Giles, if you would like to get by in American society, then you are going to have to follow our traditions. You're the patriarch. You have to host the festivities, or it's all meaningless.

Buffy ,'Sleeper'


The Minearverse 3: The Network Is a Harsh Mistress  

[NAFDA] "There will be an occasional happy, so that it might be crushed under the boot of the writer." From Zorro to Angel (including Wonderfalls and The Inside), this is where Buffistas come to anoint themselves in the bloodbath.


dcp - Aug 18, 2004 6:58:19 pm PDT #1675 of 10001
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

And the French/Amerind version is "Métis."


§ ita § - Aug 18, 2004 7:00:25 pm PDT #1676 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

To me it is.

Then I'm happy for you. However, in the rest of the world, it's not necessarily the same -- including for actual mulattoes.

It is used, and often not nicely, and just because you haven't heard it, doesn't mean it isn't real and rude.

What do you want to reclaim next? Nigger? Cunt? Spic? Fat slob? Republican? Retard? Shylock?

If there's going to be a movement to dull the edge of "mulatto," DCJ, it's not going to be led by you, and I don't think you get to pick when it starts.


Allyson - Aug 18, 2004 7:06:41 pm PDT #1677 of 10001
Wait, is this real-world child support, where the money goes to buy food for the kids, or MRA fantasyland child support where the women just buy Ferraris and cocaine? -Jessica

Doing my best to reclaim cunt.


§ ita § - Aug 18, 2004 7:07:47 pm PDT #1678 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Doing my best to reclaim cunt.

Seeing as you have one? You get to go to the front of the line on that one. Or ahead of DCJ, anyway.


DCJensen - Aug 18, 2004 7:13:40 pm PDT #1679 of 10001
All is well that ends in pizza.

Not trying to reclaim mulatto. Not trying to lead anything. Just voicing concern. Not sure what makes me unfit to lead it if I were inclined to try...

Not even planning on saying anything more on this topic, because no matter how well intentioned my efforts, I just keep getting drawn into a whole subject area too many people are uncomfortable with.


§ ita § - Aug 18, 2004 7:17:41 pm PDT #1680 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Not sure what makes me unfit to lead it if I were inclined to try...

Because you don't understand the word. Because you don't know it's even in current usage.

I thought the term Yank would be a simple thing to call US citizens. No, I was told, it has attachments you just don't get, it won't do, and no matter how often I explain that to the people outside, the ones using it don't get those subtleties, it DOESN'T MATTER. It's not my call.

Perhaps there are no epithets that affect you. Which is a very strong position to be in, a position we should all be in. I just don't think you know the way out of a place you've never been in.

I just keep getting drawn into a whole subject area too many people are uncomfortable with.

Which territory is that, and which people?


Burrell - Aug 18, 2004 7:20:37 pm PDT #1681 of 10001
Why did Darth Vader cross the road? To get to the Dark Side!

I think that very few slurs have been successfully reclaimed. Only "queer" comes to mind, but I'm sure there are others. And I have to agree with ita, if "mulatto" is going to be reclaimed, it's reintroduction to society is not going to be an ice cream shake.


sj - Aug 18, 2004 7:21:14 pm PDT #1682 of 10001
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

Wop = Italian

And the letters stand for "without papers" as in citizenship papers, fwiw.


Burrell - Aug 18, 2004 7:22:55 pm PDT #1683 of 10001
Why did Darth Vader cross the road? To get to the Dark Side!

I'm not sure what your concern is, Daniel. Is it that policing offensive language is soul-deadening? Or is it that offensive language is kept alive through memory?


dcp - Aug 18, 2004 7:30:57 pm PDT #1684 of 10001
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

I grew up in Virginia, North Carolina, and Arkansas. It didn't matter that my family was on the Union side of the civil war, but it did matter that we weren't damned Yankees.

When I lived in Pakistan and India I got called angrez (English), gora (white folk, I think, it's been too long), and feringhi (foreigner) all the time, and it didn't bother me. But being called Yank or Yankee always raises my hackles (still does).

It's not rational. I know it's not rational. But the feeling is still there.