In a message dated 4/18/2007 4:41:43 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

Perhaps  Livy did not object (and we don't know that she
didn't) to its usage not  because she accepted or approved the word but
because she
realized its  dramatic and realistic neccessity in HF.    John H. Davis,
Ph.D.

I fear at some point the world passes us by, or at  least what one might
consider "proper" becomes antiquated. To use the term  "nigger" today is
tantamount to being a racist; and, you're right, John, it  was not always
so.  We were
not always so blind or stupid. Use of the word  does not imply approval, but
the world has passed us by to the point where use  of the word brings the
cry
of "racist!"  Black kids today use "nigga" as a  friendly acceptable form.
Whacko, ain't it? A wise woman once told me,  "There are no bad words, only
bad
intentions."  I recall a few years ago  some teacher even getting in hot
water
for using the term "niggardly."  Ludicrous.

I often reflect on race-relations and wish for a  mandate that all marriages
for the next 200 years would be "mixed" so we might  end this nonsense. We
could all be "niggers," then.  I believe Sam Clemens  once said something to
the
effect that we are all "50th cousins, at least," and  to him to be said to
be
"human" was the worst thing said anyway. But perhaps  that's the post
1900-Clemens talking.

This country has had such a guilt-fear complex about  black folks since the
race riots and Civil rights uproar of the 1960's,  that today PC-ness bends
common sense into a pretzel-like disconnect.  Hard  to believe that the same
universities that championed free-speech movements gave  birth to PC
insanity.
Today we stand on our heads in fear of "offending"  someone or some group.

How long will this country convulse over racial  matters? Perhaps as long as
the law favors one race over another, or even  mentions it at all. I
understand from my biology pals that there is no such  thing as "race"; that
the
concept is flawed. But differences remain, & there  will always be
differences which
divide people, rightly or  wrongly. Diversity is secretly feared, not only
"celebrated." Believing  some races are superior or inferior--well, that's
plain
ignorance, yet we don't  pass laws against stupidity--there aren't jails
enough.

Diversity is fine--we do have a common language,  common political and
social
ideals; we're a country of *legal* immigrants from  every stripe--the
American tent allows even democrats!

But as to Livy--she certainly argued against language  far tamer than
repeated use of "nigger," so it may be that Sam simply overruled  her, as he
sometimes did.  Perhaps she might have argued for "darky" or  "Negroes" or
some-such.
I doubt that the term "coloreds" was in play then,  though maybe. Black
people themselves have changed what they want to be called  several times--I
know
one or two who won't have anything to do with  "African-American." They feel
no
connection to Africa and/or hate being  hyphenated.

The thing with PC-ness is, it only has power if we all  go along with it.  I
need to repair this old soap-box.

David H  Fears