In a message dated 9/14/2006 12:14:23 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

>"Never meant to be derogatory"? Really? then what was it meant to  be?
>Merely descriptive? then why are none of the white people  characterized by
>their race?

By SAM, not derogatory. Yes,  descriptive. Slurring the word "Negro" in
itself was vernacular. White  folks indeed were characterized by their
race--I'm
sure you can think of a few  examples. Dago for Italians, Micks for Irish,
etc.,
even though visibility of  various "white" races was not so clear cut. I
believe it was Sam himself that  said we are all at least 50th cousins,and
that
all he had to know about a man  was that he was a human being, which was bad
enough.

What I object to is the postmodern sensibility which  attempts to tarbrush
historical use of a term in order to fling our most  favorite epithet,
"racist."
Sam was far ahead of his time when it came to such  issues (except for the
French, and perhaps the Indians). Heap stupid, I say.