D.C. Insurance Dept. Denies Birth Control Coverage Meddling
Controversy Over Rhee Now to Include Sex, Congress
Report: CCDC Split From UDC Is "Critical To Success"
D.C. United Icon Ben Olsen To Retire
Northeast Post Office Branch Spared From Closure List
MONDAY
The perniciousness of apartheid, as well as its utter inanity, is well distilled in the person of Sandra Laing. While born to white parents, her darker complexion caused authorities to classify her as black at age nine, then white again at age eleven. For people too casually comfortable with discrimination, Judith Stone’s account of Laing’s life, When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race [in South Africa], is a powerful reminder that anyone can end up on the wrong side of the fence. Olsson’s, 1307 19th St. NW., 7 p.m.
TUESDAY
Clint Bolick heads to the always decadent environs of the Cato Institute to discuss his book, David's Hammer: The Case for an Activist Judiciary. Maybe he’ll point out that those who are quickest to decry an activist judiciary are also the ones most bent on ensuring we get saddled with one. 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, at noon. For reservations call (202) 789-5229.
WEDNESDAY
Fresh off his appearance on The Colbert Report, author Jabari Asim comes to town to discuss his latest effort, The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, and Why. We recommend that anyone who still thinks “niggardly” is a racial slur attend. Vertigo Books, 7346 Baltimore Ave., College Park., 7 p.m.
THURSDAY
If you are ready to reject the rules of gender and conformity, head to—where else?—Busboys and Poets to attend a discussion with Matt Sycamore Bernstein and Rocko Bulldagger, who’ll be on hand to sign Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity. DCist: now searchable using the terms “rocko” and “bulldagger.” 2021 14th St. NW., 6 p.m.
Also, Thank You For Smoking author Christopher Buckley will be at Politics and Prose with another one of his immodest proposals in Boomsday, whose heroine champions an interesting policy--killing off Baby Boomers at age 75 in order to reduce the national debt. Sadly, this is only fiction. 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY
Picking up where his previous history, Grand Expectations, leaves off, James Patterson chronicles the end of the twentieth century in America with Restless Giant, and once again demonstrates his deftness at navigating the historical record by blending pop-culture, political events, and economic trends in one seamless snapshot of American society. Politics and Prose, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY
Spurred by his son—whose mental illness contributed to his running afoul of the law—author and journalist Pete Earley has done an exhaustive study of the country’s mental health system. While his book, Crazy, is not without its share on controversy, its “in-the-trenches” look at a system in disrepair is worth the time, especially if you have a mentally ill family member in your life. Barnes and Noble, 12193 Fair Lakes Promenade Drive, Fairfax, 2 p.m.
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No, "niggardly" is not a slur, but it's often a poor word choice considering that "parsimonious" or "thrifty" or just plain "cheap" are also available. What a needless comment to put in the post, DCist.
I don't expect DCist to understand, this,
however--at least not until DCist garners more than 8 African American readers in Washington, D.C.
I feel terrible about this, but my intentions were pure and it's a funny story:
So, Saturday, a bunch of people I knew kept using the word "faggot." I hate that word. They said it was ok since there were no gay people around. My response was "so it would be ok if I called you guys niggers?"
I, of course, had forgotten that one of the guys I was talking to was indeed black. He wasn't angry. He wasn't especially amused either.
I need to ask Jabari Asim to absolve me of my sins.
"Niggardly" is such an outdated word and you know racist fools would try to use that word to their "advantage," even though its meaning has nothing to do with Black people.
I've heard of Ms. Laing before and her story, and if I have the time I may go check out this reading. So sad that her family pretty much disowned her because she was born with a different skin color.
Ahh, perhaps everyone (except our author) has forgotten this story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm
Mr. Linkins or DCist Webmaster--The second comment to this post is neither funnny nor appropriate. DCist should remove the post.
I can't say I've ever heard of any KKK-types using the word "niggardly" as a secret code word to describe blacks.
On the other hands, as the Williams' aide debacle clearly showed, lots of non-KKK types do use that word to try to paint its user as a closet Klanner. Even though the word has nothing to do with the n-word. But it's easier to get in front of the cameras and act offended then it is to crack open a dictionary and see what a word's definition and roots are.
That said, #2's post above raises a very interesting question: Why is it that the word "faggot" is tolerated, but the words nigger, or spic, or gook, or [fill on your favorite offensive ethnic term here] are not? What is the turning point at which a word becomes unofficially banned from discussion? When will "faggot" reach that point?
It was an example of using an inappropriate word in the context of semantics and still having it be so verboten that my point (that some words are bad no matter what) was actually made stronger even if I've made an incredible fool of myself.
It's funny in the "oh man, now I've done it" sense. Not the "ha-ha" sense.
I fail how to see how it's inappropriate considering the context of the Wednesday book.
Guys, give me a break. Discussion is fine, but I'll continue to remove comments that are pointedly hostile. Rusty's comment does not qualify; the one I removed, did.