Path: ccsf.homeunix.org!ccsf.homeunix.org!news1.wakwak.com!nf1.xephion.ne.jp!onion.ish.org!onodera-news!newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!newsfeed.icl.net!newsfeed.fjserv.net!news-out1.nntp.be!propagator2-sterling!news-in-sterling.newsfeed.com!pd2nf1so.cg.shawcable.net!residential.shaw.ca!news3.calgary.shaw.ca.POSTED!not-for-mail X-Trace-PostClient-IP: 24.87.167.180 From: Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.korean,soc.culture.china,fj.life.in-japan,soc.culture.usa Subject: Re: Did fireboming of tokyo really take place? Message-ID: References: <52210046.0308272145.5c838de8@posting.google.com> <5c82328d.0309061427.3a1ca6b9@posting.google.com> <44dc0a26.0309070504.7ff323fb@posting.google.com> X-Newsreader: MicroPlanet Gravity v2.60 Lines: 42 Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2003 03:15:05 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.69.255.232 X-Complaints-To: abuse@shaw.ca X-Trace: news3.calgary.shaw.ca 1063077305 24.69.255.232 (Mon, 08 Sep 2003 21:15:05 MDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2003 21:15:05 MDT Organization: Shaw Residential Internet Xref: ccsf.homeunix.org fj.life.in-japan:5246 In article , cindyduet@attb.com says... > vernon.north@oyama.ca wrote: > > > > I respectfully disagree. I don't think an entertaining racist is any > > more desirable than a disagreeable one. If anything, the entertaining > > racists are worse. Their hateful message seems more acceptable since it > > is dressed up with humour. But a racist is a racist is a racist. > > > > Have you ever seen or heard how the British people make fun of the > Irish? What can you do about it? > Yes, I've heard the jokes. What to do about it? I know some would say no racist comments are ever acceptable. However, what is/is not acceptable depends on the setting, the intent, and the audience, IMHO. On a newsgroup like this, where we don't really know one another and there are people of all racial groups, I don't think racist comments should be considered acceptable. When I was in high school my friends included a veritable "united nations" of races and nationalities. We often referred to one another by racist names. "Nip", "Chopper", "Licorice", "White Bread", "Wop", and Kraut" are some of the nicknames given to various group members. These names were not meant to hurt, and were not considered hurtful by the people so named. But race-based names don't travel well. To call a German person with whom I was not friends "Kraut" could easily be interpreted as intended to hurt or belittle. That isn't acceptable IMHO. I don't see people on this newsgroup using race-based nicknames as innocent, friendly "handles". It looks to me as though they're meant to sting. What's worse, even when meant innocently, race-based nicknames may carry with them unintended and subtly harmful racial stereotypes, which makes me wonder sometimes whether it is EVER appropriate to use them. Verno