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Subject:Re: Origin of PC terms From:Matt Ion <mion -at- DIRECT -dot- CA> Date:Thu, 8 Jun 1995 15:25:58 EDT
On Thu, 8 Jun 1995 08:48:00 -0400 you wrote:
>I remember reading once that there is an evolutionary process for such names.
>A new name comes into being because the old name has too many negative
>connotations. Then, after some time, the new name starts to take on all
>the negative connotations that the old one had, and the cycle starts again.
Sounds about right, really. It's a pointless pursuit. No matter terms you
use, SOMEone will find it offensive, derive some negative connotations from
it, or in some manner decide that it's "improper".
I had a friend once (he prefered to be "black") who really ripped into someone
who called him "African-American".
"First," he says, "I am Canadian. Secondly, I'm from Jamaica."
>I agree with Rose W. that we should endeavor to call people by
>whatever name they choose; I'm just suggesting where those names
>might have come from, as a point of interest.
Nine times out of ten, when you ask a REAL person that would normally be
saddled with some "PC?" moniker, which term they'd prefer, they'll look
confused and respond with, "Gee, I never really thought about it."
At least, that's been my experience.
As one friend of mine says, "Call me what you want. If I don't like it, I'll
tell you fuck to off. It that easy."
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