Ricebox was Re: [TenTec] ten-tec

[tentec@mailman.qth.net]

NO!~

The problem is people who assume offense on behalf of other people who
may or may not give a ratsa$$ and then lecture everyone else on how they
should behave.

Usage defines in language. The context affects the meaning. The word,
standing alone is indefinite and it's meaning obscure. Then there is the
speakers world view which certainly can't be discerned from a few
sentences. Language is dynamic as well and meanings change. 'Jap' and
'ricebox' used in the context of identifying a product of Japan, does not
mean the speaker a racist or bigot.

Because a word has a certain meaning in one context, say screamed at
someone who is sticking you with a bayonet, that meaning does not carry
over to every use of the word.

 -bob


On Wed, 14 Jan 2004, Keith Lodahl wrote:

> It happens to be a problem of American society if any one of us feels it is
> proper to use bigoted racist terms.  The purpose of the use of those terms
> is to put down those who are different.  The use of terms like "jap" and
> "gook" originally was intended to dehumanize enemies of America and make it
> easier for soldiers to justify killing them.  I hope your intent is not to
> do harm to Asian people, but your ease in using hurtful slang is not a sign
> of the multi-culturalism that you claim.  It is more a sign of ignorance.
> That makes any of your other points suspect.
>