks". "It's good," says the ex. I don't like Chinese food, but that doesn't smell like any Chinese food I ever had." "It's not Chinese, it's Filipino," repeats the ex. "Girl, it's all Chinese food to me!"

 

I'm not a "pro writer" but which was easier to read and quickly as possible? Discounting the vertical vs. horizontal organization, of course.

 

I honestly have not noticed racism toward me from non-white students. I'm certain some of them have biases re whites, but nothing overt. Also, I like to think that my students and I all grow as people due to being exposed to one another.

 

I don't look to Frank Zappa and his anecdotal evidence when deciding how to relate to others.

 

I'm not hyper-vigilant. It's easy to not offend, if you don't want to offend.

 

If "Leroy" wasn't his name, and/or you couldn't remember it, why choose Leroy?

 

Respectfully, it could be a worthwhile exercise thinking about those previously mentioned things. If having difficulty seeing it differently, research 'confirmation bias'.