on which side of the aisle do you sit?

[Eileen]

Originally Posted by Colors

*Bascially I found out that plenty of high school students generally don't give a shit about calling someone a "FOB"-fresh off the boat" or someone a "fag" or something "gay". And to a lesser extent, gender slurs and mental-disability slurs. The worst offenders are chronic due to the fact that their particular social circle is rife. Most of the others don't think about it much at all. And then there's the minority group which find slurs intensely offensive and demoralizing. Across the board, all student groups perceive that authority figures don't care about and/or ignore slur usuage.

It's probably the case that authority figures ignore it a lot (but let me tell you that it is probably in many cases not that they don't care but because discipline is hard--that's my story, anyway). That said, I ALWAYS call kids out on homophobic and mental disability slurs. Those are the ones I hear most often (ie, "that's gay" and "that's retarded"). But I teach English, so word choice is a central topic in my class--so I try to observe those offenses as "teachable moments." That said, nobody gets to abuse one another in my class without being called on it (and in particularly egregious circumstances, written up for it).

[Jeffster]

Originally Posted by Eileen

It's probably the case that authority figures ignore it a lot (but let me tell you that it is probably in many cases not that they don't care but because discipline is hard--that's my story, anyway). That said, I ALWAYS call kids out on homophobic and mental disability slurs. Those are the ones I hear most often (ie, "that's gay" and "that's retarded"). But I teach English, so word choice is a central topic in my class--so I try to observe those offenses as "teachable moments." That said, nobody gets to abuse one another in my class without being called on it (and in particularly egregious circumstances, written up for it).

Man, I would hate your class. The kids aren't usually using those words to mean anything to do with homosexuality or even mental disability. They're insults along the same level as "poopie face" or "dweeb." The word "gay" was co-opted into having a sexual connotation anyway, it really means joyful. If it can be co-opted by one group, why not another who wants it to mean lame or dumb? I don't think the first co-opping is somehow more valid.

On second thought, maybe I would love your class.

[Lateralus]

Originally Posted by Jeffster

Man, I would hate your class. The kids aren't usually using those words to mean anything to do with homosexuality or even mental disability. They're insults along the same level as "poopie face" or "dweeb." The word "gay" was co-opted into having a sexual connotation anyway, it really means joyful. If it can be co-opted by one group, why not another who wants it to mean lame or dumb? I don't think the first co-opping is somehow more valid.

Lame and dumb were also co-opted.

[Jeffster]

Originally Posted by Lateralus

Lame and dumb were also co-opted.

There ya go. Such is the cycle of language.

[Colors]

They're words, but they reveal a strong undercurrent (and sometimes not so under) of hostile sentiment. Over time, becoming desensitized to such hostile sentiment doesn't mean necessarily mean it has disappeared.

It can often just mean that an environment has been created where it is socially accepted; that's all.

Originally Posted by Eileen

But I teach English, so word choice is a central topic in my class--so I try to observe those offenses as "teachable moments." That said, nobody gets to abuse one another in my class without being called on it (and in particularly egregious circumstances, written up for it).

Yeah. It's pretty hard to get kids to do anything, but it's appreciated that you try and enlighten them.

[Cimarron]

Originally Posted by Angry Ayrab

Personally I am really a strict social conservative on myself, but I don't normally care what others do.

Yeah, I feel the same way.

[booyalab]

I associate the right more with economic freedom and individual rights, and wikipedia agreed with me. So there you go.

[Anja]

Yay, Colors!

Yay, Eileen!

Negative energy. . .

Like Rush says, "Words mean things." There's one thing I can agree with him about. We're becoming people who don't stop to think about connotations or "vibes."

Meh. I like to sit in the aisle and when people trip over me get the giggles.

Edit: And for gosh sakes let's keep words meaning things because pretty soon we'll all be communicating in nonspeak.

[Blackmail!]

Originally Posted by Little Linguist

just took the Political Brew Political Gauge and came up as a Moderate Conservative on Non-Fiscal Issues and a Centrist on Fiscal Issues. You can take the test at The Political Brew: Political Test

On Non-Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Strong Liberal (9).
On Fiscal Issues, you rank as a Moderate Liberal (25).

Your score is on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being fully liberal and 100 being fully conservative.

-----

Quite predictable. In France, I lean towards centrism, while in the US, I would be considered as a die-hard liberal.
Economically speaking, despite my score I'm basically a Schumpeterian.

[Peguy]

Hmmmn....interesting question. Long story short: my political views are unclassifable as far as the standard spectrum is concerned - even though many here like to automatically assume I'm on the right(you know who you are! )

The Anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon once proclaimed himself as "the most revolutionary person of his time, but also as the most conservative".

That's probably the best way to describe where I stand on the political spectrum. Like Proudhon, I too rail against excessive state power, yet defend the family and traditional morality. Believe it or not, there was a time when the Left was socially conservative.

Not only do I criticise Big government, I also criticise Big business as well - two sides of the same coin as far as I'm concerned. I'm strongly believe in the concept of self-government.

I'm a staunch defender of the virtue of patriotism, as well as the legitimacy of parochial identities(local, ethnic, regional, national, etc.) in the face of abstract Globalism - which I guess places me on the Right.

Yet I also staunchly believe in the virtue of social justice and standing up for the underdog, which would place me very much on the Left.

I could go on endlessly about this. As I said, my politics are hard to fully classify.

Concerning mainstream politics, Im a Ron Paul supporter.