[ilbegone]

Originally Posted by LAPhil

I thought someone might bring up this point. The term "colored" may be not be intrinsically derogatory, as no term is, it's the meaning we give it that determines whether or not it's acceptable. I'm just surprised that someone would be still be using that term today. And as for "illegals" and "anchor babies", these terms may become politically incorrect one of these days, as there are those even today who believe them to be and refuse to use them. And what about the term "wetback"? That was acceptable 50 years ago, but a lot of people don't dare use it today, and as you probably know this board used to automatically censor it if you spelled it out in its entirety. It looks like I got away with it here though.

Politically correct or not, one should at least strive for accuracy in a term and use it accurately, whatever term is used as a description - such as "Anchor Baby" or "Mexican".

However, I heard a new one the other day, "Muslim-American". What the hell does that mean? It doesn't make sense, try "Christian-American", Agnostic-American, Atheist-American, Catholic-American, Jewish-American, Zen Buddhist-American", Heathen-American, Pagan-American, Animist-American, Zoroastrian-American, Satanist-American, Hard Shell Baptist-American, Holy Roller American, Casting Out Serpents-American, and so on.

It's so vague as to be meaningless. It was the basis of an article in the Press Enterprise or SB Sun, I believe a week or so ago. Something about alleged persecution or similar.