Apr 25, 2007
Porno Para Ricardo
Check out infrequent MUS contributor Mogre’s piece on Porno Para Ricardo, a Cuban punk rock band. I can’t link directly to it because CNN is gay. So, (audible groan), you have to go to cnn.com/video, click “Browse/Search video,” then search for Cuba in the pop-up window. The piece should come up first and is called “Cuban band blasts government.” Hurry up because CNN only keeps stuff up for a few days, which is also gay. Good stuff about a place where punk rock is rare and truly revolutionary, not the emo fashion parade we are used to.
Here’s the video for PPR’s “Cake:”
Surely you can think of some other negative adjective besides “gay” to denote your disdain for something. Not just once, but twice!
I know you have a better vocabulary than that, and hope that you are less juvenile and crass.
Here’s to better “diss” discriptions that don’t denegrate an entire subculture and segment of the population, some of which are our friends and family!
C
I should have mentioned that “faggot” is just as bad!
C
This is an interesting subject. I can’t actually tell if you are serious or not, but with the wink and all I’ll assume you aren’t. And I could say, John Stewart gets away with it, so why can’t I? But for anyone out there taking that literally, it’s clearly a semantic deviation from the meaning of the word, completely divorced from any literal meaning, as obtuse as that may sound. And I ain’t no Imus…
The meaning of words are in a constant state of change, it’s human nature to find new ways to use our vocabulary. Even the tightest, most reactionary, ‘non-artistic’ businessperson is ‘creative’ when it comes to language. So maybe the dominant 21st century use of ‘gay’ will be ‘lame’ (which is itelf completely different in original meaning.) Much like when you read 19th century lit, and all kinds of characters are referred to as ‘gay’ but obviously not referring to their sexual preferences.
Yeah, and I don’t think I would have even toyed with using the “f” word…I don’t think it’s as semantically elastic, unless I was in Britain and simply wanted to smoke a fag. I also call my friends, male and female alike, “bitches,” when greeting them in groups. I don’t precisely know why but I really love that one, and it always gets laughs. While I’m at it I will suggest calling your boss “dude” or “man” and never refer to them by name. This will not only endear them to you, but acts to socially neutralize the power hierarchy at work.
Nanny Posting hurts my feelings.
You can see the videos in their web site. The site is in spanish. http://www.CubaUnderground.com has also lot of info about the group and an option to display the site in several languages.
Ops, the link to the group’s web site is http://www.pornopararicardo.com.
I’ve been away from civilization (my computer) this week, or I would have responded sooner… Just to clear things up a bit, I’ll expand on this because it’s a big deal to me.
I am serious, and the wink was to signify that my comment was meant to be taken in a friendly way. I know that you are not an Imus or Colter, but this is one of my major pet peeves, and know that you didn’t mean it that way, I thought I’d bring it up because so many people use the word “gay” in a derogatory way so very casually. I realize that many people use it to signify “lame” nowadays, but that still is a negative connotation, “gay” = bad, which is bad. If you mean lame, why not say lame? Why not some other term, why does it have to be “gay”?
Here’s why I think it’s bad, and you can make an argument that I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, but I just want to bring it up as food for thought.
The fact that “gay” and “faggot” are schoolyard taunts used to demean and belittle others further ingrains the idea that being gay is bad, and is considered to be the worst insult you can receive at the schoolyard. The casual use of these terms by older youth and adults reinforces this idea, and helps to perpetuate a culture of homophobia. Even to use it as a lesser negative of “lame” still says it is ok to use the term to convey a negative meaning.
Those of us who have friends and family who are gay (or who are gay ourselves) know the pain and shame of being taunted this way, and the terrible emotional suffering caused by this kind of taunting. It is why so many gays do not come out of the closet, and live in fear of being discovered for who they are.
To sumarize, I know that you didn’t mean to be demeaning, I wanted to say that I wish you had chosen a different term. I also wanted to bring it up lightly (although I guess it isn’t anymore) so that folks would think about it in a different way, and perhaps be more aware in the future.
Sorry this has turned into such a long post.
On a lighter note, I propose this: Let’s bring back another meaning of the word “gay” in our daily discourse, meaning happy, joyous or festive.
Whaddaya think?
Peace,
Carol
Carol,
Thanks for sharing your opinion, but I don’t think I could disagree more.
What makes you think that the word “gay,” in the way I have used it, or anyone uses it, is a derogatory play off of the sexual definition? It’s not. I’ve been using the word since I was a child, long before I was aware of the grown up variant and all it’s glory. The word is a condescension of the “happy, joyous” definition, if it really means anything at all. And it’s a strech for anyone to decide what another is “intending” by their speech anyway. And trade “gay” for “lame,” which by your own criteria is “derogatory” of handicapped people? Tsk tsk.
To sum up:
“fag! …. oh my god! i’m so sorry. i don’t mean fag like, ‘homosexual’ i mean fag like, ‘retard.’ ” — Sarah Silverman
It’s unfortunate that I’ve been away from my computer as well Carol. It’s also unfortunate that I don’t have the time to reply to your comments, as I would of blasted everything you wrote. I do have time to say get the fuck over it. I also have the time to say who cares? It’s a fucking word and if you let yourself be offended by it, stay off the computer.