on race and name-calling

warning: some of you may be offended by certain words in the following article, but that's entirely relevant to the point.

local malcontent clarifies issues about the usage of racially-specific terms:

Let's get this ugly matrix of language out into the open OK?

Overall, it seems to me that to be called a 'racial-specific' name like "Chief" or "Nigger" or "Homeboy" very deeply depends upon the level of friendship between the two or more persons involved. If a stranger were to call me "Chief", I'd become alert for any other language he/she used, and whether that other language was friendly or not. While my close friends of any race do not call me 'Chief', if they were to do so, I'd not let it go as a racial insult, unless that type of stuff continued, and became annoying to me. In rap music, some rappers use the other term mentioned above regularly to unknown fans, and I have heard that term used without insult among black friends, all who know each other well. However, that other term is generally used as a self-identifier, to say "I'm cool, I'm down widya", for acceptance within that racial group. The very same way that the terms "Heyyah" and "Yahhay", within Indian circles are used - one of those is friendly, I'll just say.

That is the personal, the intimate viewpoint I have: On the personal, friendly, wannabe level.
On a somewhat larger scale, but still one which remains within one's own racial identity, some terms of racial identification are intended as direct terms of derision, merely to single out someone who is considered to be anti-social or unliked by the speaker, to influence others within that race to feel the same way: "The drunk Indian, the ho, that spic, just a Pollack, the damn Jew, etc." These identifiers are never heard by the person being referenced; they are a racial slur then, SIMPLY BY DRAWING A RACIAL EPITHETS with these words, in describing another person.

On a grander, but still a general level, there are terms which are undeniably insulting to members of each race. Need I list some of them?

How about "Cracker"? How about "Whitebread"? How about "Blanketass"? How about "Sambo"? How about "Chink"? How about "Wetback"? How about "Tarbaby"? How about "Papoose"? How about "Towelhead"? How about "Camel jockey"? Ever been called any of those terms, yourself?

All offensive, and all wrong to be said by anyone who claims to have a shred of decency about themselves.

On that same level of the matrix of racism / identifiers, and as a Conservative American, I would add this - It Is Wrong, It Is Divisive to categorize any group or any individual living here in our American Stew, as a HYPHENATED-AMERICAN. It is nothing more than another attempt to divide our people, and It Is Wrong.

I am friends with African-Americans who have never ever been to Africa, Jews who've never been to Israel, a German-American woman who has never even wanted to visit Germany~! - Not to mention all the Italian-Americans, the Brazilian-Americans, Japanese-Americans, Mexican-Americans,,,, who themselves DO NOT SELF IDENTIFY AS THAT, yet must endure being categorized as that, by others. Or be catagorized as worse-.

This too, is wrong, is an attempt by someone somewhere to try and divide ALL OF US AMERICANS.

**I told Don in my email to him, that I hate the term "Native American"; and I do. What can be more separating, more divisive among real, red-blooded Americans than some group being better than other equals by being termed "Native"?!! Where were you born - in any American state or territory? Well, welcome to the world of being a "Native American". That is all that term should mean.

And again speaking personally, on the subject of all the uproar and the offense on sports teams being named after Indians, like the Cleveland Indians, the Florida State Univ. Seminoles, the Fighting Illini, the Chicago Blackhawks, (my gosh~!) the Atlanta Braves or the Kansas City Chiefs - Why don't you people get a life, and cease being so easily offended? None of those teams represent YOU - otherwise, they'd be called the Pathetic Washington Crybabies of the NFL. Instead, they represent the warrior, the aggressive, the fighting winner and strong spirit of us INDIANS, and essentially of Us All Americans, fools.

If you are a friend of mine, call me "Chief", and we will both smile, and have a good laugh... Together.