Letters to the Editor
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what about *this* forum?
yes, this one. true, it isn't regulated by the FCC, but that's about it. it's free, accessible and speech. furthermore while media conglomerates have different pressure points, Ms Walsh actually *listens* to us. how about offenders? should posts be deleted automatically or should some words be "bleeped". if an offender is warned "x" times should he or she be banned? (fired). the cost to salon would be considerable but could be met by a surcharge on Premium, which would then be the only ones allowed to post. finally, words themselves vary depending on how they are used (academically, humorously(not to all!), context, tone and the hearer's experience). for instance, "Jew!" rarely has epithets, no one *uses* "kike" or "sheeny" or any of the old forms. "Jew!" appears sufficient to convey all the venom necessary. efficient. the british, consistent with their libel laws have developed "sneer" to a high art - if you like such. i prefer american blunt myself. black folks have a different history. because of their incredible creativity in poetic speech, synonyms have always come and gone. going from descriptive to pejorative in a short space of time. Negro was once dignified, colored was once descriptive. i myself try and find the most neutral, "black" which has the advantage for me of coming from a more hopeful time. nowadays i like to say, "the black community" (even though there's not much of one any more) or "black folks" which is more homey. about the words, used, as anyone who's read my myriad posts will know, i find j* *really* offensive since i associate it with Klan types. "ho" is a word never used in this house (and my kids have the same filthy mouths as anyone these days) but we just don't use it. so it's relegated to "other folks" speech - gangstas, thugs. perhaps if i didn't shout "turn it down!" so much and listened more, i'd hear it. but i don't and we don't. "nappy" i find really offensive. why? unlike most white men, i've *seen* the torture little black girls go through with their hair (not mine, she has "good" hair). the comb is an instrument of torture. and it goes on from there. black women have to pay *so* much to get their hair straightened and plaited - and avoid the rain at all costs. and then there's tyra banks. it *hurts* me to see her blonde her hair. it all smacks of self-disgust to me - and i LOVE them (my wife, step and daughter). but unfortunately it's NECESSARY! i have three kids, the girl has hair like a greek. no problem. the older boy has curly hair (diameter about a half inch) again no problem, the youngest has kinky hair. it's soft (i have fine hair) but it's definitely african - and he gets all sort of shit. maybe it's the HAIR? while i'm at it, there's a type of *face* that gets "no respect". there's "orthognathous", straight from eyebrow to chin, jesse jackson and "prognathous" with the jaw jutting out, like that guy JJ on Good Times (jimmy walker) http://www.dynomitejj.com/front.html "prognathous" just doesn't get a break! why should, for heavens sake, face *shape* mean anything! still it does. hopeful signs: when my kid, now 20, was in high school a mexican guy said "a jew AND a black! man you *really* are fucked!" - meant kindly, and taken so. "Suntzu5", Imus doesn't pay his own salary, he can't tell the media to "shove off from day one". he's a bird in a gilded cage. the only ones in the U.S. who truly have free speech are US!