29 Oct
2015
29 Oct
'15
8:51 a.m.
On Wed, Oct 28, 2015, Michael Fuerst via Callers wrote:
I have been contra dancing for 30 years or so and this is the first
time I've encountered a question about "gypsy" being controversial.
The people who contra dance on average are well left of center
politically--people who would never use an ethnically offensive
word.(Finding a bumper sticker at a contra dance gathering supporting
a Republican candidate is quite impossible.)As you noted, language
evolves, and the use of "gypsy" in contra dancing never had any
offensive baggage or intent. Given the thousands of left-wing contra
dancers who have guiltlessly gypsied over the years, having a single
individual (who may not well be a member of the allegedly offended
group) come to a dance, and for some reason makes the connection she
did, does not seem adequate to drop the word.
<belly laugh> Your suggestion that progressive people promoting
political correctness always stick to their progressive principles is
risible. I suggest that you do some research into the countless number
of times that "progressive" people have screwed over minorities who
weren't in their own demographic.
To save you a bit of time, here's one specific example that consumed
large amounts of time and emotional energy in one of my other social
groups:
http://fanlore.org/wiki/RaceFail_%2709
Your examples of "nigger" and
"faggot" are not comparable, as they are
today often sill used with intended hate.
Please re-read the messages pointing out that in Europe, particularly,
"gypsy" still definitely gets used as a hateful slur. And I don't know
enough about *ALL* of American culture to presume that "gypsy" isn't used
that way here in significant subcultures. Certainly "gyp" (as a verb)
does get used.
--
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