racism of older linguists

[Wilson Gray]

BTW, I wouldn't call this "racism." It's just a case of "What we have
here is a failure to communicate." It's nothing for the speaker, but
it's a knife through the psyche, for the hearers. In the Army, I had
the following very brief conversation with a fellow-Texan from Odessa:

Have you ever been to Frau Walters [Gasthaus]?

Naw.

Why not? That's where all the other _black boys_ go.

This guy kept in touch with me after we got out of the Army, called me
from Austin to make sure that I was okay, during the Watts Riots (I
was, since I lived in a "better" part of town: the old "Wilshire
District"), and even had his *wife* talk to me! I was stunned!

Now, was this person a racist, based on his habit of referring to
Negro men as "black boys," back in the day when "black," alone, (I'm
not *black*! I'm colored! -Richard Pryor) was almost as insulting as
"nigger"? It depends on one's POV. A lot of other black people would
have said that I was tomming out by continuing to associate with a
white man who thought nothing of using "black boys" in his casual
conversation, back in that day. But he was from Texas, too. What could
I do?

-Wilson
–––
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Mark Twain



On Sat, Mar 7, 2009 at 2:41 PM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
> Ron writes:
>
> "My experience is that linguistics is one of the least racist, least
> "homophobic, academic disciplines I know. I guess the best that can be
> said about our
> "painful experiences from those earlier days is that young people today don't
> "face those kinds of problems. This is not to say that racism and sexism and
> "homophobia is dead, but the playing field is a lot more even today,
> and I certainly
> "hope that younger linguists do not find the need to be constantly looking
> "over their shoulders to see who is going to stab them for being
> black, or queer,
> "or female, or, for that matter, white heterosexual male Red Sox fans."
>
> Except for the comment about Red Sox fans, I agree completely with
> Ron. I don't doubt that, from the POV of the G'town prof, he was
> merely expressing polite interest, with the hope of extending the
> conversation, given that we had aleady discussed my own Jesuit-trained
> background. But, there exist certain strings that tend to cause
> members of minority groups to "trip off the line," as we used to say
> at L.A. Water & Power. Some of them has become so stereotypical the
> both speakers and hearers beginning not to take them seriously,
> anymore, e.g., "You know, some of my best friends are [whatever]!" or
> "Do you know [internationally-famous Name]?", etc.
>
> Needless to say, some of *my* best friends are black, too, and I *do*
> know some internationally-famous names *in linguistics*. But, even
> today, not being one of the very few, internationally-famous black
> people, myself, I don't know any internationally-famous black people.
>
> Hence, that seemingly-innocent question comes across as a put-down:
> "I'm white and you're black, but, nevertheless, *I* know more famous
> black people than *you* do! You ever get high backstage with Miles?
> *I* have! Nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah!"
>
> Gnome sane?
>
> As for the Red Sox, I'm a fan of the Saint Louis Cardinals. Enough said.
>
> -Wilson
>
> –––
> All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
> come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
> -----
> -Mark Twain
>
>
>
> On Sat, Mar 7, 2009 at 11:44 AM, Â <RonButters at aol.com> wrote:
>> My experience is that linguistics is one of the least racist, least
>> homophobic, academic disciplines I know. I guess the best that can be said about our
>> painful experiences from those earlier days is that young people today don't
>> face those kinds of problems. This is not to say that racism and sexism and
>> homophobia is dead, but the playing field is a lot more even today, and I certainly
>> hope that younger linguists do not find the need to be constantly looking
>> over their shoulders to see who is going to stab them for being black, or queer,
>> or female, or, for that matter, white heterosexual male Red Sox fans.
>>
>

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