Selective acceptability

Posted by Abe on December 14, 2004

In Reply to: Selective acceptability posted by R. Berg on December 14, 2004

: : : British TV is presently screening a documentary about 'Big Ron' Atkinson - the guy who described Marcel Dessailly as a "fkg thick lazy [word removed in order to comply with Google's Publisher Policy]" - so they took him to the USA to discuss the word. The discussion included whether '[word removed in order to comply with Google's Publisher Policy]' could be acceptably used by whites. Can anybody think of any examples of whether there are other words or phrases that only some people are allowed to use?

: : : I like words, but I don't like that word and would not use it in anything other than sensible discussion or v. carefully in very heavy irony. However, I find it strange that ANY words are banned from a whole group. what do other people think?

: : In the United States, I can't think of any instance where a white person could use the [word removed in order to comply with Google's Publisher Policy]. Ever, ever, ever. Not even in jest to a close friend.

: I can. White people who are enlightened, for want of a better word, use the word when reporting what someone else said or when discussing language. Other white people just use it. I recently read a post on a message board where a woman reported that she'd moved into a neighborhood where some residents routinely called black people n*****s. She isn't white, though; she's American Indian. Her neighbors might be surprised to learn that the word is taboo in their ethnic group.

"In the United States, I can't think of any instance where a white person could use the [word removed in order to comply with Google's Publisher Policy]. Ever, ever, ever." Personally, when someone is actually quoting I would actually prefer the offending word over some substitute such as 'the [word removed in order to comply with Google's Publisher Policy]'.