Date:  Mon, 7 Apr 1997 17:57:15 -0500
From:  Mark Mandel <Mark[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]DRAGONSYS.COM>
Subject: cracker and white trash -Reply

>>> Miriam Meyers <MMEYERS[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MSUS1.MSUS.EDU> 0407.1712 >>>
    [...]
But white trash is right down there with nigger; they are two words that
I cringe when I hear. It's based on experience of seeing the
wretchedness of some people who are called that and of sensing how it
must feel to be regarded as trash. This isn't linguistics, maybe, but it's
part of my code: I object to calling any human being trash.
<<<

Amen!
Understanding how a word is used and what social freight it carries
absolutely IS a legitimate part of linguistics.
And appreciating that knowledge and incorporating it into one's life is part
of being a mensch.

    Mark A. Mandel : Senior Linguist : mark[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]dragonsys.com
  Dragon Systems, Inc. : speech recognition : +1 617 965-5200
 320 Nevada St., Newton, MA 02160, USA : http://www.dragonsys.com/
      Personal home page: http://world.std.com/~mam/