Hello. My name is Em.

[emzebel]

And I am a racist

Comments

[trid]

Reminded me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbwNSNLPIfw

[ayun]

The linked paper and resulting discussion in this metafilter thread came to mind upon reading your post.

Which is to say: Word.

Sometimes I think hyperfocus on language and political correctness retarded actual discussion about race - created this artificial goal where if nobody ever uses slurs in public, then we've "solved" racism. (Of course we can't even manage to clear that laughably low hurdle.)

[liminalia]

Hmm...otoh I think being conscious of our language is an essential part of rooting out racism and other isms.

What do you think of this post?
http://www.kaichang.net/2006/11/the_sloppy_prop.html

[ayun]

I agree that it's important.

I'm thinking of something slightly different from the post you linked to. I don't think there's anything wrong with being careful about language to avoid offending people. I just think that a lot of people who pointedly avoid using ethnic slurs think that doing so means they're not racist.

[bluestareyed]

The focus on language without any critical examination of why language matters is a hurdle. Its a solution that is reached by people just starting out with anti-racism. Our first instinct as allies is to say "what do I do?" and watching our language is one thing we can do. The problem is that we tend (general "we") to find something to do that makes us comfortable, and a disturbing amount of people are comfortable just trying not to offend anyone without digging deeper into why.

[bluestareyed]

One of the first things I learned about being a white ally, a cis-ally, or just an ally in general...if you're comfortable, you're doing it wrong.

[etcet]

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/03/12/mary-ann-mohanraj-gets-you-up-to-speed-part-i/

This makes for interesting reading.