The term 'Darkie'
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:52 pm
I was doing my usual board-reader thing when I happened across this post, which I think is appropriate to duplicate here:
Message 24039 : Room 357 [3:57] - racist remarks ()
Written on Sat Jan 10 09:43:42 2009
I'm quite sick and tired of players using the word "nigger' on this mud.
They hide behind the notion that they're either joking, or using it b/c *they* are black and have some legitimate right to use the word.
Now I'm hearing that *darkies*--a Mume word--really means*nigger* and I seriously doubt that any Mume implementor meant it in that manner.
I would like a clarification from some Ainur: does *darkie* mean the equivalent of *nigger*?
I'd like to see this is a forum reference so that all of us are clear on the intent of the use of *darkie*
Thaks for your consideration.
I mailed this player back, and I will post that mail here as well:
Mail 2 : RE: Racism @ (Caldan)
Written on Sat Jan 10 23:41:00 2009
Hello,
I saw your post on the idea board about use of the word 'darkie', and
figured I'd give my input. Please note that I AM NOT speaking as an
official representative of MUME's management. My comments here are
said as a player.
The term 'darkie' can be used as a racially derogative term, similar in
meaning to the 'n-word'. This fact has nothing to do with MUME - it is
a separate fact pertinent to this discussion.
The term 'darkie' used in MUME is an abbreviation for characters on
the evil (or 'dark') side of the war. These are Orcs, Trolls, and Black
Numenoreans. The exact origin of this abbreviation is to me unknown,
but I suspect it came about it one of two ways (either: "What is a
character on the dark side of the war? A 'dark'-'ie'." or "If a
character on the white side of the war is a 'whitie', then a character
on the dark side of the war is a 'darkie'.") and influenced by another
factor (with three separate races on the dark side of the war, that
frequently inter-mingle in the game, a simple term was needed to refer
to groups of mixed types, i.e. Orcs and Trolls together). Note that
this speculation on the origin of the abbreviation is just that,
speculation.
However, while I can only provide speculation on the ORIGIN of the term
'darkie', I can provide a fairly confident assessment of the USE of the
term in the game: it is used as a conveniently short 'umbrella' term,
under which all the varied races of the dark side of the war fall.
And nothing else.
I will agree that it is a (very) unfortunate fact that the term 'darkie'
can also be used as a racially derogative term. In fact, that is the reason
that I personally no longer use it. I resort to (longer) terms that describe
the same thing without any racist overtones (at least, I hope). However,
while I choose not to use it, I am not bothered by its use by others, as
I am of the understanding that it is not used in a racially derogative
sense.
Now, that being said, the 'n-word' has NO such grey-area, and is not a term
you should ever be seen used in this game. If you encounter a player using
it, on ANY channel of communication, please report it to an immortal, either
via the 'tell' command (if any appropriate immortals are visible), the
'pray' command, or, failing either of those, to an Aratar via game-mail
(I would suggest either Dain or Nienor).
To recap: the term 'darkie' CAN be used as a racially offensive term, but
to say that it IS used this way in the game purely on that basis has no
justification that I am aware of. It is more likely that its usage in-game
is a coincidence.
Caldan
I have edited out the name of the player who wrote the original post. Any comments?
Message 24039 : Room 357 [3:57] - racist remarks ()
Written on Sat Jan 10 09:43:42 2009
I'm quite sick and tired of players using the word "nigger' on this mud.
They hide behind the notion that they're either joking, or using it b/c *they* are black and have some legitimate right to use the word.
Now I'm hearing that *darkies*--a Mume word--really means*nigger* and I seriously doubt that any Mume implementor meant it in that manner.
I would like a clarification from some Ainur: does *darkie* mean the equivalent of *nigger*?
I'd like to see this is a forum reference so that all of us are clear on the intent of the use of *darkie*
Thaks for your consideration.
I mailed this player back, and I will post that mail here as well:
Mail 2 : RE: Racism @ (Caldan)
Written on Sat Jan 10 23:41:00 2009
Hello,
I saw your post on the idea board about use of the word 'darkie', and
figured I'd give my input. Please note that I AM NOT speaking as an
official representative of MUME's management. My comments here are
said as a player.
The term 'darkie' can be used as a racially derogative term, similar in
meaning to the 'n-word'. This fact has nothing to do with MUME - it is
a separate fact pertinent to this discussion.
The term 'darkie' used in MUME is an abbreviation for characters on
the evil (or 'dark') side of the war. These are Orcs, Trolls, and Black
Numenoreans. The exact origin of this abbreviation is to me unknown,
but I suspect it came about it one of two ways (either: "What is a
character on the dark side of the war? A 'dark'-'ie'." or "If a
character on the white side of the war is a 'whitie', then a character
on the dark side of the war is a 'darkie'.") and influenced by another
factor (with three separate races on the dark side of the war, that
frequently inter-mingle in the game, a simple term was needed to refer
to groups of mixed types, i.e. Orcs and Trolls together). Note that
this speculation on the origin of the abbreviation is just that,
speculation.
However, while I can only provide speculation on the ORIGIN of the term
'darkie', I can provide a fairly confident assessment of the USE of the
term in the game: it is used as a conveniently short 'umbrella' term,
under which all the varied races of the dark side of the war fall.
And nothing else.
I will agree that it is a (very) unfortunate fact that the term 'darkie'
can also be used as a racially derogative term. In fact, that is the reason
that I personally no longer use it. I resort to (longer) terms that describe
the same thing without any racist overtones (at least, I hope). However,
while I choose not to use it, I am not bothered by its use by others, as
I am of the understanding that it is not used in a racially derogative
sense.
Now, that being said, the 'n-word' has NO such grey-area, and is not a term
you should ever be seen used in this game. If you encounter a player using
it, on ANY channel of communication, please report it to an immortal, either
via the 'tell' command (if any appropriate immortals are visible), the
'pray' command, or, failing either of those, to an Aratar via game-mail
(I would suggest either Dain or Nienor).
To recap: the term 'darkie' CAN be used as a racially offensive term, but
to say that it IS used this way in the game purely on that basis has no
justification that I am aware of. It is more likely that its usage in-game
is a coincidence.
Caldan
I have edited out the name of the player who wrote the original post. Any comments?
