For those that consider yourselves Witches, a quick question

[Collowrath]

TeaDidikai

Collowrath

Then I catch myself doing a little bit of ethnocentrism, like taking all my building blocks back because they're mine and no one else gets to touch them unless I say.

I know what you mean. wink

I'd be inclined to something similar myself.

Heh, that's very comforting to know, actually.

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Witch. Vampire. Ghost. Werewolf.

Due to popular culture- my ethnicity is often listed along side these, and I get downright pissy when that happens- mostly because it demonstrates that not only are we not considered to be "real people" by some, but it perpetuates the ability for those outside of my culture to define us. But then- the fictional G~ stemmed from outsiders making fictional pieces about us.

This is a similar situation that Native Americans have. I'm inclined to feel that this is made even worse by the idea of the "noble savage." Because Disney manages to make Pocahontas or Esmeralda a "positive" caricature, you should be FLATTERED - I don't think that strikes as many people as ridiculous as it should.

Because of my intimate involvement with the Native community, I've seen all this first hand and grown quite sensitive to it, whether applied to Natives or Rroma.

Somehow I'm inspired to mention a song I have been listening to recently - Erdelezi. I'd been trying to figure out what the heck they were saying (so far, I've heard this group sing in Polish, Albanian, Serbian, and Bulgarian), and I grew ever more frustrated because big chunks of it were Slavic words, but none of it seemed to come together. I broke down and googled it, and it turns out it's a pretty well-known Rroma folk song from the Balkans and Turkey. Verrrrry pretty. biggrin

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Witch... I'm not so sure about. If on the one hand the term was actually coined in an era where pagans and non-pagans clashed, I would argue that they find themselves in a similar position I do.

If on the other hand the term was coined to address a myth than was then taken over by popular culture- I'd say they're in the same position that the Vampires and Werewolves are in. wink

It would probably be helpful to look at some etymology of the word "witch," and then do some digging into the historical situation of the era in which it was coined in that form. I have a feeling it's going to sit in a grey area for a while.  

[TeaDidikai]

Collowrath

Heh, that's very comforting to know, actually.

wink We tend to have such things in common.

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This is a similar situation that Native Americans have. I'm inclined to feel that this is made even worse by the idea of the "noble savage." Because Disney manages to make Pocahontas or Esmeralda a "positive" caricature, you should be FLATTERED - I don't think that strikes as many people as ridiculous as it should.

Bingo. I find this to be one of the most insidious expressions of racism. That the people are flattering those they misrepresent and how dare we be offended...

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Somehow I'm inspired to mention a song I have been listening to recently - Erdelezi. I'd been trying to figure out what the heck they were saying (so far, I've heard this group sing in Polish, Albanian, Serbian, and Bulgarian), and I grew ever more frustrated because big chunks of it were Slavic words, but none of it seemed to come together. I broke down and googled it, and it turns out it's a pretty well-known Rroma folk song from the Balkans and Turkey. Verrrrry pretty. biggrin

You'd have to link me. I'm familiar with a number of songs that focus around St. George.

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It would probably be helpful to look at some etymology of the word "witch," and then do some digging into the historical situation of the era in which it was coined in that form. I have a feeling it's going to sit in a grey area for a while.

That would be my solution.  

[Collowrath]

TeaDidikai

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This is a similar situation that Native Americans have. I'm inclined to feel that this is made even worse by the idea of the "noble savage." Because Disney manages to make Pocahontas or Esmeralda a "positive" caricature, you should be FLATTERED - I don't think that strikes as many people as ridiculous as it should.

Bingo. I find this to be one of the most insidious expressions of racism. That the people are flattering those they misrepresent and how dare we be offended...

My aunt, when she does guest lectures on the subject, has a graphic that shows Native mascots that we're supposed to think of as positive, and then couples it with ones based on Anglo, African-American, Jewish, Polish, Irish, etc stereotypes, to illustrate why exactly it's ******** ridiculous.

If I can find it, I can link it.

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You'd have to link me. I'm familiar with a number of songs that focus around St. George

Balkany Spiewaja. It's the last on the list.

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It would probably be helpful to look at some etymology of the word "witch," and then do some digging into the historical situation of the era in which it was coined in that form. I have a feeling it's going to sit in a grey area for a while.

That would be my solution.

Etymonline.com <- this is what they have to say for "witch."  

[Teh Bloody Princess]

Think for yourself man, don't do like they do...

Aren't all Wiccans witches but not all witches wiccans?

Like all Pintos are Paints but not all Paints are Pintos? (Horse referance)

...It's a sick world, you just gotta stay true.

 

[TeaDidikai]

Teh Bloody Princess

Aren't all Wiccans witches but not all witches wiccans?

Yeah... but what does this have to do with the price of Pu'erh in Yunnan?  

[FlySammyJ]

TeaDidikai

Teh Bloody Princess

Aren't all Wiccans witches but not all witches wiccans?

Yeah... but what does this have to do with the price of Pu'erh in Yunnan?

Well the last time I was there I picked up a disk the size of a 45 for 35 yuan in Kunming, so I'm guessing Tasmanian tigers are extinct.