Dear Team.Net:
I get the digest, and so was flooded with "Safety Nazi" notes today. I'm one of
the folks that has used that term, unthinkingly, and not intending offense to
anybody. Just to give myself a better frame of reference, I had a chat with a
couple of friends who are members of the Jewish faith. One of them thinks it's
basically fallout from the "Seinfeld" show that so permeated our culture, and is
basically meaningless slang. The other friend was much more thoughtful in her
response. She did grant me that using the term could be an oblique rememberence
of a terrible episode of human history. By calling a dictator (even a small
time one at a local Solo II) a "nazi" we remember the dictator that made that
term an anathema to all mankind. She followed that by saying that using the
term lightly might be viewed as "making light" of the whole thing. We talked
about how certain cultures have their own humor, which can be funny to an
"insider" but offensive if it comes from an "outsider" or even if used in a
derogatory manner by a member of the group. (Chris Rock's use of the OJ Simpson
trial's famous "N word" for example.) Can we use the "nazi" name in the "Small
N" manner Phil Ethier so ably described? I'd like to think so, but will
somebody be offended by it still? Probably. Can we use it "sometimes" when we
know no offense is meant or will be taken? Probably not. (Smile when you say
"nazi," or I'll whack ya with muh Shilaleigh, Pilgrim!) The whole thing becomes
a big gray area, and I don't think a real solution exists. I'm going to try to
curb my use of the term 'nazi', just to be safe...
I like Mike Bultemeier's suggestion that we find a warm, fuzzy term. I have
given that idea some thought. What we need is a kind, loving name for someone
who is in charge of our lives and hands out rules, regs, and discipline as
needed. A benevolent, loving omnipotent dictator. There's only one solution...
I suggest the new name for "Safety Steward" (to be used regardless of gender!)
has to be "Safety Mama." Just don't tell my Mama I said that, or all 82 pounds
of her will whip my A**!!!
JD Kemp
(Tell me an Irish joke, I love 'em!)
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