No permission required…

…around here for the truth. Ken at Popehat begs our indulgence, which is his without asking...

Allow me a sweeping generalization: nobody ever said anything worthwhile after beginning “I know this isn’t politically correct, but . . .” or “I’m not racist, but” or “I have nothing against gays/blacks/Asians/Muslims/ whatever, but...”

Nobody. Ever.

Yep.

Pretty much. Gordon's got a few years on me, but I'm geezer enough to feel mostly the same way, I guess...

'Negro' is now considered by some to be an ethnic or racial slur. Not by me. I see it as archaic, but I see nothing wrong with it, though I don't use it much anymore.

Context and intent matter here, just as they do when black folk I know use the word sarcastically, with an exaggerated first syllable, or institutionally, as in the United Negro College Fund. More than a few older black folk use it formally and proudly, remembering a day when to be called a Negro was a victory in a hard fight against the denigration of real hate language, just as many of their parents saw "colored" as a step forward, and their children demanded to be called black.

Besides, if Barry's over it, we can all get over it.