Reply #56: Good points, well made...but overly behaviourist? [View All]

Yes, definitely good points and I agree with the overwhelming majority.

However, I hesitate to condemn all DUers who are using the word "paki" as being racist. To do so would be overly behaviouristic. To you and me, "paki" is a racist term, therefore anyone using it without acknowledging its racist connotations must also be racist.

Right?

Not necessarily so. The people on here have beliefs and opinions, and the meaning of their language lies in its usage/context, rather than the face value of the words themselves.

You seem to be saying "They are using a racist term, therefore they are racist", whereas I am saying "They are using a racist term but I believe that they're not racist. Therefore there is a major misunderstanding and failure to appreciate the significance of the term".

I believe that in their haste and understandable passion for defending freedom of speech and criticising over-sensitive political correctness (both of which I would be happy to back), people have failed to grasp the core of this argument.

People are failing to spot that just because they believe it's not a racist term that doesn't make it so.

Peace.

P.