I sent Jeff this link (warning: video) to the story of a black woman who purchased typing software to improve her skills, only to find that in one of the tests she was asked to type the word . . . the “N-word”. The passage was from a classic piece of American lit. I can’t improve on his email, so I’m going to reproduce it:
I told you the story of a friend of mine who was dragged before a university tribunal for teaching Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” after a student complained that she had to read the word “nigger,” right? And that he ultimately had to have an African American prof come in to defend him — her imprimatur on the propriety of teaching Faulkner as a white man saved Faulkner for the curriculum on Southern American Lit.Thank goodness for small blessings.
I hate the way this country is going. I mean, in this instance, it’s a passage from Bret Harte. Somebody show me it was picked intentionally and we can start talking about racism. Until then, watching those white anchors fall all over themselves to show OUTRAGE just grates on me.
Do I feel bad that the woman had to see that? Sure, particularly if she’s old enough to remember the sting of such a word. But she needs to be able to put it in context — and as she’s an adult, I’m betting she can. Sickening all around.
If you write on it, I’ll add some thoughts to the update.
Well, I agree with Jeff. First, that this passage, while inappropriate for this program, wasn’t intentionally chosen. I can understand the surprise and offense of the woman. But the way the reporter frames this as an (titillating) atrocity demonstrates the degree to which we respond with Pavlovian reflexivity to such minor, unintended provocations.
Occasionally here I break out my Irish Catholicism when I criticize the exploitation of outrage opportunities, while realizing that as a matter of degree, it doesn’t match up to the Black experience in the United States. Still, it’s true that even though Edmund Spenser advocated genocide against the Irish, I can still read his Faerie Queene with appreciation of its value as literature.
I don’t know what else Jeff would like to add, but I’m sure there’s plenty.
Comment by Rob Crawford on 3/5 @ 8:13 pm #
As I’ve said many times — there is no way in Hell anyone could make “Blazing Saddles” today. The only acceptable way to have the “n-word” said that many times is to have an all-black cast.
Comment by dicentra on 3/5 @ 8:21 pm #
If someone complains about the public use of f–k on the grounds that it’s an insult to human sexuality, you are ridiculed or told to grow up or told to take your priggish religious sensibilities elsewhere.
It’s OK to be vulgar and crass but not racist. Got it.
Comment by happyfeet on 3/5 @ 8:35 pm #
Watching tv news is wrong. If I knew anyone that did that, I’d tell them that it really made me think they might could be stupid. Unless I wanted to sleep with them.
Comment by Dan Collins on 3/5 @ 8:38 pm #
So, it’s a good thing Liz Stephans is hot, right?
Comment by happyfeet on 3/5 @ 8:41 pm #
That’s like meta-tv news. Like Talk Soup except more newsy. That’s a valuable service, filtering and contextualizing that stuff. Um. She really doesn’t need to know about our little chat here I don’t think.
Comment by Mikey NTH on 3/5 @ 8:45 pm #
If you cannot look at the past, then you cannot move away from it. ‘This was said and done – I reject it.’
How can anyone reject if they don’t – oh wait, I forgot.
We don’t want to move from the past, do we?
Comment by Dan Collins on 3/5 @ 8:48 pm #
The past is comfortable. Because it’s . . . kinda familiar, you know?
Comment by maggie katzen on 3/5 @ 9:07 pm #
um, happyfeet, what if I just watch it for the weather?
Comment by Dan Collins on 3/5 @ 9:10 pm #
Sorry, Maggie. You’re married.
To a guy with big arms and guns.
Comment by happyfeet on 3/5 @ 9:14 pm #
Ohnoes maggie. That’s a slippery slope. Next thing you know you’re making innovative re-use of household garbage under the light of a solitary squiggly bulb thinking you’re changing the weather. I’ve seen it happen. Just be careful.
Comment by steveaz on 3/5 @ 9:21 pm #
Know what? Stories like this one make me think that, maybe modern America isn’t all that racist after all…
And, that these amplified tales of personal piques are repeated purposefully to convince us that America is…
Just so that we’ll vote for those polit-icky, Soros-ey types who tell us all the time how much we need their fixing (I’m told they can “fix” us, I heard it on the poli-peoples’ media-channels the other night.)
Brother…Media sock-puppets and Hezbollah proxies: not sure what the difference is any more. Both are potentially lethal to Freedom.
I’m going to bed.
Comment by John on 3/5 @ 9:30 pm #
huck finn said the ennword
Comment by cynn on 3/5 @ 9:35 pm #
Wow, Freedom, with a big F no less. You have the Freedom to be perpetually beseiged. You have the Freedom to be a cipher with an unfortunate chatty cathy wife. Yes, there is so much lethal to Freedom.
Comment by Mikey NTH on 3/5 @ 9:42 pm #
You have the freedom to be perpetually outraged! Or to come here, cynn!
Embrace the freedom you would deny others! WHEEEEE!
Comment by cjd on 3/5 @ 9:42 pm #
I’m all about Freedom. And pie.
Comment by B Moe on 3/5 @ 9:56 pm #
…what if I just watch it for the weather?
Better that than the Weather Channel, maggie:
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/20080303175301.aspx
Comment by RTO Trainer on 3/5 @ 9:58 pm #
Yeah, and Maggie has an affinity for those squiggly bulbs already.
Big arms?
Comment by Jeff G. on 3/5 @ 9:59 pm #
A non-responsive, purposely insulting response from cynn. The day is complete.
Comment by cynn on 3/5 @ 10:00 pm #
Mikey NTH, you raise a good point. One always haves the right to be outraged, pissed, angry, or discomfited as the case warrants. Others have the right to respond.
Comment by Dan Collins on 3/5 @ 10:02 pm #
One do always haves that.
Comment by Dan Collins on 3/5 @ 10:05 pm #
The Nage people of central Flores tell tales of ancestors called “ebu gogo” who lived in caves, were short, roughly-built, hairy, pot-bellied and stupid, who stole food, could not cook and had an imperfect language.
Comment by maggie katzen on 3/5 @ 10:06 pm #
oh, BMoe, I’ll have to ask if my dad is watching the Weather Channel as much as he used to. i mean,he was watching it all. the. time. but I also know he’s pretty skeptical about glowball worming.
Comment by cynn on 3/5 @ 10:07 pm #
Piss off, Dan, a typo is secret communication to my sneaky arabist collaborators.
Comment by guinsPen on 3/5 @ 10:07 pm #
And the freedom not to get your point, cynn.
Comment by Jeff G. on 3/5 @ 10:09 pm #
Now, now. I’ll have no discomfiting in this house.
Comment by RTO Trainer on 3/5 @ 10:12 pm #
I had a server today that was having a DCOM fit. Is that similar at all?
Comment by maggie katzen on 3/5 @ 10:13 pm #
and it’s going to snow! *runs in circles* snow! snow! snow! snow!
Comment by serr8d on 3/5 @ 10:25 pm #
Given the title of this post, this seems appropriate for here.
Hillary’s quote this morning, on a possible H/O ticket… “That may be where this is headed,” Clinton said. “But of course we have to decide who is on the top of the ticket. I think the people of Ohio very clearly said it should be me.”
My headline: CLINTON SENDS OBAMA TO THE BACK OF THE BUS! OUTRAGE!!!1!!!!
Comment by happyfeet on 3/5 @ 10:27 pm #
Someone hit her with a car it said.
Comment by happyfeet on 3/5 @ 10:31 pm #
oh. maggie, I think I helped the snow too cause I have a squiggly bulb and also I never replaced the turtle bulb so my carbon footprint is really miniscule probably compared to last year. Also I walked to work one day last week. Si se puede!
Comment by serr8d on 3/5 @ 11:21 pm #
Now, now. I’ll have no discomfiting in this house.
How about a nice chagrin instead? ;D
Comment by Ric Locke on 3/5 @ 11:39 pm #
Maggie, if it’s the same stuff we had a couple days ago, no big deal. Fat soft flakes that go away in a couple hours, annoying mainly for the idiots driving on wet roads.
This may be my fault. I canceled out happyfeet’s efforts by driving my ‘74 Ford pickup (390 cid) all the way to DFW and back last week. I apologize to the turtles, happyfeet. Maybe you could get them sweaters and/or little booties to keep warm.
Regards,
Ric
Comment by happyfeet on 3/5 @ 11:48 pm #
That’s ok. They have a bathroom with a space heater on a timer now. It really sucks but you can’t trust a turtle to hibernate in California like they’re supposed to cause it doesn’t get cold enough I think. Also sometimes hibernation goes horribly wrong from what I’ve read, and I’d feel really awful. Turtles are a big responsibility.
Comment by maggie katzen on 3/5 @ 11:54 pm #
dunno, Ric, they’re talking like it will be worse. (not really bad, by most people’s standards, but it is Dallas) plus RTO has to go to Oklahoma this weekend for drill. heh, they’re going to the range to qualify.
Comment by Rusty on 3/6 @ 5:59 am #
God doesn’t like Texas, maggie. There. I said it.
Comment by steveaz on 3/6 @ 7:34 am #
Hi Cynn,
Why, I’ve missed you, too!
It’s fair to say, too bad Obama and Clinton didn’t run back in 2000.
Coming on the heels of the first Black Presidency as it would, the Obama/Hillary ticket would have been racially-incontroversial, and would not have generated anywhere near the degree of rampant racial animosity that the media is reporting today.
Say it isn’t so..Cynn.
Comment by steveaz on 3/6 @ 7:52 am #
Here’s more.
Belmont Club’s “Wretchard” is bemoaning the fact that discerning people are losing faith in photo-journalism. Just like Britany’s hair-color, It’s all so manipulate-able now.
I’d add the morning talk shows to the list of “invalidated” formats, too (what did you really learn about Hurricanes from these wags in during Katrina). Tune ‘em out, folks.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 3/6 @ 5:16 pm #
We have a special discomfiting room, at my place. With its own thermostat!