See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he's a millionaire
Don't remember any controversy about the lyrics at the time, but Brothers In Arms was released nearly twenty years ago, and some details may have slipped my mind in the meantime. That, and I was like 15. Teenagers, generally not known for paying attention to the world around them.
Nowadays, of course, I doubt you could get away with "faggot" in a pop song. This is speculation, of course; don't listen to much pop music nowadays. Old people, generally not known for paying attention to contemporary popular culture.
Point being, although I could see some folks attacking Mark Knopfler and ferchrissakes Sting for homophobia. . . well, I'd see them, and then I'd point and laugh. Clearly, that isn't/wasn't the point.
Could do something about how faggot is a word, and what matters isn't the word but the connection the word implies, and how (to take an old example) a gay man starting a letter to Savage Love with the salutation, "Hey, faggot" has nothing (semantically) in common with a frat-rat doing a drive-by screaming of the same thing at someone coming out of a gay bar at 2 in the morning. . . but that's a very ugly sentence, and I'm not sure it conveys the meaning I'm trying to get across.
And that would get into reclaiming slurs, and inclusive/exclusive group membership language use stuff, and I'm pretty sure I've covered all this before, to be honest.
So. I rather liked that song, especially Sting's bit. Suppose it's on the Classic stations now. God, I'm old.
np -- The Devil Went To Georgia, Charlie Daniels Band, The Live Record
Update: Added a link to the Savage Love column where Dan Savage discusses the old, standard greeting:
[N]o one has to address me as "Hey, Faggot" anymore: I'm retiring the salutation. When I started writing this column in 1991, there was a debate raging in hellish homosexual circles about words like faggot. The idea was that if we used these words ourselves--Queer Nation, Dyke March, "Hey, Faggot"--straights couldn't use them as hate words anymore. I chose "Hey, Faggot" as my salutation in joking reference to this lively debate about reclaiming hate words.Lo many columns later, it feels strange to begin every column with a joke about a debate that ended years ago. So, I'm retiring "Hey, Faggot." Unless someone out there comes up with a better salutation--a salutation for the next millennium--you don't have to address me as anything at all.
Continuing the theme, was going to mutter something in comments at locussolus about Sluts Against Rape, but remembered that I don't do comments elsewhere.
Speaking of which:
I take great pride in knowing that God says that "vengeance is his and he shall repay" becuase God knows how to deal with those that have been entrusted with authority but they abuse and hate the cross!I cant wait!
From a comment at La Shawn's place, which she hasn't responded to. And by "responded to," I mean, "condemned in the strongest possible terms." Which implies (or I infer from it, take your pick) that. . . you know, my ability to give a shit about the ignant as long as they stay the fuck away from me and mine is rapidly dwindling to nothing. Never mind.
And for years I thought it was "earring and the mink coat." Thanks for the clarification.
Karin, no worries.
Now excuse me while I kiss this guy.
And consider yourself fortunate indeed if that frat-rat keeps his fists to himself & continues driving on his merry way. I detest the word "faggot" - and have noticed, within my little pro-homo sphere, that those who use it generally hate themselves as well.
Sean, tried replying, but only got as far as, "words only have as much power as you give them" before giving up.
Does Dan Savage know he hates himself? Main criticism I've heard about the man is the exact opposite problem, actually.
a)Comments only have as much meaning as you infer in them. Ok - sorry - that was easy.
b)Dan savage wraps himself in scorn and calls it pride. He's the Joan Rivers of sex pundits. It's easy to be a somebody when you lowball it...
Wait, sorry, it's Talk Like Agent Smith Day, not Talk Like the Twins Day.
My bad.
Coming soon: Talk Like Cher from Clueless Day.