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.