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Why exactly is it ignorant? Please explain? I'm curious indeed.
Tony-
How is the NAACP to blame for the term "mulatto" being offensive to some people? I consider the word offensive, and I have no idea what the NAACP's position is on the subject, if any. Do you?
I apologize for not being clearer. Also, I don't want to troll this thread. In the U. S. there exists tons of organizations that claim to organize for the better of a specific group. Meanwhile, they specialize in 'agitating' everyone else into guilt over mostly assaulting the freedom of speech. No doubt there is a group that would jump on the word mulatto.
Just look at the lightening buzz around Noah movie already, and that hasn't been released.
In the states, it's often used by hate groups with a racist intent. Whatever historical meaning it once had has been tarnished.
I'm not saying it's always spoken from an ugly place, but was merely pointing out the reality that some people find it offensive, and using it (in a logline) is taking an unreasonable risk.
In the states, it's often used by hate groups with a racist intent. Whatever historical meaning it once had has been tarnished.
I'm not saying it's always spoken from an ugly place, but was merely pointing out the reality that some people find it offensive, and using it (in a logline) is taking an unreasonable risk.
You specifically said that you found it offensive. I'm genuinely interested as to the reasons why.
This is a British and European script, where the word is not considered derogatory. Most have never heard of it.
I'm pretty sure that most educated black people are pissed off with white people having pity for them. Worse, being afraid of them. It's a form of prejudice in itself.
I'm pretty sure that most educated black people are pissed off with white people having pity for them. Worse, being afraid of them. It's a form of prejudice in itself.
"Educated black people"? "Pity" and "fear"? Wow.
When a word is used by skinheads and neo-Nazis to brand a type of person, that's good enough for me to forever disassociate myself from ever using that word. It's not complicated.
Interesting quote: most people of mixed white and black ancestry rarely choose to self-identify as mulatto. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulatto)
Mulatto is derived from 'Mule' - the off-spring of a horse and donkey, and describes a person who is the off-spring of black and white parents.
As most people of mixed or biracial origin don't choose this term, it's a fairly short step to see that they may see this term's use as being offensive. Well, at least the 'educated' ones. I guess that means those that have attended primary school or beyond. Not too sure. But thanks for that insight Dustin.
I wonder if the author's going to pop up the boards sometime soon...?
I'm pretty sure that most educated black people are pissed off with white people having pity for them. Worse, being afraid of them. It's a form of prejudice in itself.
Yeah - all the dim ones are quite happy with the status quo.
When a word is used by skinheads and neo-Nazis to brand a type of person, that's good enough for me to forever disassociate myself from ever using that word. It's not complicated.
Educated in true history and social psychology. As opposed to the bullshit they hear on the TV and from politically correct idiots.
Words are used by everybody to brand people. If a Skinhead called a fat person fat, you would no longer use that word? Or would you simply not use the word in a derogatory way?
It isn't the fault of words. It is not the words. Mulatto is the same word as half caste, or mixed race... they all have the same definition. Doesn't matter how many times we change words... people insult with their tone... it isn't the word's fault.
As most people of mixed or biracial origin don't choose this term, it's a fairly short step to see that they may see this term's use as being offensive. Well, at least the 'educated' ones. I guess that means those that have attended primary school or beyond. Not too sure. But thanks for that insight Dustin.
Yet another person that doesn't realise the full range of the word, 'educated'... my-oh-my. You're not educated either. Within context of this subject. As is clear from your responses.
I don't know where you're getting your stat's from and neither do you... it's taken from a wiki page where they asked... how many half-caste people? They don't like being called half-caste either anymore. wtf? why? When I grew up half-caste was the PC thing to say.
It doesn't really matter how people would rather describe themselves, as the differences are all that is important. You can call those differences anything you like... it won't change a thing. In 20 years time, people will think bi-racial is racist. It'll be racist because it's an old word and has negative connotations attached to it.
The reason for that is that it's a word that points out a difference. Simple as that. It's not words that are the problem... it's people.
Yet another person that doesn't realise the full range of the word, 'educated'... my-oh-my. You're not educated either. Within context of this subject.
Sounds lke you're getting quite techy Dustin. So maybe you think a primary school education isn't an education, and you've decided to define education yourself, and therefore decided to define who is educated and who is not educated for the sake of your argument.
But that was the way you were going anyway, via deciding whom amongst the black people would be pissed off and who wouldn't, based on their so-called (& according to your definition of) education.
My material sources, you may notice, are similar to yours, and I pointed out it was 'interesting' not 'defining'.
You point out that 'half-caste' was insulting when you where a child and it isn't now. Spastic was an insult when I was a child and still is now. Some word useage changes other don't. But you can't deny that there are social and cultural implications underlying the use of certain words that will impact onthe way some people will use them.
Having said that, can you clarify that I'm entitled to an opinion on all of this, seeing as I've been defined by you as uneducated, and therefore possibly not entitled to a stance?
Sounds lke you're getting quite techy Dustin. So maybe you think a primary school education isn't an education, and you've decided to define education yourself, and therefore decided to define who is educated and who is not educated for the sake of your argument.
It is quite clear that you were not very well educated in this subject. It is quite clear that many others aren't either. That doesn't mean they aren't educated in other areas.
I don't need to redefine anything. I just comprehend the word a little more clearly than you do.
But that was the way you were going anyway, via deciding whom amongst the black people would be pissed off and who wouldn't, based on their so-called (& according to your definition of) education.
Based on their education in this subject. It's not my definition. wtf?
My material sources, you may notice, are similar to yours, and I pointed out it was 'interesting' not 'defining'.
Sources? You cited wiki once and then didn't bother to read the whole article. Just reiterated the part that suited your argument. You didn't look properly. Which goes back to your education on this subject. Do I really have to keep mentioning that it is this subject I'm talking about? You'd think that writers - above all - would understand how to take words in the correct context.
You point out that 'half-caste' was insulting when you where a child and it isn't now. Spastic was an insult when I was a child and still is now. Some word useage changes other don't.
Spastic wasn't and still isn't always an insult. It is a way of describing somebody suffering from spasticity problems. And to prove it, here's a google image search of real spastics, using the single keyword, spastic: https://www.google.co.uk/searc.....biw=1920&bih=992
Words are just words, the insult comes from behind the words. Belongs to the person and their ignorance. It isn't their fault that they are not educated (oops there's that word again) in the right way. It isn't part of the curriculum. You have to go out of your way to learn it. And some believe that is by design. That we're meant to keep pointing out things like racism. It's programming. But I know you won't see that.
But you can't deny that there are social and cultural implications underlying the use of certain words that will impact onthe way some people will use them.
Some words? Any word that describes a difference. I can say the word, black (in context to black people, man, I really do need to point out context?) with venom, or I can say it in a normal every day, the guy is black. Same goes for nigger. Nigger is the same as saying very dark brown. It's just a colour like black. Niggers is the same as saying blacks. They both mean a colour. In fact, nigger is closer to their colour. They're not exactly black. Isn't that more insulting?
Having said that, can you clarify that I'm entitled to an opinion on all of this, seeing as I've been defined by you as uneducated, and therefore possibly not entitled to a stance?
No, you're not entitled to an ignorant opinion. You should at least educate yourself to the subject in hand before going in half-arsed.
You'll note that it is only offensive when applied to people that actually aren't spastics. There are real spastics. To call a spastic a spastic would be pretty pointless. It's just a label, that they actually are. No escaping it.
You can hate them for it if you want to... but it's just a word... a way of describing something.
Constantly changing the words, merely highlights something that wouldn't ordinarily be there if everyone just shut the fuck up and forgot about the differences. Calling somebody a colour, or even rearranging words like half caste into bi-racial doesn't make a difference. Aside from reminding people that there are differences and we should be careful of offending each other simply by pointing them out.
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