The Klansman Who Won't Use The N-Word (Ronson)

            In Ronson’s piece, The Klansman who won’t use the N-Word, he is describing how a leader of the Ku Klux Klan is trying to change the image of the Klan.  Ronson mentions that Thom Robb, a leader of the KKK, is trying to change how people outside the Klan perceive the group, so more people join and there will be more support for the goals and ideas of the Klan.  During his speech, Thom states that the n-word is not to be said by Klansmen, the white robes and headpieces are to be only worn on certain occasions and the poor representations that the media conveys of the Klan will not change unless the Klan changes.  Also, Thom makes it clear that the goals of the Klan are still the same, white supremacy, however the way they go about achieving that goal needs to change because their current method isn’t as effective as it used to be.  Ronson is also gesturing towards a wider concern when he talks about the people he met.  He makes sure to state where the people are from and how they have different personalities, showing the different kinds of people who are in the Klan.

            In my opinion the new Klan that Ronson discusses is somewhat of an improvement compared to the old, however it is still not acceptable.  While it is an improvement that Thom wants his Klansmen to not wear the ropes and not say the n-word, all of the ideas that were the cause of the Klan in the first place are still present.  By not using offensive language, the Klansmen can appear on television shows and their quotes can be published.  This is in a way good for the Klan so they create a positive image in the media, however with the same driving force behind the Klan, the message they share may not be appropriate today, even without offensive words.  I thought it was especially confusing when Ronson tried on a Klansman robe and headpiece.  It is ironic that a Jewish person would be willing to wear an outfit of a group that doesn’t approve of his religion.  All in all I thought the piece was interesting because it showed Ronson in a situation that could make him uncomfortable and how the Klan is trying to change their image from many years ago.

Bitch (Beverly Gross) Blog

     In Beverly Gross's Bitch, her main point was that there are multiple definitions for the word bitch, but the definition can depend on who you ask to define it.  Gross goes from giving the definition of bitch from the Oxford English Dictionary, "a female dog or [a word] applied opprobriously to a woman; strictly a lewd or sensual woman" to Claude Brown's account of how a bitch is just another word for a female (77).  Through her various sources there are many trends that appear.  For example, many of the sources state that mostly women are bitches, and that they are mean, selfish, annoying or promiscuous.  Also she backes up the dictionary definitions with examples that her students gave.  Her students generally agreed with some of the definitions, but others were never mentioned.  Most females today would not consider a bitch to be a woman who threatens male power, while the same might not be true for what males think.  Also, the term bitch isn't used as often as Claude Brown states, because it is considered inappropriate by most people today.  All in all, the definition of what a bitch is can vary depending on who the definition comes from.

     In my opinion, Gross's piece is very convincing and I would agree that most people have different definitions for bitch.  I like how she uses different sources from when the word first originated to more updated slang dictionaries because it shows how the word has changed slightly through the years.  Although the piece is somewhat dated, I think the point of the piece is very effective.  Personally I am offended by Eugene Landy's Underground Dictionary definition which states a bitch is a "female who is mean, selfish, cruel, malicious, deceiving aka cunt.  Female.  See Female" (78).  His definition describes all female as being this way which is not accurate.  I also don't think bitch should be interchangeable with female, like Claude Brown states, because I was always taught that calling someone a bitch was inappropriate.  I would agree with the definition of a bitch as being someone who is annoying, self-absorbed, snobby, or pushy, but I think that some of the definitions she gives are over the top and inaccurate.

Jessica

Jessica's English 100 Blog