What an interesting and revealing commentary. It could only have been uttered by someone who does not belong to any of the designated ethnicities, since, as one who does, I found myself reacting with a really visceral cringe to the designation that would have targeted me. To conflate the impropriety of "naughty words" with sexual/scatological/religious referents with those expressing disrespect and contempt for people belonging to a particular racial or ethnic group is to miss the point of this discussion entirely. The two have very different kinds of histories and social impacts. But it is revealing to me that one can be that oblivious to such distinctions. Only in Academia! Ben Professor Emeritus Keene State College Keene, NH