On 9/15/06 9:10 AM, "Kevin. Mac Donnell" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Please
> note that I capitalized nerd as a sign of respect.

But you failed to capitalize it in this last sentence.  Pretty mixed
signals, in my book.  What will people say in 100 years about your
ambivalence toward the technologically empowered?  Is it within you, or are
you merely reflecting the ethos of our times?

Speaking of mixed signals, last night my wife and I, purely by coincidence,
watched Spike Lee's "Bamboozled."  That is quite an experience, and it was
especially striking after our little discussion about race and epithets from
yesterday.  My apologies to the LIST for commencing another long set of
posts, when in fact my original post was meant to say that we need no more
long posts on this tired topic.  I assumed there would be near consensus on
my points, but was shown (once more) to be quite deceived. Perhaps, I was
bamboozled.

None of which I want to rehash or even bring up again, except to say that if
you have not seen that film, you might like to see it.  I will not say "you
should see it," since apparently this form of speech is seen by some to be
violent and oppressive.  On the other hand, you decidedly might not like its
strange and harsh renderings--which obviously is one of Lee's major points.
It invokes blackface minstrelsy and racial stereotypes in general, and
demonstrates so many angles on these perplexing and distressing topics.

I do not get the impression that Spike Lee cares a bit whether the term in
question is capitalized or not.

Peace,

Harold K. Bush, Ph.D
Saint Louis University