kazelee Wrote:

mirina Wrote:"Gay" is a neutral term referring to homosexual people. It evolved further, independent from its original term, to now mean something akin to "lame."

That's the thing. More than likely, it did not. If you look at other culture related slang terminology you'll see a pattern.

In part of my post which was erased by accident I made a comparison. Here is an example sentence to give you an idea.

Jew - Jews are stereotypically, greedy, sneaky, dishonest peddlers.

After being ripped by a salesman the customer says, "I just got Jewed."

The customer doesn't hate Jews, but the costumer does associate the word Jew with the negative stereotypical ideas of Jews. Therein lies the point of consideration.

If you re-read nest0r/ruiner's post again, you'll see this is what he/she was getting at, even if there was an air of exaggeration.

What negative stereotypes regarding homosexual people play into the colloquial usage of the word "gay"?

If I am playing a game that I really dislike, let's say, because it is boring and the graphics are bad, and I say, "this game is gay," what relation does that share to someone who is actually homosexual? Maybe I'm not up-to-date on my gay hate, but the only gay stereotypes I'm aware of are include sexual promiscuity or queens. How does my ugly, boring game in any way have to do with gay people? I think we all, even people who actually hate gay people, can agree that ugly and boring, most certainly, are not gay stereotypes.

And since I don't see gay people as bad or in any way inferior compared to other sexualities, the idea of "gay" = "bad" = "homosexual" is completely divorced from my mind. The fact that other people see it that way is ... not my responsibility. It's like when I say "I want a pair of those shoes," I don't think of pears. Words are capable of serving two different functions in our minds without intermingling.

shirokuro Wrote:This is a matter of being considerate.

That's really the bottom line, isn't it? I'm not the biggest fan of PC in the world, and I've been known to drop some immature terms pretty liberally (thank god I gave up my 'channing days a few years ago), but common sense, consideration and compassion really do go a long way. As this is a public forum with a diverse user base from all across the globe, I think these factors are even more important.

However, I think it also goes both ways... Calling out someone's usage of a potentially offensive word in the middle of a thread is almost always a surefire way of derailing it into a twisted mess, and I've seen it occur multiple times on this very forum. It's obviously a step in the right direction that this thread exists for the purpose of such discussions (I personally also find it interesting in the context of language), but I do wish others would exercise restraint before calling someone out and dragging down a perfectly good thread.

Again, consideration is the key!

I think it's amusing (and kind of sad) that an actual homosexual person responded to say they personally didn't like the use of gay and wished people would stop using it on the forum, and all the anti-PCers just ignored that and kept on arguing about how they're not offending or insulting anyone by using it.

Burritolingus Wrote:

shirokuro Wrote:This is a matter of being considerate.

That's really the bottom line, isn't it? I'm not the biggest fan of PC in the world, and I've been known to drop some immature terms pretty liberally (thank god I gave up my 'channing days a few years ago), but common sense, consideration and compassion really do go a long way. As this is a public forum with a diverse user base from all across the globe, I think these factors are even more important.

Exactly. This shouldn't be a discussion about "politically correct" language. I have never advocated for using PC language on this forum, and I don't believe it should be necessary on here. This is not quite that formal a setting, but it's also not as casual as when you're just hanging out with your buddies. It really saddens me to see it on here. I don't want to be made to feel like shit when I'm reading posts on here.

Quote:However, I think it also goes both ways... Calling out someone's usage of a potentially offensive word in the middle of a thread is almost always a surefire way of derailing it into a twisted mess, and I've seen it occur multiple times on this very forum. It's obviously a step in the right direction that this thread exists for the purpose of such discussions (I personally also find it interesting in the context of language), but I do wish others would exercise restraint before calling someone out and dragging down a perfectly good thread.

I get that. Still, I think having discussions like these and the one that went on in the "Japanese Names" thread is important, because the way people use language matters.

People should really be thinking before they write. None of this would have even happened, and the thread wouldn't have been derailed in the first place, if mezbup had simply written something like "annoying" or "stupid" instead of "gay."

mirina Wrote:"Bitch" originally referred solely to a female dog in heat, and yet now also refers to an obnoxious, unruly woman. It started out as a completely neutral term, but spawned a completely different meaning independent of the original word. However, "bitch", referring to both female dogs and rude woman, are still present and used. Dog breeders have not stopped referring to their dogs as "bitches" because other people use it to mean something else. And as far as I know, there is not female dog discrimination running rampant.

Bitch never was and still is not offensive to the dogs because this is what it basically means 'female dog'. It's comparing human being to the dog that is offensive to human being, as dogs are considered to be lower creatures compared to humans. Besides, neither dogs, nor horses understand any of human languages and so they are very unlikely to get offended by any words you use for them.

But if you put gay people in the place of lower creatures and make being compared to them an offense for other human beings and things around them, it gets pretty offensive, doesn't it? And gay people do understand every word of it and do feel offended as at least one of them admitted in this thread.

mirina Wrote:What negative stereotypes regarding homosexual people play into the colloquial usage of the word "gay"?

Gay - Homosexuality is distasteful, disgraceful, shameful, not in accord, an abomination, not right, a plague, the result of a weak and disconcerted mind, weird, unnatural, unwanted, wrong... just wrong, weird, very very bad, disgusting...

Dude, you're gay. That's so gay. How gay is that?

If you felt not even a smidgen of emotion after reading that, then perhaps these associations are truly divorced in your mind. I doubt it though, you are human afterall... right?

Quote:The fact that other people see it that way is ... not my responsibility.

I was gonna use some outlandishly offensive sentence as a rebuttal here, but the above example more than suffices.

Instead I'll just politely suggests that you take some of this information into consideration and try to understand that you are responsible for the word you use and how you choose to use them as well as understanding that words have multiple meanings and that what one says in not often what is communicated. If you weren't partly aware of this already, your vernacular would be something totally different from what it is now, I believe.

Burrito Wrote:but I do wish others would exercise restraint before calling someone out and dragging down a perfectly good thread.

Keep it on topic

I want to agree and yet I don't. Stating why would turn this into a political discussion and so I'll stop here.

IceCream Wrote:i really think it has to be your responsibility to not be hurt by people's choice of words.

The last gasp of the anti-PCers -- "it's your fault if you're offended by my words." You can't avoid responsibility for the words you use. I can't call you a bitch and claim that I don't mean it in an offensive way (because I think female dogs are good), and that it's your fault if you're offended by it.

yudantaiteki Wrote:I think it's amusing (and kind of sad) that an actual homosexual person responded to say they personally didn't like the use of gay and wished people would stop using it on the forum, and all the anti-PCers just ignored that and kept on arguing about how they're not offending or insulting anyone by using it.

I find it hard to tell, but I also find it hard to take, that sometimes when people run around in circles with random arguments after being told that 'gay' is offensive its a very very, bad world.

But I suppose that you gotta wait for children for the day they feel good, tell em things like 'happy spam day' or 'happy troll day-ay-ay" But if you were to feel the way these children should, we must also sit and listen, sit and listen to what they have to say.

When I went to school I was very nervous, really nervous actually. No one really knew me, I was an ethnic minorrrrrrrrrrrrrrity. I said hello to the teacher and asked her what was my lesson, the bitch looked right through me, she even groped me!

So I too, find it kind of amusing, and kind of sad, I find it hard to type, I find it hard to post, that when racist teachers run in circles it's a very very bad world.

So I think we should try enlargen our worlds, enlargen our worlds, so that we can encompass together, and be respectful, be respectful to one another. I per-son-ally have learnt my lesson, learnt my lesson long ago, after I read some related posts, despite how I used to talk.

So if anything we should move on slowly, but move on surely, before this post runs out of lyrics, out of tune to type to.

In conclusion I hope you have enjoyed this post, enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed the tune-un-un-une. Thankyou yudantaiteki for bringing it to me, bringing it to me-e-e-e, because This is probably one of my favourite, songs in the whole wide wide world.

shirokuro Wrote:As a gay male, I feel like I should offer my perspective on this issue.

This is a matter of being considerate. This is a forum. You don't know everyone on here. There's a diverse readership, and I think that more important than being "PC" is being sensitive. As iAurora said, there's no need to use "gay" in a negative way. It's completely unnecessary, and it can be very hurtful.

My stomach sinks when I read words like "gay" being used in this way. The negative connotations, to me, are through association with people like me who don't belong to the heterosexual majority. In my view, you are actively perpetuating homophobia and contempt for the queer community at large by using words like "gay" in such a way.

Honestly, it should be enough to know that you are offending people on here when you use words like "gay" in this way. It's really not something I want to read on here. Please don't use it. Thank you.

I am sorry that you must feel this way, and I am sorry that there are people in this world who are so bothered and intimidated by another person's sexuality that they feel to the need to oppress that person. But I also hope that you can understand that the vast majority of people who use the word "gay" to refer to something bad in no way are simultaneously thinking of that particular object or situation as similar to homosexuality. Even though "gay" is used to refer to "homosexual" about as much as it is used to refer to something negative, that does not mean that most people see the two words as in any way connected. Certainly, although I know the original meanings of many insults, I don't think of that minority group when I use or see them. As an example, my sister limps when she walks due to complications at birth and, while I would never call her a "gimp", I've certainly used the word in the past for comedic effect. But I love my sister, do not think any less of her, and actually think her limp is rather adorable. So, my use of the word "gimp" does not mean that I have anything against people who limp or have a lame leg; it's just a way of expressing myself in a way that I feel, at the time, is the most effective.

I am not saying that you don't have the full right to feel the way you feel, because you do. If the use of the word makes you feel uncomfortable or even unhappy, then you have every right to ask that person not to use that word in a derogatory way. But although you may see it as an affront to who you are, the person using the term probably is not putting as much thought into it. That's not to say your feelings aren't valid, just that, as hard as it may be, it's probably better not to read too much into what a person says, no matter how offensive it may seem. Certainly, in the majority of cases, that person is not trying to make you feel bad, and would feel horrible if they knew that was the situation.

kazelee Wrote:

mirina Wrote:What negative stereotypes regarding homosexual people play into the colloquial usage of the word "gay"?

Gay - Homosexuality is distasteful, disgraceful, shameful, not in accord, an abomination, not right, a plague, the result of a weak and disconcerted mind, weird, unnatural, unwanted, wrong... just wrong, weird, very very bad, disgusting...

Dude, you're gay. That's so gay. How gay is that?

I've never used the word "gay" to express any of that whatsoever. My aforementioned video game is not, for example, an actual abomination.

kazelee Wrote:I was gonna use some outlandishly offensive sentence as a rebuttal here, but they're be no coming no coming back from that.

It would probably make things more interesting if you did.

kazelee Wrote:Instead I'll just politely suggests that you take some of this information into consideration and try to understand that you are responsible for the word you use and how you choose to use them as well as understanding that words have multiple meanings and that what one says in not often what is communicated. If you weren't partly aware of this already, your vernacular would be something totally different from what it is now, I believe.

To be honest, you are, in a way, expressing a part of my point, although in a roundabout way.

We, as in all of the members of this forum, experience things differently. While I can try to express myself as appropriately as possible, I can't control how that person interprets what I am saying. Take, for example, the other thread that spawned this one. I don't recall who it was, or precisely what was said, but someone made a joke about calling things "gay", and another person thought that individual was serious and asked them to stop using that word, even though the person who made the joke was speaking facetiously. So, although both posters shared the same opinions, the other person misinterpreted what the original poster was expressing, and was offended by that poster's comment (even though they agreed!). That is what I mean when I say, I'm not responsible for another person's subjective observation. There is absolutely no way whatsoever that I can control what another person's sees.

Quote:I think it's amusing (and kind of sad) that an actual homosexual person responded to say they personally didn't like the use of gay and wished people would stop using it on the forum, and all the anti-PCers just ignored that and kept on arguing about how they're not offending or insulting anyone by using it.

No one said that.

Quote:You can't avoid responsibility for the words you use.

I am responsible for the words I use. I am not responsible for how someone interprets them. Read my above example. You will never, in your life, be able to, in every situation, accurately guess how someone will interpret what you are saying. Even if you try your best to be as unoffensive as possible, at some point, you will offend someone.

mirina Wrote:the person using the term probably is not putting as much thought into it.

I find that hard to believe -- if that were the case, the response I would expect is "oh, sorry that offended you -- I'll try not to use it." Not, "I'm going to keep using this word and it's your fault if you're offended." That shows thought and consideration.

yudantaiteki Wrote:

mirina Wrote:the person using the term probably is not putting as much thought into it.

I find that hard to believe -- if that were the case, the response I would expect is "oh, sorry that offended you -- I'll try not to use it." Not, "I'm going to keep using this word and it's your fault if you're offended." That shows thought and consideration.

For one thing, I was speaking generally, and not exclusively in regards to this forum. Certainly he has similar experiences outside of here.

I don't recall anyone actually saying anything like what you stated -- there's a million conversations going on here, so it's hard to keep up -- but I was speaking of the first incident of someone saying "gay". Not after it's happened for the, say, 20th time.

yudantaiteki Wrote:I think it's amusing (and kind of sad) that an actual homosexual person responded to say they personally didn't like the use of gay and wished people would stop using it on the forum, and all the anti-PCers just ignored that and kept on arguing about how they're not offending or insulting anyone by using it.

I would have to disagree. There is a big difference between taking offence and intending offence. Many words are not offensive but people take offence to them. This is exactly the cause of the euphemism treadmill. For example, in America it is no longer proper to refer to black people as black. They must now be referred to as African Americans in polite conversation, even if they aren't American citizens and don't trace their ancestry back to Africa. There is the same issue with calling retarded people retarded, disabled people disabled, or janitors janitors. These people are offended (or people are offended for them) by accurate words that describe them. On the other side of the coin, any word can be used offensively. Intention is what matters most.

"Gay" didn't originally mean homosexual and at no point has it exclusively meant homosexual. If someone isn't using it with the intent to offend homosexuals, then just calm down already. Just because one person posted on the board saying that they were offended means nothing, since offence wasn't the intention. What if I decided that I am offended by the use of punctuation marks? Would you all have to go out of your way to appease me?

Jarvik7 Wrote:I would have to disagree. There is a big difference between taking offence and intending offence.

There's a difference between stomping on someone's foot on purpose, and losing your balance on the subway and stepping on someone's foot, but in either case you've got a hurt foot.

mirina Wrote:I've never used the word "gay" to express any of that whatsoever. My aforementioned video game is not, for example, an actual abomination.

o.0

That was just the tip of the iceberg. We both know this.

Quote:

Quote:You can't avoid responsibility for the words you use.

I am responsible for the words I use. I am not responsible for how someone interprets them. Read my above example. You will never, in your life, be able to, in every situation, accurately guess how someone will interpret what you are saying. Even if you try your best to be as unoffensive as possible, at some point, you will offend someone.

You are responsible for how you are interpreted. That's the nature of effective communication. The inevitability of offending an individual is not reasonable grounds for not attempting to be aware or culturally sensitive. Acknowledgement of an offense and attempting to re-establish report goes a lot farther and shows more maturity. I can also avoid a punch in the face. (I do not condone violence)

This whole discussion would probably have been avoided with a "that was not my intention I'll remove the words so no one misinterprets it." Rather than, as yudantaiteki pointed out, "I don't give a shit."

Jarvik7 Wrote:They must now be referred to as African Americans in polite conversation

Guess no one ever got that memo >_>.

Quote:Just because one person posted on the board saying that they were offended means nothing, since offence wasn't the intention.

Make that 3 people and a report . Plus many other wtfs.

Fillanzea Wrote:

Jarvik7 Wrote:I would have to disagree. There is a big difference between taking offence and intending offence.

There's a difference between stomping on someone's foot on purpose, and losing your balance on the subway and stepping on someone's foot, but in either case you've got a hurt foot.

I think the real difference is the "excuse me." If not for it, many would be punched in th e face. (I do not condone violence)

I consider the evolutionary nature of language to showcase its interactive flexibility as a strength. Being aware of myriad connotations, of the power of words, how to negotiate them variably across multiple domains. Not as an apathetic excuse to selfishly, uncompromisingly uphold one vapid, juvenile use of a word as being both equally justified and arbitrarily separate from the associations of that word with a group of people and the discrimination against them that is ongoing, very poisonously, right now. It's no exaggeration to say this includes gay-bashing, suicide and self-harm due to bullying, legal discrimination, religious hatred, disease-related stigma that defies statistical truths (AIDS).

As for consideration in 'calling out' folks, I will comment on offensive language any place, any time, especially when there's an atmosphere that simply ignoring it is the requisite status quo. Much healthier than gunny-sacking. In fact, I'd consider it a larger, forum-wide derailment to start a whole new thread on the topic, rather than just commenting in a rather restrained fashion and proceeding to get back on thread-topic. ;p The only derailment comes from embarrassed self-justification or whatever it is that motivates people to defend using a label for a widely, coevally discriminated minority as a general insult.

As for 'gay' and stereotypes and the varied use of 'gay' as 'bad', I would argue that's the clearest sign that 'gay' as a catch-all insult stems from the current and historical negativity of homophobia and the like. 'Gay', being a neutral or positive term to describe homosexuality, has a deeper relationship to negativity that isn't limited to a single stereotypical descriptor. What causes this 'politically correct' friction and desire for some sensitivity and compromise is the fact that *right now* someone is in hospital after being beaten for being gay, that right now there's an argument about 'don't ask don't tell', that right now there are people who aren't granted the same recognition as a couple as straight folks, that right now homosexuals are being told they will burn for eternity, their funerals picketed, that right now kids are being bullied for being/acting gay, that closeted homosexuals hear their own friends use gay as an insult, that they commit suicide or hate themselves, these things are happening right now, and the only justification for using 'gay' as a general insult despite all this is some kind of 'everyone's doing it already, I don't care how you feel, there's no association whatsoever, it's all in your head silly' mentality... It just plain boggles my mind that anyone can be that uncompromising and insensitive.

@IceCream - Here's another inconvenient association that might make you think: Many Native Americans find it offensive to see a stereotype of their ethnicity used as a sports mascot. ^_-

Except that being offended by people using perfectly acceptable words is your own problem, and is in no way similar to having your foot stepped on. It's more like I'm standing next to you and you are insisting that I stepped on your foot, even though I haven't. Your foot may hurt, but the pain wasn't caused by me.

The euphemism treadmill is caused by people with inferiority complexes. Janitors may not be proud that their job involves cleaning toilets, so we have gone through a number of different PC terms for the occupation. Some people will look down on janitors no matter what their job title is, most people don't really have any thoughts about janitors.

If, for example, I referred to a black person as black and they got angry at me, I'd tell them to grow up, not apologize.

Like it or not, gay is a perfectly acceptable adjective, unrelated to people, in modern English. ...not that I use it.

This is not a lack of sensitivity on my part. I have lived under discrimination for much of my life for being a foreigner in America, being skinnier than average, being too smart, being white in a largely hispanic neighbourhood, being a foreigner in Japan, being an Arts major, etc. Shall we ban words like "smart" "skinny" "foreigner" "white" "Canadian" too? Intention is what matters. If one chooses to they can offend anyone with any words.

If someone starts using "Canadian" as a general all-purpose insult, it's going to get my back up. What's wrong with being Canadian? Why is it associated with things that are bad? That is how people react to having an important part of their identity used as an insult.

When I was in high school, it was VERY much understood that the reason "gay" was an insult was that being gay was the worst possible thing that you could be. That wasn't in the freaking dark ages, it was ten years ago, and if you think there isn't any connection... you're wrong. And if you think you should be absolved of considering other people's feelings just because there's no connection in your own mind... good luck on the telepathy thing.

Some of my gay friends refer to things as gay...

Even if the usages had some connection before, it is gone now.

Anyways, I've got to go, so I'll let South Park continue my argument for me.

Jarvik7 Wrote:

yudantaiteki Wrote:I think it's amusing (and kind of sad) that an actual homosexual person responded to say they personally didn't like the use of gay and wished people would stop using it on the forum, and all the anti-PCers just ignored that and kept on arguing about how they're not offending or insulting anyone by using it.

I would have to disagree. There is a big difference between taking offence and intending offence. [...] Intention is what matters most.

On the one hand, yeah, intention matters. If someone says something that is offensive, even without intending to be offensive, or without realizing it was offensive, it's not as bad as if that someone intended to be offensive.

But on the other hand, if that someone is told what they said is offensive, and they do it again, fully knowing that other people find it offensive... Even if they didn't "mean it to be offensive", they choose to use the words, they knew the implications, they knew it was offensive, and they went ahead and said it anyways.

And it's such a little thing, too. Does it really take that much effort, instead of saying "That test was so gay", to say "That test was ridiculous" or "That test was hard as ----"? There's so many other words in the language, it's not that hard to not use one of them. If someone wants to use "gay" when there's other words - other, better words, ones that get the point across, ones that don't offend - they'd better be ready to take ownership that they are being offensive.

Jarvik7 Wrote:Some of my gay friends refer to things as gay...

Even if the usages had some connection before, it is gone now.

Anyways, I've got to go, so I'll let South Park continue my argument for me.

I don't understand how this is possible. All gay people think the same, so if your gay friends use 'gay' as an insult, and shirokuro is offended, perhaps we're having a conflict of alternate realities?

IceCream Wrote:so, why aren't you RIGHT NOW doing something real to stop prejudice against gay people instead of complaining about something totally unrelated on a forum?!?

please, spend your energy tackling the real problems, with the people who are actually prejudiced, instead.

The use of the word 'gay' as a general insult to me is something insidious that should be intelligently criticized precisely because it seems so harmless to those pampered folks whose only associations of their use of 'gay' with 'discrimination' are on an Internet forum of Japanese learners. Anyway, I don't think such folks are bad, and again, I'm not for banning words, but so long as people justify their use, I won't stop countering them. For a while, at least. ;p

Jarvik7 Wrote:Except that being offended by people using perfectly acceptable words is your own problem, and is no on way similar to having your foot stepped on. It's more like I'm standing next to you and you are insisting that I stepped on your foot, even though I haven't

In a perfect world where humans weren't emotional being this would make perfect sense. However, in reality, one's lack of perception of an injury does not mean it is not present. It is real to the injured party. In many cases it is real according to the law.

Quote:I referred to a black person as black and they got angry at me, I'd tell them to grow up, not apologize.

And you'd be playing a dangerous game. That is, assuming that black people are angered by being called black. Mostly it's just weird that you feel the need to point it out.

"Hey, this is Alison, my 'female' friend. She has a vagina."

Kinda weird no?

Quote:This is not a lack of sensitivity on my part. I have lived under discrimination for much of my life for being a foreigner in America, being skinnier than average, being too smart, being white in a largely hispanic neighbourhood, being a foreigner in Japan, etc. Shall we ban words like "smart" "skinny" "foreigner" "white" "Canadian" too? Intention is what matters. If one chooses to they can offend anyone with any words.

Just "foreigner" will do . When you're hung, beaten, killed/and or denied rights, then this analogy will pull more weight.

PS Teasing does not count as discrimination. If all people ever did was tease a homosexual this would probably be more of a laughing matter. If you've experience more than that (teasing), I find your attitude on the subject shocking.

Icecream Wrote:please, spend your energy tackling the real problems, with the people who are actually prejudiced, instead.

Mindset is an aspect of the problem. Tackling it on the internet, or anywhere really, is very hard, though.

I'll just add one more thing while I'm standing here waiting for the train.

My point was that any word can be used with intent to offend, and any word can unintentionally cause offense to someone with a certain trauma. I have personally heard "American" used as a general insult.

For the sake of being considerate you may want to limit usage in front of those who take offense, but that doesn't mean the words should be stricken entirely from usage, else we would be left with no words at all.

@kazelee: It is dangerous to be white in a nonwhite neighborhood/school, or smart around stupid people. I had been in numerous fights because of people attacking me for being white and foreign when I lived in Texas. Also, not all uses of black are as awkward as your example. Ex: if I have two friends named Sam and someone asked me which I was talking about, I might say "the black one" just as I would say "the white one".

As a pansexual, I am offended by everyone who is either hetero- or homosexual. They are all sexist. Well, technically I am asexual, but theoretically I am pansexual.

Jarvik7 Wrote:For the sake of being considerate you may want to limit usage in front of those who take offense, but that doesn't mean the words should be stricken entirely from usage, else we would be left with no words at all.

Wasn't this the point of the entire conversation?

Who's been advocating we strike words from the English language?

@Everyone

I think we can all agree that it's impossible to completely remove all negative connotations that come with the use of gay as a negative word. Whether direct or indirect each time it's used like that it's a stab at homosexuality. What it conveys personally varies, but this, at least, we should all be able to agree on. It is very simple connection. To not see it is to choose to not see it.

@Icecream

In reference to your post at the bottom of the first page. The N word began as an bastardization of the Spanish word negro. It was once neutral, too.

Jarvik7 Wrote:It is dangerous to be white in a nonwhite neighborhood/school, or smart around stupid people. I had been in numerous fights because of people attacking me for being white and foreign when I lived in Texas.

Yes, smart + different is usually a bad combination, regardless of your skin color. Especially if you are smart + verbal.

*remembers the good times. the black eyes. the bruised ribs. the swollen lips. That'll teachém to mess with me*