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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Ok, Gene, you asked me to be specific,...
For me, it's not about imagination, it's about empathy-putting yourself 
in someone else's shoes.
I find it difficult to understand how you can only take personal offense 
to something ONLY if it relates to you personally.  I take offense when 
I hear certain racially or ethnically charged words or stereotypes, even 
though the comments aren't directed to me. Stereotypes are often true, 
so how does your bias for truth sit with that?  If I were ever to visit 
you in Phoenix, and one of your friends called me a Cracker, I sure hope 
that you would set them straight that while I may be from Georgia, I 
ain't no freakin' cracker. (Someone in OR once called me a cracker, 
thinking it was cute, akin to Peach) Your friend may not even realize he 
is being offensive or the history of that word, and he may only be 
joking around, but it is still not acceptable.  Or, would you do nothing 
and remain quiet because you can't relate to that personally?  Out of 
curiosity, would you still remain friends with your neighbor after that, 
or would you look around for different friends, perhaps one that is not 
so bigoted/ignorant/prejudiced.


> Gene GeRue wrote:
> > Only if YOU have THAT bias, that take on meaning. How is it deeply  
> > offensive to you--he did not refer to someone in your circumstances 
> > at  all.
> >
> > I do not have a bias except for truth and I find his remarks  
> > discerning and far from offensive. Perhaps it is because I have no 
> > way  except imagination to closely relate to the people about whom he  
> > referred. Perhaps you do. 

--
BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm   NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W    Bev is Earth, Ron is Sky