The Vine: April 19, 2005
Its disingenuous to say its racists when the rich-brat correctly sees the connection between the word conversate and black people.
Even if you yourself have used the word, the majority of time I have seen that word used has been by black people.
Same way that blacks and rap music success goes hand and hand but there are white rappers who get (especially pre-Slim Shady) racism thrown at them.
And the term “racist” is not even being used properly.
If a person feels superior due to their race like when a black person believes themselves to be better at say sports than a white person, that’s racist.
Don’t get me wrong, the rich brat is crude fer sure, but racist??
racism : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of particular race
I cannot believe that I have to walk anybody through this shit in goddamn 2005, but: this is the primary definition of racism. Racism is not just the assertion that a given race is inferior, although it often takes that form; it’s the assumption that race defines everyone of that race, as having any quality. Generalizing based on race is still a kind of racism, even when the generalization isn’t negative.
I used to say “conversate” as a small child because I didn’t know any better. The use of “conversate” denotes a certain educational level, a reading comprehension level — and that’s it. To extrapolate from that that the speaker must be black, because all black people are stupid, uneducated, or both, and would therefore be more prone to make that mistake than white people? Racist. Period.
For you to write to me all bent out of shape on behalf that bigot child Princess, but also to trot out the most tired racial-difference crapola with the “blacks are better at sports” thing, and act like I’m knee-jerk overreacting, that’s bad enough — I almost can’t believe you’re for real with that Al Campanis “oh, woe is the white man” shit, it’s like you’re baiting me or something. But on top of that, your usage sucks? Are you joking? No, seriously. Are you? Because you don’t get to generalize about anyone’s word choice, hoss. How about correctly “seeing a connection” between you and a goddamn apostrophe before you nominate yourself race-relations ambassador?
I…I don’t even know what else to say. Well, except to strongly suggest that you shut the fuck up, for the good of all.
Dear Sarah,
I wouldn’t say that my family is nuttier than
anyone else’s family but we do have our problems. One
problem that is the constant source of family gossip
is my aunt. Long story short, she’s the baby of my
grandma’s children, married a sleaze-bag, had a kid,
and got divorced. Now she’s taken a job that is
incredibly time-consuming and my grandma is raising
this kid.
Every family gathering (birthday, holidays
et cetera) my aunt and her child come over and it’s not a
very pleasant time. No one can stand her child who is
the ultimate loud and obnoxious brat and who abuses
everyone around her. My aunt just says, “Oh she’s only
eight, she’s a baby.” As annoying as my aunt and her kid
are that’s not the problem.
The problem is that my
aunt verbally abuses my grandmother, shouts at her if
she tries to correct the kid, things like that. My
aunt also gets nasty little barbs in about my mother
(who’s her sister). I’m only 18 so I don’t know if I
can really tell my aunt to shut the hell up. And I
can’t very well tell an eight-year-old kid to stuff it
either. Don’t get me wrong, I love my aunt and her
kid but I don’t like them at all (if that’s even
possible). I really want to say something in the
defense of my mom and my grandma but I feel like I’d
just be the stupid teenager shooting off her mouth and
it would probably do more harm than good.
Should I
just continue to ignore it? Or do something else that
hasn’t occurred to me yet? Thanks for any help!
Signed,
Fed Up With the Family
Dear Fed,
I think it’s fine to ask your aunt not to shit-talk your mother, or to shout at your grandma, at least around you. There’s not much you can do when you’re not around, obviously, but the next time she snipes at your mom, just tell her, “Auntie, that’s my mom, and I have to ask you not to say things like that. It makes me angry and uncomfortable.” You’re eighteen; you’re an adult. You have the right to ask her to button it, and if she doesn’t like it, too bad.
I know it’s hard to confront people, especially older family members, about rude behavior, but if you do it politely, stick to “I feel” statements, and don’t let her back you down, it’s perfectly okay.
As far as the kid goes, eight is old enough to know some manners; if the kid is being obnoxious to or near you, you can ask her to keep it down or knock it off (nicely, of course). She probably won’t, because nobody else really disciplines her, but you can then just leave the room she’s in, or start reducing the time you spend at family gatherings when she and your aunt will be there.
Sars,
“Dwarfs” or “dwarves”?
Juby
Dear Juby,
Um…it’s “little people,” YOU RACIST.
Totally kidding. Needed to lighten things up in here a little.
Well, what do you know. The 11C lists both plural forms, with “dwarfs” first, and Garner concurs. And so did Walt Disney, it appears. I guess “dwarfs” is marginally preferred but neither is incorrect.
Tags: grammar the fam
