[ale] OT: Security code on Credit/Debit cards revisited

[Lightner, Jeff]

Replying with what was already said and ignoring the dictionary link
that clearly tied prejudice, racism and discrimination together sounds a
bit like a "did not" "did too" kind of argument response.   Since its
gotten to that level I'll let this one be my last post in this thread.
I'll leave it to the rest of you to determine whether I'm on the "did
not" or the "did to" side.  :-)

-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of
Geoffrey
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 12:22 PM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux!
Subject: Re: [ale] OT: Security code on Credit/Debit cards revisited

John G. Heim wrote:
> It seems to me that linguists are moving away from the idea that some
words 
> are right and others wrong. The oldays when Sister Madalyn wrapped
your 
> knuckles for using 'bring' when you should have used 'take' are gone, 
> replaced by a judgment  based on the words effect. Ie. You shouldn't
use 
> niggardly  because it gives offense and your meaning will be lost.
> 
> So the real question would be whether the use of the word "racist" 
> effectively transmitted the intended  meaning. I would say it did and 
> therefore it was correct.

I will submit that the original definition of racist was the belief that

one race was superior to another.  The fact that the definition of the 
word has been diluted by the media and the world is sad.  Prejudice and 
racist do not mean the same thing.  As it stands, some people think they
do.

As for a previous reference of returning back in time when the word did 
not exist, that's not a valid argument for changing the meaning of a 
word to start with.  The word was created because of a need, it's 
meaning had been diluted by politics.

If I say I'm smarter then you because you're mexican, that's racist.

If I say I don't trust you because you're mexican, that's prejudice.

If I say I don't trust you because you're mexican, and I've been ripped 
off by every mexican I've ever done business with, that's neither racist

or prejudice.

These are examples folks, I've not been ripped off by anyone of mexican 
descent.

-- 
Until later, Geoffrey

"I predict future happiness for America if they can prevent
the government from wasting the labors of the people under
the pretense of taking care of them."
- Thomas Jefferson
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