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Complimenting someone as "well-spoken" is apparently racist


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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/06/michael-bloomberg-cory-booker-well-spoken

 

I thought I was misreading something when I initially saw this headline. Apparently, we're not allowed to call a minority individual "well-spoken" for fear that our compliment is actually a backhanded insult. I seriously can't with this culture anymore.

 

At some point, we need to stop trying to be offended at things. And this is coming from a left-leaning independent.

 

Trying to compliment a minority? Forget it, I guess.

 

"You look nice!" Response: Are you saying that black people don't usually look nice?
"You're very well spoken." Response: What, are you saying that's unusual?
"You're really good at fixing things!" Response: What, does that surprise you?

 

?

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28 minutes ago, /dev/null said:

To prevent any future racially insensitive remarks, I propose that all greetings, farewells, and compliments be replaced with Bah weep Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong

 

Stop culturally appropriating Junkions, you fascist #######.

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36 minutes ago, /dev/null said:

To prevent any future racially insensitive remarks, I propose that all greetings, farewells, and compliments be replaced with Bah weep Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong


I’m going with Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn. 

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This could have gone in the “Hate Crime or Hoax” thread. 

I’m old enough to remember when you could not praise an African American NFL QB for his athleticism. You had to praise his intelligence or else your comments were considered racist. 

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27 minutes ago, Nanker said:

This could have gone in the “Hate Crime or Hoax” thread. 

I’m old enough to remember when you could not praise an African American NFL QB for his athleticism. You had to praise his intelligence or else your comments were considered racist. 

Well my old pappy used to say: "If you can't say anything nice about someone, don't say anything at all". 

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3 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/06/michael-bloomberg-cory-booker-well-spoken

 

I thought I was misreading something when I initially saw this headline. Apparently, we're not allowed to call a minority individual "well-spoken" for fear that our compliment is actually a backhanded insult. I seriously can't with this culture anymore.

 

At some point, we need to stop trying to be offended at things. And this is coming from a left-leaning independent.

 

Trying to compliment a minority? Forget it, I guess.

 

"You look nice!" Response: Are you saying that black people don't usually look nice?
"You're very well spoken." Response: What, are you saying that's unusual?
"You're really good at fixing things!" Response: What, does that surprise you?

 

?


best to keep any thoughts to yourself 

 

only stating them when you are in a guaranteed safe zone of conversation

 

 

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This came up a lot when Obama was running.  The assumption is that white people are surprised that a black person can be "well spoken."  It's just a phrase you have to avoid if you're in the public light.  Like it or not.  I think Biden had to apologize to Obama in the '07 primaries for similar wording.

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1 hour ago, Doc Brown said:

This came up a lot when Obama was running.  The assumption is that white people are surprised that a black person can be "well spoken."  It's just a phrase you have to avoid if you're in the public light.  Like it or not.  I think Biden had to apologize to Obama in the '07 primaries for similar wording.

I understand the assumption (see examples of other compliments in OP), but it's just ridiculous. I'm not sure how one is supposed to know what's offensive and what's not. Someone needs to put out a Guide to Theoretically Insensitive Terms so we can all get smart.

 

@32ABBA I've actually used this term quite a bit (and have been on the receiving end of it as well), and I had no idea it was "racist" until Booker. 

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25 minutes ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

I understand the assumption (see examples of other compliments in OP), but it's just ridiculous. I'm not sure how one is supposed to know what's offensive and what's not. Someone needs to put out a Guide to Theoretically Insensitive Terms so we can all get smart.

 

@32ABBA I've actually used this term quite a bit (and have been on the receiving end of it as well), and I had no idea it was "racist" until Booker. 

I'm sure you can do a google search and educate yourself.

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10 hours ago, /dev/null said:

To prevent any future racially insensitive remarks, I propose that all greetings, farewells, and compliments be replaced with Bah weep Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong

You can't appropriate that phrase.  It's what Bob says when he is super stoned and wants another hit.

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1 hour ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

...  I've actually used this term quite a bit (and have been on the receiving end of it as well), and I had no idea it was "racist" until Booker. 

seriously... have you been living under a rock for the last 20 years?

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4 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

This came up a lot when Obama was running.  The assumption is that white people are surprised that a black person can be "well spoken."  It's just a phrase you have to avoid if you're in the public light.  Like it or not.  I think Biden had to apologize to Obama in the '07 primaries for similar wording.


Colin Powell, was said to “speak so well...”

 

Chris Rock has a good riff on that back then 

 

 

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