[78-L] Race observations

[DAVID BURNHAM]

The sad and harsh reality is the simple fact that in the US Of A, A LOT
(not necessarily "everything"...but very close to it...?!) hinges on the 
"race"
of individuals...! Up here in Canada, this isn't as blatant or obvious...but
it STILL exists...! Oddly enough, this is a substantial improvement
over Africa...where 99.9% of the population is Black...but one's TRIBE
can be a life & death matter (literally!!)?!

I am VERY fortunate in having had NON-racist parents (unusual, since
I was born in 1942...!). When I was a children, the "N-word" was, if
anything, WORSE than George Carlin's "Seven words...!" And this was
in spite of my father having spent 1935 to 1954 in Chicago, where I
lived and grew up until mid-1954...!

I can't admit to being SO non-racist that I don't notice the race of the
folks I see and meet...but at least I am so non-racist that it is NOT an
issue for me! In fact, as a would-be "bluesman" (artist & songwriter),
I basically HAVE to avoid racist actions...in fact, one of my favourite
memories is having been invited onstage by Billy Branch (noted Black
harmonicist & bluesman) at Artis' Tap...a blues joint on E. 95th Street
in Chicago with a 99.9% Black clientele...and being complimented
on my blues skills by folks in the audience!

Comment ca va...?!

...stevenc


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I found this letter a very interesting perspective.

I was curious, however, about the "N word" being worse than the "Seven words".  I was also born in 1942 and when I was growing up I didn't even know the "Seven words" but when we recited "Eenie meenie minie moe", we never caught a tiger by the toe, I'd never even heard that version until I heard my daughter reciting it.  In the generation before ours, (Steven's and mine), the n-word seemed to be acceptable even in polite company.  It occurs twice in the 1936 recording of "Mikado", famously in "Showboat", many times in the Shilkret album of Stephen Foster and, of course, in countless "coon song" records.  To my knowledge, in none of these cases is the term used derogatorily, in fact in some cases it's used affectionately.  You might say that because I'm not Afro-American myself, that I have no right to express an opinion on how offensive this might be and I would offer no argument to that observation.  I can never experience the life of a black in a
 white community but I have found myself amongst entirely black groups of friends and had them calling me names that are the counter-parts of the n-word in that community but we were fooling around and no offense on either part was intended or felt.  

I can foresee the day when the term "gay" is going to be unacceptable.

I know there are many Jewish posters on this list and while the word "Jew" is probably how they would refer to themselves, I'm sure they've all heard that word used in an offensive context.  Sometimes I believe there is too much emphasis put on a word and too little on the genuine feelings between groups in society.  A couple of decades ago, the term "frog" was introduced as an derogatory term for Quebecers but instead of being offended by it, they ran with it, introducing terms such as "frog power" and it lost it's impact.  Back in the late 50s and early 60s the term "dummie" was considered politically incorrect, (although that description wasn't in use yet), but today the term has been cleared, probably because the term can no longer be used to refer to someone who is mute so it now only has one meaning, (political correctness for dummies).  You still often see plumbing connections which are called "Siamese connections", okay perhaps because there
 is no longer a country by that name.  Are we still using the term "Dutch treat" or "going Dutch"?  That word itself is offensive to some Nederlanders while others say that's what they are.  I don't know what "Indian giver" has been replaced by.

Anyway, that's my $.02 worth!

db