PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
I think the objection of some or even many white folks is that we as a group have limitations put on us of what is “acceptable speech” that people of color don’t have. So it’s really not the concepts or points that people are trying to make, it’s who is saying it. The free speech rules don’t apply equally to races in todays society and the media. I get it from a historical perspective and trying to right the wrongs - but let’s be real these aren’t about free speech/rights - it’s really about social justice and social engineering. I’m not so sure this is what really changes hearts and minds - but in the coming years and decades we are going to find out.
That's because there are were and are quite a lot of derogatory words hurled at basically all non-white people (and non-straight people), often when they were *simply trying to exist,* on a regular basis. This was much more common when there were fewer platforms and opportunities for historically marginalized groups to truly fight these words and concepts. Now it is better, but still not fixed by any stretch (see: increasing rise of homophobia, among other forms of hatred). Now, many of those words have been reclaimed by groups that were originally hurt by them, and that's fine. It's typical in and out group stuff you likely already experience in your friend group and as seen in lots of media-it's ok if WE make fun of our good friend Steve being a klutz, but don't YOU dare do it because you're not with us. Same principle.That probably isn't just limited to people of color, I'm sure there are terms that I could not use with hispanics for example but they use them in every day conversation. And it's not limited to race. I certainly could not call a gay man a "queen" (not that I ever would) yet the term is used frequently within the gay community towards each other. This also applies to music where there is no way I could sing certain rap songs that contain the n-word because I'm white. We've had this discussion here before...offensive is offensive and color of skin should not give you a pass though I've been told that I'm wrong here for thinking that way because races can say whatever they want to each other as the term has a different meeting within a race...I still call BS on that but I'm sure others here would agree to disagree.
And there is no real equivalent of those heavy slurs for straight white people, but straight white people also weren't removed from their land, brought over as slaves or cheap labor, had laws passed against what they could/could not do without their consent or representation, etc as other groups were. It's not really a hard "limitation," if it is even that, to follow. Just don't use slurs. Most people shouldn't find that hard.
And, again, is the concept of social justice truly bad? I'm not talking about the term "social justice warrior" that has unfortunately become weaponized and tainted to mean specific things, but the very idea of social justice. And if it is, what does that say about our health as a society?