in describing emily post's prescription for a perfect bachelor party, slate averred that one might expect "coons" to sing.

ouch . . .

i'm as much for political incorrectness as the next person, but this is even beyond the "N" word, isn't it? i mean, you hear the "N" word on all sorts of rap songs and radio shows, but when was the last time you heard the word "coon" used perjoratively in a racist sense?

slate, are you going for some sort of retro-shock effect here? what's next, podcasts of old amos and andy radio shows?

but then again, i get the impression that slate's readership is so white that few people will care that this insult was used, much less understand that it is an insult.

assignment for slate editors:

for further information on why this is an insult, read "the autobiography of malcom x", or "soul on ice" by eldridge cleaver.

really.

baltimore aureole:

in describing emily post's prescription for a perfect bachelor party, slate averred that one might expect "coons" to sing.

ouch . . .

i'm as much for political incorrectness as the next person, but this is even beyond the "N" word, isn't it? i mean, you hear the "N" word on all sorts of rap songs and radio shows, but when was the last time you heard the word "coon" used perjoratively in a racist sense?

It was a quote from Emily post, not a word of their own choosing. It helps to show how out of date the instructions were.

What would you expect from someone who thinks drinking until he's vomited up his steak dinner is a jolly good way to spend an evening? I suppose they should wear togas too and if things get dull perhaps the perfect host has planned to have the entertainers face each other in the arena, unless lions can be procured. Already he must be practicing "genteel" imbibing seeing as how he does not know the rehearsal dinner should be held at "his" parents club; the groom's parents host the rehearsal dinner. I would say all this is crude, but "crude" is a much too refined word to use here.

Personally, I think any self-respecting black person would rather be called a "coon" than the word I am thinking of here for those participate in such disgusting activities.

BassSinger:

baltimore aureole:

in describing emily post's prescription for a perfect bachelor party, slate averred that one might expect "coons" to sing.

ouch . . .

i'm as much for political incorrectness as the next person, but this is even beyond the "N" word, isn't it? i mean, you hear the "N" word on all sorts of rap songs and radio shows, but when was the last time you heard the word "coon" used perjoratively in a racist sense?

It was a quote from Emily post, not a word of their own choosing. It helps to show how out of date the instructions were.

Well, fine. But some comment might have been appreciated. Instead, the ironic quip was reserved for the "Neopolitans".

if you're confident that the "C" word is more acceptable on the street than the "N" word, why don't you test out your theory in real life?

have your medical insurance paid up first, just in case

Acceptable on the street? Such words are not acceptable even in one's own home; it is not part of a decent person's vocabulary. If you are referring to the word I did not wish to place into print, I was referring to a word describing disgusting behavior, not anything racist. I cringe at the thought someone would think I was suggesting there were any racial slurs one could use and still remain a decent human being.

Parties as described in the article are barbaric. No gentleman participates in such behavior just as no gentleman uses foul language. Some might protest that wild drinking parties and all sorts of foul language is part of our culture these days. So it was too in the Roman Empire (vomitoriums and slaves in abundance) during its decline. We should remind ourselves too, the people participating in these activities were the "gentlemen" as well as the "ladies" of their day. I think we can be sure the straving poor are not the ones we read about here.

marcparis:

Well, fine. But some comment might have been appreciated. Instead, the ironic quip was reserved for the "Neopolitans".

Maybe. As a WASP who's been through various sensitivity trainings, and read enough period literature, I knew what it meant and had the intended "yuck, I sure wouldn't want to take advice from Emily Post" reaction. But "Neopolitans"? As a WASP with little exposure to casual ethnic slurs, I had no idea what that meant until reading the follow-up quip. I thought he was talking about ice cream.

I'm assuming that that was the reasoning behind that editing choice. Few people would think that Emily Post was talking about raccoons, but more might be confused by the "other 'n-word'" comment.

oxmont:

Acceptable on the street? Such words are not acceptable even in one's own home; it is not part of a decent person's vocabulary. [...] I cringe at the thought someone would think I was suggesting there were any racial slurs one could use and still remain a decent human being.

Parties as described in the article are barbaric. No gentleman participates in such behavior just as no gentleman uses foul language.

Wow. Hey, before you come back from 1950, could you send me a postcard? :)

This Land of Perfect scenario that you seem to be painting only exists in Walgreens' commercials, and the sort of busibody prudishness that it holds up as the only standard of acceptable behavior (and especially when applied to married people) is part of what drives the whole Bachelor Party industry in the first place. While I have my own standards for behavior and language, I understand that they are my own standards, rather than some sort of measure of the worth and worthiness of the people around me. Therefore, I don't ascribe judgments about people's decency to their vocabulary. I'd rather have business dealings with a potty-mouthed philanderer, than with someone who was willing to use the letter of the law or even my own ethics as weapons against those they dealt with.

We should be past the age where we ape the alleged (a.k.a. fictional) behavior of the "Gentry," in an attempt to "uplift" ourselves. Such sycophantic flattery of supposed "betters" did little but stroke the egos of the rich back then, and I expect that if does even less now.

A better standard of behavior would look to avoiding things one understands to bring real and lasting harm to others, and takes responsibility (rather than simply accepting blame) for harms one does cause. It should, in my understanding, also accept that there are different standards and understandings of harm, and not seek imposition of one's own conditions for self-respect on others.

Bah. It was merely a quote from Emily Post, from more than eight decades ago. And, it seems pretty clear, quoted to demonstrate its absurdity and irrelevance to our present. We shouldn't have to pretend that no-one ever used insulting language in the tens of thousands of years since mankind developed speech.

The sort of brittle hyper-sensitivity that demands that it be sheltered from any understanding that humanity hasn't been a single massive happy family for its entire history is irritating enough in those GEICO caveman spots that I find so annoying. (Who on Earth decided that would make a good television show? Oh well, to each their own I suppose, but I don't see anything in it.) But at least the Cavemen are fictional uber-touchy prigs. No need to encourage it in real life.

Lyger, my my I do believe we've met before, several times in fact. One place you will recognize is in Tom Wolfe's "Charlotte Simmons", right? You are one of the "colorful" charaters who assisted in trying to ruin Charlotte's life by letting her know clearly how backwards she was? Me? Well, I am NOT a "Charlotte", one likely swayed with implications I am out-moded, out-dated; or if I am then then some things need to be revived---I favor politeness and civility. I would not attempt to persuade you that good manners are a cornerstone of a good and solid society since you can see no harm in anything that does not do immediate and direct damage from you own perspective; therefore, I suppose you will continue to use whatever language you choose, but I think Baltimore's advice (in an earlier post) that you keep your medical insurance up to date is wise if you wish to refer to some people with the insulting "c" word or "n" word, or even more spicy "f-ing c"---try it "on the street" and see if the recipient of your well chosen words agrees. Something tells me you might get a response which does not take into consideration YOUR OWN STANDARDS---more likely you will get your face bashed in by someone with even less tolerance for foul language than I do. I regret there is anyone who would need to be persuaded to act decently and respectably towards others. There is definitely a trend these days that we each should feel free to express ourselves according to self-defined standards with no regard for community standards, thus a cultural decline is noticable. These behaviors DO bring real and lasting harm.

I am a strong believer in freedom of speech and I would be the last person to close down a strip joint----I do not think decent behavior comes from imposition; it comes from making your "own standards" a positive element in society....

I somehow doubt that when you are annoyed with your superior at work you call him/her a "f-ing idiot". You might "think" that but probably do not say that---why? I think because it is not acceptable language---that person just might not have a solid respect for your own self-made standards. So, does it make it okay to use foul language with or around someone who has no power over you? I consider any word that I cannot use in any company......my parents, my boss, my children, etc. is a word I need to consider probably not acceptable to use at any time. That is a good way to set one's "own standard" and it also makes for a more pleasant and comfortable society; It did in 1950 and it does in 2007.

Don't forget, back in the 1920s, college-age (and thus marriage age) men wore racoon coats!

This was the preferred football-game spectator apparel. So maybe she was really referring to college buddies?