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Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only

Posted By: Barry Silliman
Date: Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 12:51 p.m.

In Response To: Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only (Bob Koca)

Bob, in Politically Correct land, the intended meaning or connotation of the word or phrase from the author or speaker doesn't matter; only how the "victim" feels matters. I'm not sure if you were living in the area in 1999 but a perfect example of this from a local matter in Washington, DC is here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm

I abhor political correctness but I do agree with Joe and some others that the term Polish Prime is insulting to Poles, and I think the Polish woman who was proudly defending her country was piled on a bit. I think she probably did not express everything she wanted to as well as she probably could in her native language.

In my opinion ethnic and racial stereotypes should be avoided and this has nothing to do with political correctness. To me political correctness is nonsense like in England where in some places officials have replaced 'gingerbread men cookies' with 'gingerbread person cookies', or colleges and universities in the U.S. having to shed male varsity sports teams in order to equalize the number of male and female athletes, or the need felt by some to use 'his/her' or 'his or her' or '(s)he' when the masculine term he or his has been used in context to refer to people of all genders for centuries.

One reader here said he liked the alliteration of the term 'Polish Prime'. I have a suggestion which will remove the ethnic insult, retain the alliteration, and the intended meaning of the term- a 'Pelosi Prime'.

Messages In This Thread

• Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only
  joe freedman -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 4:14 a.m.
  • Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only
    Bob Koca -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 4:39 a.m.
    • Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only
      Barry Silliman -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 12:51 p.m.
      • Well said, Barry, although "Palin prime" would seem more appropriate
        joe freedman -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 4:59 p.m.
        • Well said, Barry, although "Palin prime" would seem more appropriate
          Barry Silliman -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 5:31 p.m.
          • Well said, Barry, although "Palin prime" would seem more appropriate
            higonefive -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 5:51 p.m.
          • Well said, Barry, although "Palin prime" would seem more appropriate
            Daniel Murphy -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 3:58 a.m.
            • Double OT - running up scores in sport
              Casper van der Tak -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 8:04 a.m.
              • Double OT - running up scores in sport
                Matt Cohn-Geier -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 9:36 a.m.
                • Double OT - running up scores in sport
                  Casper van der Tak -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 10:32 a.m.
                • Double OT - running up scores in sport
                  Daniel Murphy -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 2:13 p.m.
                • Double OT - running up scores in sport
                  joe freedman -- Monday, 22 November 2010, at 4:53 a.m.
              • Double OT - running up scores in sport
                Michael Petch -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 10:39 a.m.
                • Double OT - running up scores in sport
                  Casper van der Tak -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 10:55 a.m.
        • Well said, Barry, although "Palin prime" would seem more appropriate
          Stick -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 6:07 p.m.
        • "N" word is more complicated
          Stanley E. Richards -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 7:30 p.m.
          • Using Less Offensive Language
            Bob Glass -- Monday, 22 November 2010, at 10:03 p.m.
  • Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only
    higonefive -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 5:10 p.m.
    • Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only
      Daniel Murphy -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 5:20 p.m.
      • Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only
        higonefive -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 5:45 p.m.
        • Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only
          Daniel Murphy -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 7:59 p.m.
    • Of kamikaze plays and Polish primes -- for septugenarians only
      joe freedman -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 6:16 a.m.
  • Thank You, Joe!
    Paul Weaver -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 6:47 p.m.
  • Thank You, Joe!
    Paul Weaver -- Saturday, 20 November 2010, at 7:06 p.m.
  • words
    garyo -- Sunday, 21 November 2010, at 3:11 a.m.