Dear Group,

When I read David's note yesterday morning, I figured it was sure to
trigger
an avalanche of reproach and recrimination discussion, and I'm delighted
to
see that you did not disappoint.

Here in New York, a youth group caused quite a stir last summer by
selling
some T-shirts with the slogan "Intifada NYC." The group, Arab Women
Active
in Arts and Media, or AWAAM, tried to explain that "intifada" literally
means "shaking off," and the shirts represented nothing more offensive
than
women "shaking off" oppression.

Needless to say, this was way too nuanced for our local pundits, and the
ensuing media sh__storm was something to behold.

What I want to call your attention to, though, is this statement from
AWAAM
a few days later. Their members were "shocked" (according to their news
release) "shocked to find themselves at the receiving end of attacks by
anti-Arab bloggers and press who are using a T-shirt to try to aggravate
hysteria against Arab and Muslim communities."

Fair enough. As far as I know, AWAAM are a fine and well-intentioned
group
-- but "shocked"? They had no inkling that people might react angrily to
a
word that’s been used incessantly in the media -- rightly or wrongly
-- as a
virtual synonym for terrorism?

Were they really that naïve? Maybe. Or maybe they're being just a tad
disingenuous, and using that word was a way to get attention. (Old PR
saw:
"There's no such thing as 'bad' publicity.")

As for "white enough," I pretty much share Kevin's take on it. Seems to
me,
expressions like "mighty white of you," "as white as you or me" etc. are
clearly racist in origin, though not necessarily always racist in
intent,
and there’s a good chance that using them will stir up trouble,
whatever the
phrase happens to mean to you, personally. Anyone hip enough to
subscribe to
this forum must know that certain words carry deep emotional, moral, and
social connotations for many people. There's a useful -- and also very
pleasant and civil -- discussion of this online at
www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/28/messages/841.html.*

My guess is that David meant his "white enough" as mild tongue-in-cheek
humor, and he assumed the Forum would take it in that spirit. His vast
Twain
project has probably had him marinating for months in 19th-century
culture,
and that can throw you off. I once spent several weeks immersed in early
20th-century popular music, & was startled at the profusion of
gratuitous
racism in such harmless old favorites as "Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider,"
"Under
the Bamboo Tree," "Kentucky Babe," "Throw Him Down McCloskey" and
"Mighty
'Lak a Rose" (no surprise there, actually). But what also was startling
was
how quickly that stuff can lose its shock value.

Or, maybe David just likes to live dangerously.

Either way, may I suggest that it's not really a hanging offense? -- and
possibly not even a censurable one.


Pete Salwen