Colorado State: don't use American

[Anonymous]

https://collegian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Inclusive-Language-Guide_10_30_18.pdf

This is another instance where I have to remind myself that, as bad as this sounds, the VAST majority of people I know in real life are not this stupid/radical left/intolerant. In fact, I can't actually think of one person I know who wouldn't call this list total BS. Still disheartening that a college would print it.

[Anonymous]

Ehh. Half of the list is fair. At least half of the list consists of archaic vocabulary like the colored or retarded. The other half is problematic because it attributes malice to terms that are not actually malicious like Hispanic or paraplegic.

It's one thing to dispute whether a specific word/term should be on that list. It's another thing to argue that creating a list of vocabulary with problematic histories is inherently stupid/extremist/intolerant.

The latter says more about the op than anything else.

[Anonymous]

I had no idea that cake walks were an ugly racist tradition. Did them at our school fair growing up. So thanks for posting this link.

Once I referred to a work colleague as off the reservation. A Native American colleague pointed out that she found it offensive. I had literally never thought about what I was saying and was mortified

I welcome these lists.

[Anonymous]

Not saying ‘American’ to refer to people from the US is not new. It does rankle all others on our continent. I learned this in the early 80s.

Also calling anyone not from the US ‘foreign’ is a uniquely US phenomenon, as in foreign students. Better to say ‘international’ student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not saying ‘American’ to refer to people from the US is not new. It does rankle all others on our continent. I learned this in the early 80s.

Also calling anyone not from the US ‘foreign’ is a uniquely US phenomenon, as in foreign students. Better to say ‘international’ student.

+1, also remember this being taught in the 80s. It's a distinction between everyday speak and accurate writing. We'd also be dinged if we referred to the Soviet Union as Russia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not saying ‘American’ to refer to people from the US is not new. It does rankle all others on our continent. I learned this in the early 80s.

Also calling anyone not from the US ‘foreign’ is a uniquely US phenomenon, as in foreign students. Better to say ‘international’ student.

+1, also remember this being taught in the 80s. It's a distinction between everyday speak and accurate writing. We'd also be dinged if we referred to the Soviet Union as Russia.

Same to all above. But also English when British was the more accurate term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ehh. Half of the list is fair. At least half of the list consists of archaic vocabulary like the colored or retarded. The other half is problematic because it attributes malice to terms that are not actually malicious like Hispanic or paraplegic.

It's one thing to dispute whether a specific word/term should be on that list. It's another thing to argue that creating a list of vocabulary with problematic histories is inherently stupid/extremist/intolerant.

The latter says more about the op than anything else.

This is right. Many of those words are on the "obviously no decent person should use these words" list.

However, others are . . . well, let's just say I'm going to continue to use the phrases "hold the fort," "I'm broke," "rule of thumb," "no can do," "Mr.," "nuts," and "addicted" without any qualms whatsoever.

What are the "incredibly offensive" roots of "food coma?"

Finally, whomever prepared this list is in dire need of a 5th grade geography lesson. "There is South America, Central America, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean just to name a few of 42 countries in total." Last time I checked, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean aren't countries, and residents of those regions likely would be mightily offended by having their identities stripped away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had no idea that cake walks were an ugly racist tradition. Did them at our school fair growing up. So thanks for posting this link.

Once I referred to a work colleague as off the reservation. A Native American colleague pointed out that she found it offensive. I had literally never thought about what I was saying and was mortified

I welcome these lists.

Our school still does cake walks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://collegian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Inclusive-Language-Guide_10_30_18.pdf

This is another instance where I have to remind myself that, as bad as this sounds, the VAST majority of people I know in real life are not this stupid/radical left/intolerant. In fact, I can't actually think of one person I know who wouldn't call this list total BS. Still disheartening that a college would print it.

So, instead of calling someone a spaz, I'm supposed to call them a "person with spastic cerebral palsy"

I despair for this country.

[Anonymous]

We have lots of "rules of thumb" at my very PC workplace. The origin will disturb many people. I suppose its days are numbered. Wait -is that phrase on a list like this?

And we never use American to refer to US residents because of course it includes Canada, Mexico, SA...

[Anonymous]

I had no idea about “basket case”. That’s disturbing.

Agree, some of these are ridiculous, but some are not. I’m about to print out this list, highlight a few points and give it to my coworker who has a hard time understanding why I’m offended when he calls me oriental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had no idea that cake walks were an ugly racist tradition. Did them at our school fair growing up. So thanks for posting this link.

Once I referred to a work colleague as off the reservation. A Native American colleague pointed out that she found it offensive. I had literally never thought about what I was saying and was mortified

I welcome these lists.

Our school still does cake walks.

You can (genuinely) say you are reclaiming the cake walk as the act of resistance slaves intended it to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had no idea about “basket case”. That’s disturbing.

Agree, some of these are ridiculous, but some are not. I’m about to print out this list, highlight a few points and give it to my coworker who has a hard time understanding why I’m offended when he calls me oriental.

Don't do that. The overreach in other areas of the list will undermine your valid objections to the term oriental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://collegian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Inclusive-Language-Guide_10_30_18.pdf

This is another instance where I have to remind myself that, as bad as this sounds, the VAST majority of people I know in real life are not this stupid/radical left/intolerant. In fact, I can't actually think of one person I know who wouldn't call this list total BS. Still disheartening that a college would print it.

That's why Donald Trump uses "sad" so often!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://collegian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Inclusive-Language-Guide_10_30_18.pdf

This is another instance where I have to remind myself that, as bad as this sounds, the VAST majority of people I know in real life are not this stupid/radical left/intolerant. In fact, I can't actually think of one person I know who wouldn't call this list total BS. Still disheartening that a college would print it.

Total BS? As in, each and every word on the list is perfectly acceptable to use?

If that's the case, you're a terrible person, as are all your friends.