Questions to the Jews...

 

Of course, if people are offended by a term, it should not be used. But the extreme sensitivity of some people has in many areas lead to the point where people no longer dare adress an issue at all, and become avoidant instead of interested. This not only applies to people of different race or religion, but also for example to people who are physically or mentally handicapped.

 

An example: Up to about 10 years ago, members of Islam were often adressed as Muhammedans in the Netherlands. The Islamitic society let know that they found this term unpleasant, and within no time, the vocabulaire had switched to the more acceptable and accurate Islamists. This is a positive change.

 

But an example of negative change: All sorts of words that define some sort of skin colouration are becoming more and more burdened with negative association. Words like negro, coloured, black can often not be used without causing offence. But the problem is, that by now one has to be a master of subtlety to avoid offensive words, and still make your meaning clear. In a column in a paper I read about a woman who wanted to teach her kids right, and asked the black pizza delivery guy what terms he himself used. He aswered: madam, we call ourselves 'negers', and you can call us that too...  (The Dutch word neger is not as negatively charged as the English negro, nor is the Dutch word for black. Still, it is not exactly nice either)

 

I myself asked a friend what he found offensive or not, he replied that he did not find much offensive at all... "It is pretty obvious I am black, you know, it is not like its gonna change if you call it differently"

 

But, here is the catch: If I would apply this principle on the street, and call an unknown person 'neger' or something, I am sure to offend... Complicated...