[Vision2020] buffalo

[hayfields at moscow.com]

Why does the joke have to be associated with a race, gender, creed... 
whatever?  If the joke just isn't funny if you can't tell it without 
associating it with a race, creed, gender... maybe that joke isn't funny, 
just offensive.   As far as I could tell MH wasn't quibbling about the 
word Indian but about the racial stereotype. Maybe Indian wasn't the 
preferred term, but from my point of view it was the least offensive part 
of the joke.  Again, why not just apologize and try to do better next 
time.  
I always get concerned when people use the term "politically correct" as 
a scapegoat for not trying to think about what we say.  To say that it is 
just too hard to remain "politically correct" is to give up on the idea 
that we should all be working every day to grant to our fellow humans the 
dignity and respect they deserve. And it has nothing to do with 
being "politically correct".  That term in and of itself implies that we 
are only doing it because someday it might cause us problems, not becuase 
we actually care.  And I am sure that nothing could be further from the 
truth.

Geez, maybe I will have to follow Joan's example and start my own church, 
sorry for the sermon!
Heather Jordan.  


When we make a mistake, we can always apologize and thank the person who 
corrected us, they have just done us a great service.

What is so hard about that?  
> let me explain (some)... As a child African Americans were called a lot 
of
> things - racist YES and I hate that (I grew up in the 50s and 60s) I 
never
> bought into the slang but the politically correct word if I remember 
right
> was Negro. As I got older the phrase changed to black and then African
> American. Maybe there was another one in there someplace.
> Native Americans ... the same.
> SOOOO
> I HAVE to think hard before I speak to figure out which word is the 
right
> one these days. I've had to learn and unlearn several and my old brain 
is
> not retaining like it used to. I never want to offend people but I hate 
that
> I have to walk on eggshells hoping I chose the right phrase. If I didn't
> care, it wouldn't matter.
> Maybe you all are young enough to not have these same types of problems.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: hayfields at moscow.com [mailto:hayfields at moscow.com]
> Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2005 8:07 PM
> To: lujane at lataheagle.com; lfalen at turbonet.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: RE: [Vision2020] buffalo
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't that an interesting statement.
>   "everything almost these days is racist or politically incorrect.
> Difficult  to even talk these days with breaking egg shells."
> 
> I find that if one thinks before one speaks (or types) it isn't hard at
> all.  I find it amazing that people throw around that 
phrase "politically
> incorrect", when what they mean is :it was so much easier when we didn't
> have to think about how our words can impact others.  When minority
> groups just ignored all the racist, thoughtless things that leak out of
> our mouths.
> Forget the 'politically incorrect' stuff.  Thats just a smokescreen. How
> about just showing compassion and bestowing dignity on every person? And
> when we mess up and do say something stupid, (and we all do) why not
> acknowledge our mistake and just apologize.  "I'm sorry and it won't
> happen again, thank you for letting me know." Wow what a concept.
> 
> Heather Jordan
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
> > [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of lfalen
> > Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2005 4:19 PM
> > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> > Subject: [Vision2020] buffalo
> >
> >
> > Re: Melynda Huskey's comment. It never occurred to me that the joke
> might be
> > taken as racist. It was a joke on upper management. I think you are a
> little
> > thin skinned. I hve some Indian blood and it did not even cross my 
mind
> that
> > it might be taken as racist.
> >
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> 
> 
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