Subject:
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Re: WTB Train Parts
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sat, 31 Jul 1999 21:54:59 GMT
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Reply-To:
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lpieniazek@novera.STOPSPAMMERScom
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Viewed:
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426 times
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Insulting is an art form. One needs to choose the proper sized brush.
This is an example of unintended splatter, I think.
In market.buy-sell-trade Mike Poindexter wrote:
> Larry Pieniazek <lar@voyager.net> wrote:
> > Mike Poindexter wrote:
> >
> > > Well, that is mighty white of you.
> >
> > I find that statement racist and highly offensive. Just thought you
> > might want to know. Certainly you're not constrained from using it, but
> > it is important to realise that other people share my view as well, so
> > you may want to consider that. No one has the right not to be offended,
> > of course, but were I someone that wanted something as badly as you say
> > you do, I'd be careful of who I offended.
>
>
> As for the statement "mighty white of you," it would be offensive to anyone it
> is directed at, as it usually points out poor behavior. I have never seen
> anybody actually take it as a racist slur.
If you'd said "that is mighty generous of you", it would be offensive in
an acceptable way, in context... that is, you'd be insulting me and me
alone, and that would be fine, after all, we're sparring.
But when you say "that is mighty white of you" it is racist and
insulting to more than just me, because there is an implication there
that to be nonwhite is to not be generous, or to not be <whatever
characteristic you're (using sarcasm) accusing me of not having>.
Another example:
Were I tofeel like insulting all non christians, not just the person
(christian or not) that I need to insult, in similar circumstances,
where someone was not being forgiving or charitable, I would say "that
is mighty christian of you" for the same effect. But I know I would be
insulting non christians when I do so.
Did you mean to insult all non whites, or did you truly not know what it
implies when you said it? This is really a curiousity question, not a
slam, and I am also curious as to whether others see this distinction.
To me it is very clear that to say "mighty white of you" is to insult
non whites.
--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ Member ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to
lugnet.
NOTE: I have left CTP, effective 18 June 99, and my CTP email
will not work after then. Please switch to my Novera ID.
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: WTB Train Parts
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| Larry, I think this may be a misunderstanding based on differences in meanings of phrases. Either one of us doesn't know the true definition or the definition has changed in different locales. When one is generosity is described as "being mighty (...) (25 years ago, 1-Aug-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: WTB Train Parts
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| Larry Pieniazek <lar@voyager.net> wrote in message news:<37A31290.13E5B...er.net>... (...) As for the statement "mighty white of you," it would be offensive to anyone it is directed at, as it usually points out poor behavior. I have never seen (...) (25 years ago, 31-Jul-99, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade)
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