Ok. Since both Walt and Klas have reopened this, I feel compelled to
comment since it was I who scolded Klas for his use of what many
consider to be a pejoritive term. Like anybody else who has been on this
list for a while, I have tremendous respect for Klas. He is very
generous with his knowlege and time. I had decided to just let the
matter drop after Klas' eloquent posting on the matter in which he
indicated he meant no harm. I am sure he did not. Perhaps Klas is
correct in feeling that the punishment of my scolding outstripped the
magnitude of the sin of his words. Perhaps not.
In the spirit of remembering "where we are," I would say we are in the
whole world, not just the US. Pejorative language has historically been
the ointment of dehumanization that soothed the consciences of those who
would do the otherwise unthinkable (slavery, genocide, forced
colonization, pogroms, holocausts, and even the indiscriminate
destruction of the only two atomic bomb attacks in history). That is
what makes it dangerous and unacceptable. Like Klas, I got a lot of
supportive emails off list including two from Europe assuring me that
the US is not the only place where the term is recognized as insulting.
So for me the bottom line on that matter is that I would do it again
even as the "one person" Walt refers to. Next time I will certainly
consider my words more carefully so as to not be too aggressive. My hope
for the group is that civility will prevail and that such issues will
not come up again.
Respectfully
Jim Lee
Klas Strandberg wrote:
>Hi all.
>
>It doesn't seem to make any difference if we discuss on topic or not:
>
>In a fully "on topic" posting, I happened to use the word "Jap's" (about
>Japanese industry standard!!) and got criticized here for offending "an
>ethnic group". (??)
>I understood the essence of the critics, but not at all the strength of it=
>and the aggression. What terrible had I done? I didn't feel any proportion=
>between the "sin" and the "punishment".
>I feel the same now, trying to put myself into Martyn's shoes (for example=
).
>
>Most important: At that time, I got quite a lot of sympathizing emails fro=
m
>people who didn't dare to send postings to the list, as they feared critic=
ism.
>=20
>
--
Jim Lee - Bamboo Turtle Studio
http://www.bambooturtle.com
Home of the Rock Nest Monster
http://www.bambooturtle.us/Rock_Nest_Monster.html
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