strathspey@strathspey.org:11740

harvey

re: Whistling Rufus

April 22, 1998, 10:03 p.m. (Message 11740, in reply to message 11689)

>>So...it appears that this list now has self-appointed censors.

No. Censorship is when someone in power prevents access. In this case,
someone sent a request to a peer who was free to ignore that
request. There is no "freedom of speech" issue here.

With respect to the several notes that, in a general fashion, raised
the question "Why are people so sensitive?", it is usually the case
that the people at the top of the heap (class, ethnic struggle)
don't understand the complaints of those below. :) I suggest,
therefore, that we not ask anyone to prove why or how they find a
certain phrase hurtful, but instead accept their statements as
evidence that they do.

Once we accept that these feelings exist (instead of trying to
convince people that their feelings are not the right ones) then we
still have to make a *choice* about whether, and how much, to consider
those feelings. This choice is our right.

To approach the issue more directly, I do not see how use of the "N"
word on Strathspey is going to help race relations in the U.S.  If you
think it will help, I suggest you find some African-Americans and ask
them. And if you don't find many in your community, maybe that is a
clue.

What's in a name? Jesse Jackson, who seems as good a barometer as any,
is currently using both Black and African-American to describe his
community. It is not mine to question why, any more than I would
question the rights of any group to determine what they call
themselves. Witness the "white" Americans who got up in arms at being
labelled "Caucasian" on the census forms (whiteys can now
choose). What we choose to call others' groups is a matter of
respect. I choose not to worry about the preferred title of the fan
club of the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, for example. :)

Terry