Posted by B Day on November 9, 2000, at 11:46:43
In reply to Re: Where angels fear to tread . . ., posted by coral on November 9, 2000, at 4:00:38
Oh!! Most Wonderful Sterling Couch Person Extradinaire,
Once again I lay in utter amazement of the like-mindedness between us. It is as if we were one, but with two heads. I'm sure it is clear to all Lumptonia why I chose you as my Vice-Ambassador and Chief Executive Assistant.
On another tender note...
ONCE AGAIN, the Ambassador would like to apologize FOR HIS UNFORTUNATE CHOICE OF WORDS! When he identified the Sterling CPE as a "hillbilly" he was referring not to Tennessee, but Michigan. He thought that is what they call those people up there. I apologize for my error.
You see, the Ambassador himself is a southerner. He was born and raised in Kentucky, lived two years in Augusta, Georgia and has spent the most part of the last twenty-five+ years in Nashville, Tennessee. He doesn't consider himself a hillbilly either and although he does quite often go barefooted, there is no shit between his toes from having kicked some.
Apology aside, this still seems worth mentioning in light of some of our nation's current matters. We are discussing words, particularly ones like sensitivity, content, intent and rights. As an example, the Ambassador probably feels the right to call someone a hillbilly in either jest or not since he himself is one. Depending on the circumstance, the word could be either used or taken different ways. However, even though being a hillbilly himself has not made the Ambassador sensitive to it, that might not be true for some others. In contrast, the Ambassador would like to share something that he is very proud of.
The Ambassador has quite a number of African-American friends in his life and has had since he was a teenager in the sixties. In those turbulent Kentucky days he took a few ass-whippings as the result of his having affection for black people. Black people stood up for him on his behalf and he no longer had to defend himself alone. But even more they bestowed on me an honor he has worn like a badge for over thirty years. They and many others still call him "that crazy nigger".
I would hope the good people of Lumptonia understand why this is such an honor.
With affection and good intentions,
Your Ambassador,
B
poster:B Day
thread:1864
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20001031/msgs/2370.html