Oliver Pereira wrote:
Toby Bartels wrote:
("racist", Susan Mason's word, is indefensible, I agree.)
I know that defending Susan Mason is very much a minority pursuit around here, but I should point out that at no point on [[Talk:Idolatry]] (where this all started) did Susan accuse anyone of racism. I've just checked all of this user's edits on that page, to make sure.
Then I owe Susan an apology. What I was trying to do was to draw a contrast between the neutral word "segregation" and the value-laden word "racism". (Segregation is not racism, except of course for segregation by race.) It's not really relevant whether anybody actually called anyone a racist. The point is, if people are not charging one with bigotry, then one shouldn't be offended as if they were.
Susan's statement was of course badly worded, but I don't see it as an accusation of racism, myself: it's about what writing systems one uses, not about what race one belongs to. And please let's not argue about whether or not one *could* interpret as racist. My point is that Susan didn't use the word "racist", and the statement can be interpreted in other ways.
In fact, this is basically my point. ^_^
P.S. - Jimbo and Toby - don't take this as a personal criticism. You're both great people, and it's just unfortunate that your messages were the ones I found to use as examples...
I'll take it as a *correction*, not a *criticism*. And thanks for the compliment.
-- Toby