Date:  Tue, 18 Oct 1994 21:51:45 PDT

From:  John Baugh <John.Baugh[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]STANFORD.BITNET>

Subject: offending idiot



[7606] TUE 10/18/94 21:23 FROM John.Baugh "John Baugh": OFFENDING IDIOT;

    43 LINES



ADSers:



I read Chuck Coker's politically correct remarks concerning his

sense of personal loss at the desecration of his grandparent's dog's

burial site. Salikoko has raised many of the points that I wanted

to raise, but I have three personal observations as an African

American:



1) Were Coker's grandparents recipients of affirmative action, and

were African Americans fairly or equally employed when those dams

were built?



2) In the 60's when I was a boy scout,in a racially integrated scout

troop, several of my fellow scouts (who happened to be white) would

often dare groups of older boys(who would be white) to call me a

nigger == because they knew that I would fight any and all comers

who flaunted racial taunts. I still carry physical scars that

resulted from those fights. One of the white boys that I fought told

me of the betrayal of my fellow scouts (all of whom claimed not to

be racist).



3) Since then it has been my experience that racists are usually the

first to claim that "I'm not racist."



PS: As a general rule, members of oppressed groups (or formerly

oprressed groups) may use terms that might otherwise be offensive to

members of that group;

that is, as long as it is used in the proper context by another bona

fide member of that same group. I don't doubt that Dr.Coker saw some





African Americans refering to fellow Blacks as "Nigger." Indeed (as

Sali observed) there are pragmatic constraints on these norms.



When non-members of the group begin to toss around offensive and

derogatory terms (which seems to be the politically correct trend)

is when sparks (or worse) may fly.



  I regret that I haven't followed this discussion more closely,

but as I read Prof. Coker's remarks I was reminded of the term

"white trash" and "peckerwood" as other offensive idioms. Again, I

suspect that I am covering old territory.





In the meantime I look forward to seeing a lot of y'all when you

come to town for NWAV. All best, John Baugh





















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