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<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff size=2>I thought the joke was
funny. Not hilarious, but I "got" it ... it touched a nerve. I could
relate to it ... on many levels. Maybe it was because I was lead down my
own preconceived path (yes, I grew up with the Lone Ranger & Spagetti
Westerns [is that another derrogatory term?] and then the twist at the
end. Maybe it was because at the end I saw, the irony of the joke was on a
slam of white male businessmen, and as a white croatian/anglo/american male
business owner, I can relate to that. Maybe its that I've recently read
about the Nez Perce's perception of derrogation from the word "squaw" and I can
read a direct corollary with what's in the local news. Maybe it's just
some automatic chemical/neuronal/synaptic response that I have learne to control
yet. Or maybe its that I could connect with my persona of ancestral
ethnocentrism of the eastern Adriatic coastal region. What the hell
does that mean?<BR><BR>I grew up in a town (size of Moscow) with strong
subcultural ethnic roots, the us vs them. The Croations vs Italians.
It wasn't violent, it wasn't overtly nasty, it wasn't born of my generation, but
it was there. I heard words, I saw jestures, I could sense it, but what
"was" it? As I grew older my perception of <U>it</U> changed. Early
on, I couldn't put the pieces together ... why do these nice people think these
nice people are "bad"? Through normal adolescent cognitive development, I
was able to "read" what was going on. It wasn't nice vs nice, it was us vs
them. And I got older, I began to understand that us vs them is human
nature - it's been with us since ... forever. As I learn more, I can
sense when other people recognized an us vs them theme. Two sad
characteritcs of mankind: the inablity of some members to recognize our inherant
nature, and the deliberate exploition of it for injurious
intent. One funny character of mankind is that there are those that will
"play" (literally) off that very nature, and some get paid well for that
entertainment. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff size=2>Knowing the sender's intent
is primary in understanding the true meaning of the message. If
one wants to only understand oneself (personality, nationality, ethos) one will
listen only to oneself. Understanding <U>how</U> someone else is paying
the price for your entertainment, is a good start at knowing yourself. I
<U>know</U> when to use the terms cheese-head, retard, polock, dago, whop,
nigger, squaw, rag-head, Tonto to mean what I intend. But what I
intend and what others hear are not the same. Aural perception is not the
same as cognitive manipulation.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff size=2>...time-out, <FONT
color=#008080>Red</FONT> <FONT color=#ff0000>Green</FONT> is
on...................................................................................................................................
o.k., I'm back ..... I had to wait for the end to hear the Possum Lodge
prayer, "</FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff size=2>I'm a man, but I
can change, if I have to ... I guess." Ya'know, this show touches a
nerve. Some of you won't know what the hell I'm talking about. My
wife would rather watch soaps, than <FONT color=#008080>Red</FONT> <FONT
color=#ff0000>Green</FONT>. O.k., the point is that some of you will "see"
the <U>humor</U> in this, others (most) won't. But beyond that, I like the
show. (if you haven't heard of the show: <A
href="http://www.redgreen.com/">http://www.redgreen.com/</A> )</DIV>
<DIV><BR>At the end of any joke, conversation, agreement, statement, seminar,
board meeting, I read a lot into it. But maybe it's only me that reads
that into it. Ya'know, sometimes I feel just like Doug Stambler.
Fighting for my cause, knowing others are out there, but not being able to
"pull it off." Just one dollar short or just one day late. Just like
Doug, I can move on. I won't need bus fair, but I won't be back
either ... at least for five years, maybe then I'll want to live here. It
isn't a spontaneous notion, it is well planned ... at least time-frames
set. It's a matter of time either direction.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>I hope people understand this message , but I sense the futility that
most will only understand my intent, by the <U>words</U> I use or "complimentary
close" I use, rather than the concept of the email or what's in my mind. I
did snicker a little at the end of the joke, but I respectfully subsided...then
snickered a little more ... just a little... Would I have posted it on
V2020? No, that's not in my taste. LuJane - Lizzie Rules!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>...oh, and ...... ahh heck... I am tired. I'm going to bed . . . acutally
uh, I gotta go to work!<BR><BR>What the hell does that mean,<BR>Mark<BR><IMG
style="WIDTH: 226px; HEIGHT: 100px" alt=""
src="file:///G:/Images/FCS/office/fcs-logo01.jpg"
NOSEND="1"><BR><SMALL><SMALL><FONT size=2><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mark Seman</SPAN>, Architect<BR><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Heather Seman</SPAN>, Landscape
Architect<BR><STRONG></STRONG></FONT></FONT></SMALL><FONT
style="FONT-FAMILY: bradley hand itc"><SMALL><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
size=2>1404 East 'F' Street Moscow, Idaho 83843<BR><STRONG>v</STRONG>
208-883-3276 / <STRONG>f
</STRONG>208-883-0112</FONT></SMALL></FONT></SMALL><BR><BR><BR><BR><FONT
color=#000000>-----Original Message-----<BR>From:
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com<BR>[</FONT></FONT><A
href="mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=#000000 size=2>mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com</FONT></A><FONT
face="Trebuchet MS" size=2>]On Behalf Of LuJane Nisse<BR>publisher<BR>Sent:
Saturday, February 19, 2005 8:50 PM<BR>To: hayfields@moscow.com;
vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] buffalo<BR><BR><BR>well I
think the conversation got away from the "joke" per se. And more just<BR>the
changing of terms. (in my mind anyway).<BR>Giving fellow men respect goes both
ways too... if I slip and say a<BR>non-political correct term in innocent, I
should not get slammed.<BR>It seems everyone is pretty touchy.<BR>I guess you
can go into a sermon about being touchy because of past<BR>injustice. Yeah, I
get it. It isn't fun being a minority and feeling left<BR>out because of
something you really can't control.<BR><BR>ahh heck... I am tired. I'm going to
bed.<BR><BR><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: hayfields@moscow.com
[</FONT><A href="mailto:hayfields@moscow.com"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=#000000 size=2>mailto:hayfields@moscow.com</FONT></A><FONT
face="Trebuchet MS" size=2>]<BR>Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2005 8:35 PM<BR>To:
lujane@lataheagle.com; vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Subject: RE: [Vision2020]
buffalo<BR><BR><BR>Why does the joke have to be associated with a race, gender,
creed...<BR>whatever? If the joke just isn't funny if you can't tell it
without<BR>associating it with a race, creed, gender... maybe that joke isn't
funny,<BR>just offensive. As far as I could tell MH wasn't quibbling
about the<BR>word Indian but about the racial stereotype. Maybe Indian wasn't
the<BR>preferred term, but from my point of view it was the least offensive
part<BR>of the joke. Again, why not just apologize and try to do better
next<BR>time.<BR>I always get concerned when people use the term "politically
correct" as<BR>a scapegoat for not trying to think about what we say. To
say that it is<BR>just too hard to remain "politically correct" is to give up on
the idea<BR>that we should all be working every day to grant to our fellow
humans the<BR>dignity and respect they deserve. And it has nothing to do
with<BR>being "politically correct". That term in and of itself implies
that we<BR>are only doing it because someday it might cause us problems, not
becuase<BR>we actually care. And I am sure that nothing could be further
from the<BR>truth.<BR><BR>Geez, maybe I will have to follow Joan's example and
start my own church,<BR>sorry for the sermon!<BR>Heather Jordan.<BR><BR><BR>When
we make a mistake, we can always apologize and thank the person who<BR>corrected
us, they have just done us a great service.<BR><BR>What is so hard about
that?<BR>> let me explain (some)... As a child African Americans were called
a lot<BR>of<BR>> things - racist YES and I hate that (I grew up in the 50s
and 60s) I<BR>never<BR>> bought into the slang but the politically correct
word if I remember<BR>right<BR>> was Negro. As I got older the phrase changed
to black and then African<BR>> American. Maybe there was another one in there
someplace.<BR>> Native Americans ... the same.<BR>> SOOOO<BR>> I HAVE
to think hard before I speak to figure out which word is the<BR>right<BR>>
one these days. I've had to learn and unlearn several and my old
brain<BR>is<BR>> not retaining like it used to. I never want to offend people
but I hate<BR>that<BR>> I have to walk on eggshells hoping I chose the right
phrase. If I didn't<BR>> care, it wouldn't matter.<BR>> Maybe you all are
young enough to not have these same types of problems.<BR>><BR>>
-----Original Message-----<BR>> From: hayfields@moscow.com [</FONT><A
href="mailto:hayfields@moscow.com"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#000000
size=2>mailto:hayfields@moscow.com</FONT></A><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=#0000ff size=2><FONT color=#000000>]<BR>> Sent: Saturday, February 19,
2005 8:07 PM<BR>> To: lujane@lataheagle.com; lfalen@turbonet.com;
vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> Subject: RE: [Vision2020]
buffalo<BR></FONT>><BR>><BR>><BR>> Isn't that an interesting
statement.<BR>> "everything almost these days is racist or
politically incorrect.<BR>> Difficult to even talk these days with
breaking egg shells."<BR>><BR>> I find that if one thinks before one
speaks (or types) it isn't hard at<BR>> all. I find it amazing that
people throw around that<BR>phrase "politically<BR>> incorrect", when what
they mean is :it was so much easier when we didn't<BR>> have to think about
how our words can impact others. When minority<BR>> groups just ignored
all the racist, thoughtless things that leak out of<BR>> our mouths.<BR>>
Forget the 'politically incorrect' stuff. Thats just a smokescreen.
How<BR>> about just showing compassion and bestowing dignity on every person?
And<BR>> when we mess up and do say something stupid, (and we all do) why
not<BR>> acknowledge our mistake and just apologize. "I'm sorry and it
won't<BR>> happen again, thank you for letting me know." Wow what a
concept.<BR>><BR>> Heather Jordan<BR>> ><BR>> > -----Original
Message-----<BR>> > From: vision2020-bounces@moscow.com<BR>> >
[</FONT><A href="mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
size=2>mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com</FONT></A><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"
color=#0000ff size=2>]On Behalf Of lfalen<BR>> > Sent: Saturday, February
19, 2005 4:19 PM<BR>> > To: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> > Subject:
[Vision2020] buffalo<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> > Re: Melynda Huskey's
comment. It never occurred to me that the joke<BR>> might be<BR>> >
taken as racist. It was a joke on upper management. I think you are a<BR>>
little<BR>> > thin skinned. I hve some Indian blood and it did not even
cross my<BR>mind<BR>> that<BR>> > it might be taken as
racist.<BR><BR><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>