Date:  Wed, 26 Oct 1994 08:07:15 PDT

From:  "CAVEMAN -- San Bernardino, Calif. USA" <cjcoker[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CSUPOMONA.EDU>

Subject: Re: Offensive terms



Just a quick note: Yestererday, my dogs got out (Rottweilers) and went

straight to a neighbor's house and started fighting with her dog through

a fence. This woman, white, I'd guess in her sixties or seventies, came

to my house, and started calling me names, "nigger" among them. I know that

I am responsible for what mu dogs do, but I found it somewhat odd that she

called me a "nigger," as I look VERY white. (This is Southern California,

BTW.) Is "nigger" becoming a generic "I hate you" term that can be used toward

anybody, regardless of their skin color? Or does this lady need her glasses

checked? It was indeed shocking to be called a "nigger." A witness to this

whole thing was my friend, Joe, who lives straight across the street from me.

Joe is VERY dark-skinned. My three-year-old and his three-year-old play

together all the time, oblivious to skin color. Anyway, when the dog thing

was over, Joe came over, and he was laughing *AT* the woman from down the

street. By hanging out with Joe, do I become an "honorary" "nigger"? The

episode immediately made me think of the thread on this list. Can white

people be "niggers" too?



Chuck Coker

CJCoker[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CSUPomona.Edu