[Discuss] Racist language Re: free email less intrusive than google

[Bill Ricker]

On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 6:58 AM, Bouman MC <boumanmcc at gmail.com> wrote:

> Why would anyone think of this phrase in
> racist terms?


​If that is an honest question in search of enlightenment,
if you truly want to find out why some folks find a 19th century diminutive
adjective to be racist and offensive,
Check the term on Urban Dictionary.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Cotton+Pickin&defid=6916831
Google is your friend*: 'is cotton-pickin racist'
   https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%27is+cotton-pickin+racist%27&t=canonical

http://racerelations.about.com/od/diversitymatters/a/Five-Terms-You-Might-Not-Know-Are-Considered-Racist.htm
* (but Duck-Duck-Go or Google in Private Browsing window is better, as it
shows you what's outside the bubble, uninfluenced by your previous search
selections.)

You can object that the "Po' White Trash" picked cotton too and were
included in the term 'cotton pickin'', and you would be right historically,
but that doesn't change the hurtfulness. They didn't find the comparison
flattering, which makes it worse all around. And few like being called "Po'
White Trash", either.

​If however that's a rhetorical question (as it sadly appears),
or if you think you are entitled to that explanation before you acknowledge
that others' feelings might be valid, ... no, you don't get to decide
whether other people are allowed to find offensive.​

Telling people it shouldn't be offensive is itself offensive.

​See also

http://racerelations.about.com/od/diversitymatters/fl/How-Not-to-Apologize-After-Making-a-Racial-Blunder.htm
and
    ​​  http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Encourage-Women-Linux-HOWTO/
especially but hardly exclusively page 4 "But I don't do that!"
     (all of which applies equally to making
underrepresented/under-empowered ​ethnic/race groupings feel safe and
welcome too.)​

​​This Jim Crow attitude is out of place on an open mailing list in the
21st Century. ​
​

-- 
Bill