|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jens 'n' Frens
Idle thoughts of a relatively libertarian Republican in Cambridge, MA, and whomever he invites. Mostly political.
"A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures."
-- Daniel Webster
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, February 13, 2004 :::
I think of "chink in armor" (not in anything else, incidentally) before I think of the racial slur, though it wouldn't surprise me to learn that people of a different ethnic background than mine would think of the other meaning first. My first response to reading "Chink's steaks" was to misread it; it seemed odd enough that my mind changed it to "Cheese Steaks" until it became clear from later context that it wasn't quite that Dick Tracy generic.
I would hope Kate realizes that "cracker" is not a term that has been used "once". I believe the writer is exagerating a point, that point being that the writer believes the term "chink" to be one that is more often not used in the offensive manner, and perhaps was not offensive at the time of the naming of the restaurant. Which brings me back to the same point as my brother, that had the issue been pointed out to me I would have advised against its use 55 years ago; at this point, I wish to know what the nature of the term was 55 years ago, particularly in Philadelphia, and how the guy got the nickname in the first place.
People of different backgrounds are naturally going to respond differently to different words, both in terms of taking offense and in terms simply of applying meaning to them. This applies to different ethnicities, but to other differences in background as well. If this were a situation with more context, in which it was clear that the term "chink" was not being used as an ethnic slur, I would compare the situation to the "niggardly" flap in the D.C. public schools a couple years ago; there somebody heard a word that sounded like something offensive to him. Whether this is the offensive word or not is less clear here; it's certainly more plausible.
::: posted by dWj at 8:35 AM
|
|
|
|
