Quote:
Originally Posted by TIGGER
Okay I disagree and I'll give you a few examples;
Motherfucker: at one time, the use of this word meant literally, one who has intercourse with his mother and has been the cause of many, many fights and perhaps even deaths.
Punk: at one time this word was synonymous with homosexual and it's use would immediately result in a fight. My father hated that word and would beat your ass if caught using it.
There are several others. In a way, the more it's used the LESS power it has imho. Watch TV and count how many words that are common place now that wouldn't have been allowed 20-40 years ago. Heck, kids barely get in trouble for saying shit, dick or asshole anymore.
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Yeah, I get the idea that words change meaning over time. But neither of those words were kept alive (as it were) by the groups they originally targeted. Over time, the association just got lost, because people stopped using it in anything close to its original context.
In this case, not only is the word still around, but the idea that it refers to black folks is also being kept intact. That's a dumb idea, in my opinion.