I would probably have said something along the lines of "ivory tower academics" whose concepts of evolutionary linguistics have advanced so far that they fail to see the practical consequences of ignoring prescription. Also, since language is vital to communication and, other than one's original language, not really an "accident" (and in any case not a genetic accident), discrimination on linguistic grounds is fully justified.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
So what EXACTLY is the problem with Reid's comments?
- 12/01/2010 04:11:56 AM
1063 Views
it wasn't just that he commented on the lack of "dialect"
- 12/01/2010 04:16:27 AM
741 Views
Regardless of that, I don't see the ability to use dialect as a racist statement.
- 12/01/2010 04:32:07 AM
695 Views
when was the last time you heard a white person speaking ebonics?
- 12/01/2010 01:41:24 PM
704 Views
A week or so ago.
- 12/01/2010 08:09:09 PM
647 Views
Isn't that the definition of a wigger? A white person who speaks/acts like a black person?
- 12/01/2010 09:49:34 PM
674 Views
And the fact that Wigger = White N****r isn't racist at all! *NM*
- 12/01/2010 10:33:04 PM
340 Views
I wasn't using the term seriously 9_9
- 13/01/2010 04:26:20 AM
629 Views
Mocking white people for "acting like black people" by modifying a slur on blacks... hm... *NM*
- 13/01/2010 06:50:46 AM
274 Views
You know, what IS a good term for black people these days?
- 12/01/2010 04:36:33 AM
739 Views
I just use "black"
- 12/01/2010 02:27:16 PM
629 Views
Why is it OK to discriminate on the grounds of language but not race?
- 12/01/2010 08:23:21 AM
808 Views
Please tell me you were joking... *NM*
- 12/01/2010 01:29:37 PM
282 Views
Not in the least. I thought you knew me better than that.
- 12/01/2010 09:44:59 PM
628 Views
Ah! You were looking for an active rebuttal
- 13/01/2010 01:48:20 PM
612 Views
Your AAE is a language the way that Pig Latin is a language.
- 12/01/2010 06:38:35 PM
660 Views
You know, arguing what a language is with a linguist is pretty much set up for failure *NM*
- 12/01/2010 07:58:42 PM
413 Views
I recall having a similar discussion on this very topic a few years ago with Tim.
- 12/01/2010 08:10:53 PM
571 Views
Re: I recall having a similar discussion on this very topic a few years ago with Tim.
- 12/01/2010 09:06:01 PM
699 Views
Maybe, but having knowledge of the topic wasn't one of my advantages in that argument. 
*NM*
- 13/01/2010 03:36:31 AM
263 Views
*NM*
- 13/01/2010 03:36:31 AM
263 Views
I don't even know where to begin.
- 12/01/2010 09:43:21 PM
739 Views
That third point is going a bit far.
- 12/01/2010 10:06:08 PM
700 Views
You're right, I was conflating two separate points.
- 12/01/2010 10:14:48 PM
644 Views
Well, it still only applies...
- 12/01/2010 10:24:08 PM
790 Views
You ascribe too much intelligence to the average American racist 
.
- 12/01/2010 10:30:39 PM
860 Views
.
- 12/01/2010 10:30:39 PM
860 Views
You're guessing at people's motives and making what appear to be broad, unsupported assertions
- 12/01/2010 11:04:47 PM
680 Views
I don't mean they're racist in all respects.
- 13/01/2010 06:52:20 AM
603 Views
Your defintion of racism and sexism seems to massively differ from mine
- 13/01/2010 03:37:46 PM
753 Views
I had to think about this for a few days, but I've now worked out my answer.
- 16/01/2010 01:59:25 PM
707 Views
I had no problems with them. And I don't even like the guy and hope he loses his reelection battle.
- 12/01/2010 03:32:42 PM
767 Views
Who seriously uses the term "Negro dialect" anymore?
- 13/01/2010 02:00:15 AM
628 Views
It's not the word "Negro" in "Magic Negro" that's the most offensive part. *NM*
- 13/01/2010 09:16:20 AM
268 Views