By: Melissa Boyd (Whetstone Staff Writer)
I’ve never said the “N†word in my entire life. I’ve had some friends (African American friends) who have tried to convince me to say it, or tried to “trick†me into saying it, because they think it’s funny how offensive I think the word is, especially since I’m white.
I think the word, along with other racially or sexually offensive words, is degrading and purposeless. In addition to the word being offensive to African Americans, the word is also offensive to Irish and Irish Americans, as well as the English, where it was first used against lower-class Irish and English people.
Of course, I curse, though I try to keep it to a minimal usually.
“Miss Prim and Proper†is me.
However, when I read a novel that contains the N word, along with a string of curses or sexually explicit material, I don’t shy away and hide under the covers. I’m appalled, but I keep reading.
A lot of people would wonder why I, as editor of the newspaper, decided to print the entire list of words that are “banned†in our email system. I have many responses to that.
I find it depressing that, as adults, we are prohibited from enacting our freedom of speech, which includes verbal speech (as in writing). I found it important for all of our readers to know exactly which words are permitted and which are not.
In addition, more than 60 percent of the words on the list are used in songs today, some of those songs that we listen to at school events. If you don’t like the words at those events, like the Variety Show, you get up and leave.
Is this not the same situation? Don’t like the words, don’t use them.
I was given the list by an anonymous source and I analyzed it carefully. I had to look up several of the words because I had never heard them in my life (some examples would be “porch monkey,†“kike,†“honky†or “hymie.â€
Here are some things I noticed from the list, or that others have pointed out to me, that I found particularly important to note to all of our readers:
1)   The word “penis†is prohibited, even as it is an anatomical part of the body. In addition, the word “vagina†is not. “Humping†is also a sexual act, one I’m not sure can be used in other context, but is also not listed.
2)   There are no Italian-insensitive words, even though in the 2000 census, there were more than 24,500,000 Italian Americans listed, and I imagine they all have terms they find insensitive. Where is “dago,†“deggo,†or “guido?†Other insensitive terms not listed might be “gook†for the Chinese, “retard†for those with learning disabilities, “fag†or “faggot†for homosexuals, “heeb†for Jewish, “kraut†for Germans or “paki†for Pakistanis. There are more than 1,000 words that degrade people solely for their ethnicity; why were the ones in the list chosen?
3)   “Nude†is a color, as well as a description of something being bare, not necessarily a person. “Naked†is allowed on the list, but only has one meaning as it is not a color. The paper given to us states, “While some words appear to be ordinary words (snatch, nude, chink) when used in a different context, they can be used offensively and are blocked as part of this service.†The paper suggests users use different words that have the same meaning, but are not blocked. So, I am to change “nude†to “naked†when I am referring to the color of my stockings. And even if it were sexual content, I am still saying what I want to say, just using a different word.
4)   There are only four “profane†words. There are more than ten that I have heard many Wesley students use on a daily basis: (the four listed: “asshole,†“bitch,†“dickhead,†“fuckâ€), along with “shit,†“damn,†“mothafucka,†“piss,†“skank†or “slut.â€
5)   “Masturbate†is listed as inappropriate, but “blow job†is not.
There are many other things to notice with the list, but those were the top five that I found particularly interesting.
Filtering just doesn’t work.
I understand it’s supposed to stop us from being “blacklisted.â€
But is it worth $300 a month to prohibit us from our freedom of expression, even if that is cursing?
I am “Miss Prim and Proper,†as I don’t use most of these words on a regular basis.
But don’t I have the right to use them?
Who gets to decide that I can’t use certain words and what makes them qualified to decide what words are “inappropriate?
I’ve never said the “N†word in my entire life. I’ve had some friends (African American friends) who have tried to convince me to say it, or tried to “trick†me into saying it, because they think it’s funny how offensive I think the word is, especially since I’m white.
I think the word, along with other racially or sexually offensive words, is degrading and purposeless. In addition to the word being offensive to African Americans, the word is also offensive to Irish and Irish Americans, as well as the English, where it was first used against lower-class Irish and English people.
Of course, I curse, though I try to keep it to a minimal usually.
“Miss Prim and Proper†is me.
However, when I read a novel that contains the N word, along with a string of curses or sexually explicit material, I don’t shy away and hide under the covers. I’m appalled, but I keep reading.
A lot of people would wonder why I, as editor of the newspaper, decided to print the entire list of words that are “banned†in our email system. I have many responses to that.
I find it depressing that, as adults, we are prohibited from enacting our freedom of speech, which includes verbal speech (as in writing). I found it important for all of our readers to know exactly which words are permitted and which are not.
In addition, more than 60 percent of the words on the list are used in songs today, some of those songs that we listen to at school events. If you don’t like the words at those events, like the Variety Show, you get up and leave.
Is this not the same situation? Don’t like the words, don’t use them.
I was given the list by an anonymous source and I analyzed it carefully. I had to look up several of the words because I had never heard them in my life (some examples would be “porch monkey,†“kike,†“honky†or “hymie.â€
Here are some things I noticed from the list, or that others have pointed out to me, that I found particularly important to note to all of our readers:
1)   The word “penis†is prohibited, even as it is an anatomical part of the body. In addition, the word “vagina†is not. “Humping†is also a sexual act, one I’m not sure can be used in other context, but is also not listed.
2)   There are no Italian-insensitive words, even though in the 2000 census, there were more than 24,500,000 Italian Americans listed, and I imagine they all have terms they find insensitive. Where is “dago,†“deggo,†or “guido?†Other insensitive terms not listed might be “gook†for the Chinese, “retard†for those with learning disabilities, “fag†or “faggot†for homosexuals, “heeb†for Jewish, “kraut†for Germans or “paki†for Pakistanis. There are more than 1,000 words that degrade people solely for their ethnicity; why were the ones in the list chosen?
3)   “Nude†is a color, as well as a description of something being bare, not necessarily a person. “Naked†is allowed on the list, but only has one meaning as it is not a color. The paper given to us states, “While some words appear to be ordinary words (snatch, nude, chink) when used in a different context, they can be used offensively and are blocked as part of this service.†The paper suggests users use different words that have the same meaning, but are not blocked. So, I am to change “nude†to “naked†when I am referring to the color of my stockings. And even if it were sexual content, I am still saying what I want to say, just using a different word.
4)   There are only four “profane†words. There are more than ten that I have heard many Wesley students use on a daily basis: (the four listed: “asshole,†“bitch,†“dickhead,†“fuckâ€), along with “shit,†“damn,†“mothafucka,†“piss,†“skank†or “slut.â€
5)   “Masturbate†is listed as inappropriate, but “blow job†is not.
There are many other things to notice with the list, but those were the top five that I found particularly interesting.
Filtering just doesn’t work.
I understand it’s supposed to stop us from being “blacklisted.â€
But is it worth $300 a month to prohibit us from our freedom of expression, even if that is cursing?
I am “Miss Prim and Proper,†as I don’t use most of these words on a regular basis.
But don’t I have the right to use them?
Who gets to decide that I can’t use certain words and what makes them qualified to decide what words are “inappropriate?
