Public Apology Re-instated

"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
...
Actually, Barry, It's the first sentence of a rant by Lenny Bruce about
the stupidity, and the dangers, of people who are offended by words.

The rant was toned down, shortened, and "hollywoodized" in the movie
"Lenny"

snip Lenny Bruce screenplay quote

Nice sentiment, but it just doesn't work that way. It isn't the word
itself - those two syllables can be repeated until they are nonsense sounds.
It's the intent behind some people's vocalization of the word. The hatred,
prejudice, and/or fear could be spoken as any two syllables and still have
the power to hurt. My objection to hearing *anyone* say that word is that
it gives credence to others who want to be "hip, kewl, with it, whatever" to
keep in usage a word that symbolizes everything that is nasty and dispicable
in the underbelly of our human psyche.

Hugs,

CatNipped

On Tue, 12 Dec 2006, CatNipped wrote:

"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
...
Actually, Barry, It's the first sentence of a rant by Lenny Bruce about
the stupidity, and the dangers, of people who are offended by words.

The rant was toned down, shortened, and "hollywoodized" in the movie
"Lenny"

snip Lenny Bruce screenplay quote

Nice sentiment, but it just doesn't work that way. It isn't the word
itself - those two syllables can be repeated until they are nonsense sounds.
It's the intent behind some people's vocalization of the word. The hatred,
prejudice, and/or fear could be spoken as any two syllables and still have
the power to hurt. My objection to hearing *anyone* say that word is that
it gives credence to others who want to be "hip, kewl, with it, whatever" to
keep in usage a word that symbolizes everything that is nasty and dispicable
in the underbelly of our human psyche.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Yes, I agree. The word has a history of hatred behind it. Can't remember
where the quote comes from -- but "Words are like weapons." I think we
should all be offended by words that symbolize hatred and ignorance.

Eva

on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:22:42 GMT, Eva Quesnell wrote:

Yes, I agree. The word has a history of hatred behind it. Can't
remember where the quote comes from -- but "Words are like weapons."
I think we should all be offended by words that symbolize hatred and
ignorance.

I respectfully disagree. Words only have the power we allow them to have.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

On Tue, 12 Dec 2006, Lynne wrote:

on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:22:42 GMT, Eva Quesnell wrote:

Yes, I agree. The word has a history of hatred behind it. Can't
remember where the quote comes from -- but "Words are like weapons."
I think we should all be offended by words that symbolize hatred and
ignorance.

I respectfully disagree. Words only have the power we allow them to have.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

And I must also respectfully disagree. "The pen is mightier than the
sword." Words are powerful.

Eva

In article ,
Lynne wrote:

Words only have the power we allow them to have.

Heh. Sticks and stones, huh?

That's entirely suitable for bumper stickers and basic moral lessons for
kids. But it is much less effective in real communication.

Words do not exist in a vacuum. Context is important, maybe crucial.
Words are among the major tools available to people to set the tone of
the context.

"Eva Quesnell" wrote in message
u...
On Tue, 12 Dec 2006, CatNipped wrote:

"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
...
Actually, Barry, It's the first sentence of a rant by Lenny Bruce about
the stupidity, and the dangers, of people who are offended by words.

The rant was toned down, shortened, and "hollywoodized" in the movie
"Lenny"

snip Lenny Bruce screenplay quote

Nice sentiment, but it just doesn't work that way. It isn't the word
itself - those two syllables can be repeated until they are nonsense
sounds.
It's the intent behind some people's vocalization of the word. The
hatred,
prejudice, and/or fear could be spoken as any two syllables and still
have
the power to hurt. My objection to hearing *anyone* say that word is
that
it gives credence to others who want to be "hip, kewl, with it, whatever"
to
keep in usage a word that symbolizes everything that is nasty and
dispicable
in the underbelly of our human psyche.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Yes, I agree. The word has a history of hatred behind it. Can't remember
where the quote comes from -- but "Words are like weapons." I think we
should all be offended by words that symbolize hatred and ignorance.

Cher! ; "Words are like weapons, they wound sometimes" - from "If I Could
Turn Back Time".

Eva

wrote in message
...
In article ,
Lynne wrote:

Words only have the power we allow them to have.

Heh. Sticks and stones, huh?

That's entirely suitable for bumper stickers and basic moral lessons for
kids. But it is much less effective in real communication.

Words do not exist in a vacuum. Context is important, maybe crucial.
Words are among the major tools available to people to set the tone of
the context.

Exactly - you could call somebody a "Bolegrat" and if you have enough hate,
anger, and fear in your tone of voice and body language it will be just as
repulsive as using the "N" word.

The problem is that, after a long enough usage to hurt, the word itself will
retain some of the hate, anger, and fear that has always been associated
with it so that even if you said it with a smile on your face and a light
tone of voice, it can hurt.

The whole point is, why propagate something that represents the ugliest part
of our past (and, unfortunately our present as well)? Why not let it die
and try and to forget the hatred if not the lessons learned from such a
terrible part of our history.

Hugs,

CatNipped

CatNipped wrote in message
...
Why not let it die and try and to forget the hatred
if not the lessons learned from such a terrible part
of our history.

Because as George Santayana once coined, "Those who do not learn
from history are doomed to repeat it."

The Ranger

"Eva Quesnell" wrote
friends of mine. I believe I know the origin of the word. It is taken
from the word "niggard," a stingy person, miser (in my dictionary). So it
doesn't actually mean "black person," but the misuse of the word lead to
it being a hateful word meant to put black people in "their place." So I
see no merit to the word, and it just will never come out of my mouth.


It was taken from the Spanish "Negro" meaning black.

"The Ranger" wrote in message
...
CatNipped wrote in message
...
Why not let it die and try and to forget the hatred
if not the lessons learned from such a terrible part
of our history.

Because as George Santayana once coined, "Those who do not learn
from history are doomed to repeat it."

The Ranger

I thought that was what I was saying when I wrote "...if not the lessons
learned..." I still think it would be nice to be able to forget there ever
was such a thing as hatred - knowing that it existed as an out-dated evil
but having no idea what it feels like.

Hugs

CatNipped