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Path: utzoo!utcsrgv!utcsstat!laura
From: laura@utcsstat.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Genderfree terms in language.
Message-ID: <887@utcsstat.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 16-Aug-83 13:09:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsstat.887
Posted: Tue Aug 16 13:09:57 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 16-Aug-83 22:14:15 EDT
References: <1967@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Organization: U. of Toronto, Canada
Lines: 33

i believe that i could make a case for the 'proof' that words such as
'nigger' and 'kike' promote discrimination. 'Nigger', for instance,
was (and sadly still is) a word that was used by certain people who
were (and some still are) opposed to the emancipation of Blacks,
often as an invective, and had association and hence connotations with 
slavery.

Clearly, not *everyone* used it for this purpose. Indeed, I have 2
friends, one of whom is Black and the other who is a White Jew.
they routinely address each other as 'you cheap kike' and 'you
nigger, you'. Since their relationship is, in part, based upon their
mutual belief that the world is out to get them, this may even strengthen
their relationship.

This is not the point. 'Nigger' as it is commonly used in North Carolina
(about the only area in the Southern US with which I have any familiarity)
with the possible excpetion of Chapel Hill which is reputed to be very
different from the rest of North Carolina, is obviously derrogatory,
and is used to express hatred.

Which brings us back to 'sexist language'. Most people who insist on
using 'correct' English, are interested in using correct English. I
see no evidence that they are interested in promoting hatred for
women, or a belief in their inferiority, or slavery, or any of the
numerous rotten things one can say that people who use 'Nigger' feel
routinely for Blacks. the parellel drawn is thus very tenuous indeed.

laura creighton
utcsstat!laura

ps to the curious. 7 people have sent me polite letters agreeing with
	me. 4 people have sent me polite letters disagreeing with me.
	42 people have sent me hate mail...and $MAIL continues to grow.