Democrat Party (phrase)

[Roger Lohmann]

 
Consider this notice that I intend to recommend the CZ article Democrat Party "(phrase)" for approval later tonight. Before it is approved, I would invite any additions, suggestions and corrections.

Roger Lohmann (Politics Editor)

[Russell D. Jones]

Before this is approved, I would like to see a CZ policy about pejorative phrases.  There was a discussion about this under Orientalism.  I also see that CZ does not have articles about racial, ethnic, religious, or sexual slurs.  Why should we approve political slurs?  Is the answer because of the culture wars this sort of incivility has become socially acceptable?

[Hayford Peirce]

Well, gee, we're not approving political slurs, we're approving (maybe) an article about a particular political slur.  There's a big difference there!

As to why there aren't articles about other slurs, I would imagine that is simply because no one has bothered to write them.

As for the arguments about "Orientalism" or whatever it was, I do recall that they were very bitter but eventually petered out either because Larry put his foot down about all the vitriol that was being spilled and/or all the participants got tired of arguing and simply went away.  In any case, I don't see any reason why a scholarly, and non-offensive, article couldn't be written about Orientalism.

[Howard C. Berkowitz]

Well, gee, we're not approving political slurs, we're approving (maybe) an article about a particular political slur.  There's a big difference there!

As to why there aren't articles about other slurs, I would imagine that is simply because no one has bothered to write them.

Was there any thinking about putting slurs in context, as in a subsection on the correct term?

[Hayford Peirce]

Was there any thinking about putting slurs in context, as in a subsection on the correct term?

You mean in terms of the "Orientalism" argument? Geez, who knows?  I don't think so -- it was an argument, as I recall, that got started about the way the word was being used in some *other* article. Someone said "orientalism" was derogatory and ignorant, and the other guy said, no, it wasn't, and each of them mustered 10 million sources and citations to justify his own point of view.  It was almost as if it were two Howards arguing with each other,  -- I'm sure you could find it somewhere if you bothered to look for it.

In any case, I suppose that we could actually have an article called, and get this, Slurs. Although it probably wouldn't be very "family-friendly", which means, on second thought, that we probably can't have it.

Well, how about Political slurs? That might be feasible....

WP actually has an article about Slurs, although that's a redirect to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Term_of_disparagement

[David E. Volk]

Can I then ban the term [[Yankee (slur for Northeasterners)]]?

[Hayford Peirce]

I myself am from Bangah, Maine, than which you can't get much more Northeasterly, and I don't consider Yankee to be a slur, suh, unless you are calling me a certain New York City baseball player.

(Aside: I once walked into the lobby of the Kenmore Hotel in Kenmore Square, where all the baseball teams coming to play in Boston used to stay, on a drizzly day, wearing a raincoat, when I was about 19 or 20, and there, standing in the lobby were my demigods of the time when I was still a Yankee fan: Mantle, Berra, Maris, etc; also a bunch of kids pestering them for autographs. When they saw *me* come in, they immediately ran up to *me* and asked for *mine*.  Geez.  The highlight of my life, I suppose....)

[Matt Innis]

I am from NoCarolina, a proud member fo the Southeastern region, young man, and I consider that Yankee is meant to be a slur

[Howard C. Berkowitz]

I am from NoCarolina, a proud member fo the Southeastern region, young man, and I consider that Yankee is meant to be a slur

Yankee? You mean those who won that little unpleasantness between 1861 and 1865?

I'm reminded of a proud Yankee academic, pulled over for speeding in Georgia.

State police officer: "Ma'am, we don't usually see people moving so fast around here."

Academic: "Well, yes...at least not since William Tecumseh Sherman."

She was cuffed and driven to the nearest all-night court.

[Roger Lohmann]

 
Be all of this as it may, this discussion has little to do with the article, which is a reasonable, measured discussion of all sides (as far as I am aware) of this particular phrase. I have little doubt that a similarly reasoned approach could be taken to the discussion of Yankee, if someone wants to try it.
Meanwhile, in the absence of any policy like the one suggested or substantive suggestions, I've now recommended this article for approval.

[Hayford Peirce]

Be all of this as it may, this discussion has little to do with the article, which is a reasonable, measured discussion of all sides (as far as I am aware) of this particular phrase.

Well, I agreed with you, right at the start. And if you think it should be approved, then it undoubtedly should be.

I think you'll find, perhaps to your distaste, that many Forum discussions do tend to veer from the original topic and become, as it were, occasional chat rooms among a bunch of people who have been working together for some time now....

[Matt Innis]

Be all of this as it may, this discussion has little to do with the article, which is a reasonable, measured discussion of all sides (as far as I am aware) of this particular phrase.

Well, I agreed with you, right at the start. And if you think it should be approved, then it undoubtedly should be.

I think you'll find, perhaps to your distaste, that many Forum discussions do tend to veer from the original topic and become, as it were, occasional chat rooms among a bunch of people who have been working together for some time now....

Hear, hear!  I say go for it!  I thought we were talking baseball anyway

[Hayford Peirce]

I am opposed to approving this article as it now stands.  Prof. Jensen was a very profilic but also an occasionally careless writer.  The present article needs to be *very* closely proof-read.  I just glanced at it and I find *many* out-dated references such as "President Bush", without even a "George W." on the first one.

Where do I go to protest this proposal?  Trying to find one's way around the Forums, where the same matters are brought up in different Forums, is impossible to navigate.

[Matt Innis]

I am opposed to approving this article as it now stands.  Prof. Jensen was a very profilic but also an occasionally careless writer.  The present article needs to be *very* closely proof-read.  I just glanced at it and I find *many* out-dated references such as "President Bush", without even a "George W." on the first one.

Where do I go to protest this proposal?  Trying to find one's way around the Forums, where the same matters are brought up in different Forums, is impossible to navigate.

You can make copy edits directly on the page now, and any concerns go on the talk page where editors may address them.  The editor can then choose to change the version number to include your changes, or not.