Racial slurs and derogatory terms

Use this forum to discuss the March 2022 Book of the month, "My Enemy in Vietnam" by Billy Springer
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Re: Racial slurs and derogatory terms

Post by Adisapelumi5 »

I think that the use of racial terms was due to the climate at the time. I think it occurred because it was quite common during that period.
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Penny Ann Criswell Johnson
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Post by Penny Ann Criswell Johnson »

We can come up with tons of words that will offend others. Some people like being called a redneck. Years ago a country song was written about a redneck girl. This song makes it sound amazing to be a redneck. The next decade the word becomes derogatory.
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Post by Favour Ojonugwa »

I believe he used the phrase as an example to legitimize the other racist occurrences he had encountered.
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Post by Saint Bruno »

Well, I think one needs to say things as they were when reporting or narrating a story. Hating the use of profane words doesn't mean I don't have to give an accurate account of the events I am covering. So I think the author is not showing double standards here.
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Post by Perfect Ojonugwa »

I believe he used the phrase as an example to legitimize the other racist occurrences he had encountered.
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Post by Krista Kirby-Dempsey »

I think context is always key. I also think that time has nothing to do with it. Like yes, terms were used, but that never made them okay to use in the first place. Not all people used the derogatory terms that have been used throughout history.
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Post by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda »

Krista Kirby-Dempsey wrote: 09 Jun 2022, 16:05 I think context is always key. I also think that time has nothing to do with it. Like yes, terms were used, but that never made them okay to use in the first place. Not all people used the derogatory terms that have been used throughout history.
You make an excellent point. Not because we see something as "normal" it means it's right. Misogyny, for example, was the norm for most of humanity's existence, and that doesn't make it right. There are, for sure, some "normal" things we do now that are wrong. I wish I had the perspective that hindsight brings to see them and improve them.
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Post by Mbrooks2518 »

I agree with what many others here have said. The N word definitely has a more violent, racial history when compared to redneck, especially during that time period.
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Post by Shelby Ayres »

I personally believe that both terms are derogatory and offensive. While I believe both terms to be derogatory, one hold a higher value than the other due to the history behind the word.
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Post by maycherono91 »

Racial slurs are always murky waters to navigate in. For instance, one group of people feel insulted by being called 'Negroes', while the same people feel they have a right to call the other group 'rednecks'.
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Post by Fajarr »

While the term may not be explicitly derogatory, words have associated meaning, especially when they come from a particular group of people. Would have been best he didn't use such terms either after complaining about them.
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Post by Chinex Otuokere »

This book is thorough. For those of us who grew up when political correctness wasn't really a thing, it can be challenging to strike a balance between what is politically acceptable and what is over the top. Additionally, in my opinion, it is a cultural issue. In certain cultures, anything that might seem offensive is not thought to be such.
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Post by Fanny Lebura Ueh »

Another book I read led to a similar experience. When I read the terms the author used to refer to other people, I initially found them to be unsettling, but as I went on, I realized they weren't as offensive as they are now. Such books are incredibly dangerous to write. To be clear, I still think these concerns should be clarified in updated versions, or if a new edition is being published, a clarification should be included somewhere in the book.
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Post by Prince Oyedeji Oyeleke Jayeola »

I believe the author didn't use the word red neck as a derogatory word. The word usage is attributed to the social climate of the past.
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Post by Blessing Otuokere »

We frequently hear racial slurs and other discriminatory language in our daily activities, which is terrible. Billy Springer gives an example of how they affect our life and the lives of our loved ones.
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