Context Counts

Context counts. If I type the word “fire” it is just a word. If I shout the word “fire” in a crowded movie theatre when nothing is burning, it is a criminal act.

Context counts. If an African-American uses the word “nigger” in a conversation which he believes to be private with another African-American, that is different than me typing the word in this journal, and that is quite different than if I chose to use the word in conversation with friends. People who have experienced the violence of words know that some simple strings of sounds can become potent weapons akin to time bombs capable of setting off repressed anger, resentment, feelings of inferiority, guilt--- in certain contexts . Those who use these words cruely do so in order to rob their victims of their sense of control and security. Painting “nigger” across a garage door in Arlington, Texas can tell a suburban family “You may have a nice house and car and job and family, but we can take away your sense of security.” That is a whole different context, one that is much more important in America today. Why did not the national news media spend four days reporting on that? And when the family decided that it did not want to have the offending word removed, they would leave it there for the community to see and reflect upon, the city objected----

Sometimes you can not run away from hurtful words. Sometimes you have to confront them head on. Take charge of them. Defuse them.

Bitch, whore, slut, cunt are violent words which I have made fully my own----and in doing so, I have defused them. Because I am a woman, no one will deprive me of my right to use them. These were weapons which someone thought to turn on me, and I took possession of them. I made them meaningless. Throw one of them at me, and you will find that your bomb is a dud, like tossing the word “pickle” or “sock”.

Some on the right object to the demystification of their arsenal of deadly words. They enjoy having the power to cut a minority or female down to size with a well chosen slur. Why has Bill O’Reilly mentioned the word but refused to give us the context in which it was spoken? So that Fox News can create the impression that Obama was called one and that somehow this is the worst thing that anyone could be .

Bullshit. The worst thing that anyone could be is a war criminal like Bush and Cheney. A torturer like Alberto Gonzales. A pedophile rapist. Being called a word used to signify a victim of oppression by another victim of oppression is nothing----

Context counts.