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For the record . . . .
For the record . . .
F*** stands for "Fred." :)
Interesting note: haven't yet made time to listen to his music, but I
think the use of "gay" here, as by Kelvin, is similar to the use of gay
as by Eminem. So this may be the only time, ever, that Kelvin is on
Eminem's side in a fight.
I can *feel* the objection to using "gay" that way. I live in a
higher-education world, and, believe me, I sweat a lot more when somebody
says "gay" like this than when someone profanes the name of Christ. But
I also intellectually *know* that there isn't enough difference between
this and the use of "Jesus" as a curse word. "Gay" in this case is being
used not to indicate "one who practices homosexuality" but as an
adjective for "silly, air-headed, out of touch." Yeah. That's loaded
culturally. That's pushing a negative stereotype of homosexual men. But
using "Jesus!" in the exact same way we use "Shit!"? That's okay? Or
we're supposed to accept it because it's common and everybody knows
people who use it aren't thinking of Jesus but of a common exclamation
for surprise and outrage. But in the same way, with the same
un-consciousness, people invoke "gay" for "silly, airheaded, out of
touch." Neither one is meant to harm. But if "gay" pushes a negative
stereotype, doesn't using "Jesus" like this do so too? Doesn't it
cheapen the name of someone considered holy by many? Doesn't it mock
Christians by not caring what they care about?
But, then, the real problem is not in the use of the words but in the
derision poured on Christians who object, who are then considered uptigh
and out of touch.
I dunno. "Jesus" as a curse word begins with "Jesus" as a prayer thrown
out in a moment of stress. "Gay" begins as a suggestion that being
homsexual is unmanly and efeminate. That's a big difference.
It also matters that kids in Christian youth groups are, in my
experience, more likely tha anyone to use the word "gay" this way. But I
might be wrong about that. Haven't been in high school in a while.
But people should understand that if this sort of issue pushes buttons
for Christians its because so much very easy righteous outrage can be
directed at someone who says "gay" this way, but someone who profanes the
name of Christ is supposed to be just another okay person with an earthy
vocab. That's not nice, not right, no fair.
So we could ban the use of this form of "gay," and, as things have been,
we can keep going, and them other words can still be okay. Some
impoliteness will be more equal than other sorts of impoliteness.
Or there's an easy solution that says, "Fine. Y'all over there stop
saying 'gay,' and y'all over there stop saying 'Jesus' as a curse word.
And we'll all be fine."
I guess I'd accept that.
But I'd rather have us all not be so damnably touchy about speech.
Policing language distracts us from more more interesting conversations.
But there will always be shibboleths, and they will always reveal certain
things about their users.
Like "Jean Baudrillard." I know something about anyone who says "Jean
Baudrillard."
Well.
I've gotten nowhere.
That is all.
Fred
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