A Word About Kikes & Chalalas

essay

And while I'm at it, might as well throw in abos, ainus, apus, babuskas, bahadurs, beaners, bog trotters, bok gwais, bolillos, boofers, boongs, bules, bögs, capheads, chinks, chogees, chongos, chowies, cochises, coons, commies, cuffs, dagos, dalits, didicoys, dinges, eurotrash, farangs, feujs, fobs, flatties, franchutes, fritzes, gabachos, gachupíns, gadjos, gaijins, gavachos, gins, godos, gooks, goombas, goys, greasers, gringos, gubbas, guidos, guineas, gwailos, habibs, hajjis, haoles, heebs, hillbillys, hok gwais, hongers, honkys, hymies, huns, hunkies, jawas, jerrys, jigaboos, kaffirs, krauts, maketos, mau-maus, mayates, micks, moros, munts, nagas, nazis, niggers, nig-nogs, niknoks, ninnys, nips, oreos, paddys, papists, pakehas, pakis, payos, peckerwoods, pickaninnies, polacks, poms, pongos, prods, ragheads, ratons, rednecks, russkis, sambos, sars, seppos, sheisters, spicks, spooks, sudacas, tontos, towelheads, walpeople, wetbacks, whiteys, wiggers, wogs, wops, yids, yo-yos, and zigs.

Don't get me wrong... PLEASE! I'm not talking about PEOPLE ascribed these terms... I refer only to the TERMS themselves.

These words are alike in one way-- they have only one meaning, and that is the derogatory description of one group or another.

Nothing else. That's it. There is no other place in the English language for them. They are words which inflame and enrage. They demean and demerit. They prime the ovens of hatred.

Oddly, although using these words is an attempt to insult, they have another, more hopeful use. The simple act of mentioning them aloud (besides in learning environments such as this one) points a large, glowing arrow at the user, an arrow which sports a sign hanging below it, on rusty chain, swinging gently in the breeze. That sign says, "I am an idiot." If those words have not been written too largely and permanently, if there's still some room on the sign, additional commentary might be found. It might read, "I'm narrow-minded and undereducated" or "my parents are Victorian thugs" or even "kick me-- I'm a racist!"

In other words, hearing these words aloud and used in a mean and spiteful way just about gives permission for you to pin a word of your own on the offender. If you hear those words being uttered as an attempt to degrade another human being, you are well within your rights to say the following word:

FOOL!

If that word is not a strong enough reprimand, you might feel as though you want to choose among the following synonyms: boob, chump, sucker, fall guy, dupe, mug, jester, clown, joker, monkey, dupe, ass, laughingstock, butt, buffoon, silly, unwise, imprudent, thoughtless, irrational, stupid, crazy, rash, reckless, ridiculous, laughable, silly, derisible, wag, chauvinistic, bigoted, xenophobic, prejudiced, discriminator, racialist... or immature.

And if those don't pack enough of a punch for you, these are a couple of steps nastier: asshole, bastard, turd, cocksucker, dickhead, shit, motherfucker, prick, whoreson, son of a bitch, scumbag, gay yuri, monkle, gackt… or bitchtard.

Of course there's another option. A better option. A Perfect World option.

Am I suggesting you turn the other cheek? Useless. Serves no purpose.

Tar and feathers? YES. Okay, no. People will take pity on someone who does not deserve pity if they are stripped, slathered in tar, plastered with chicken feathers and then placed in the fox cage at the zoo. Especially if placed in the fox cage at the zoo.

Take him out with an AK-47? Too messy. Then, there's the jail time. And it's a bitch on your conscience.

No, none of those. When somebody believes nonsense to the core, it's hard to MAKE them change. Impossible, in fact. Change must come from within. However, there's no rule saying it can't be greatly influenced by an outside environment. A special outside environment custom tailored to not tolerate racism, sexism... indeed, any kind of ism.

Consider that the lead-in to the next story, entitled 'The Naughty and the Nice'.