Re: US science education sucks

From: Miriam English (miriam@werple.net.au)
Date: Sun Aug 26 2001 - 21:10:53 MDT


At 11:53 AM 25/08/2001 -0400, Brian Phillips wrote:
><<My point is that we must be aware of how we use language. As far as I can
>see Olga did a service being prickly about possibly racist remarks. It
>makes good sense to be careful about walking on broken glass.
>
>Best wishes,
>
> - Miriam>>
> I dance on your broken glass. I already have enough problems
>getting my ass into a grad school that promises a lucrative
>career without worrying about whining. Not to put to fine
>a point on it.
>
>Mexican.
>Mexican.
>Mexican.
>Mexican.
>
>Yeesh. I think your comment dragged down the average level
>of discourse on the list a few percentage points. I don't spend
>valuable time reading Extropian for the liberal schmaltz after all.

Wow. And after that childlike display of petulance you think *my* post
dragged down the tone of the list? All I was suggesting is that people be
careful about the impact of their language.

Whining??? Liberal schmaltz??? hahahaha :-) Grow up.

It is simply a mistake to say "Mexican" if in fact you mean "poor". There
are clearly many Mexicans who are not poor. Would you refer to all flowers
as yellow just because a lot of flowers are yellow? Inaccurate statements
like that just risk encouraging the nasty racist seed (of which there seems
quite a disproportionate number in here, sadly -- I wonder why that is).

Sure, you can use language anyway you want, but you have to be prepared to
take responsibility for the results too. But if I know loud-mouthed
smart-asses, they like to blame anyone except themselves, especially when
they get cut up from treading (or dancing) on broken glass.

Cheers,

         - Miriam

---------=---------=---------=---------=---------=---------=------
Q. What is the similarity between an elephant and a grape?
A. They are both purple... except for the elephant.
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http://werple.net.au/~miriam
http://members.optushome.com.au/miriame
Virtual Reality Association http://www.vr.org.au



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