Subject: Re: moorish temple
From: John Anderson <panic-AT-semiosix.com>
Date: 18 Oct 2002 18:27:58 +0200


On Fri, 2002-10-18 at 18:02, Maldoror wrote:
> If something were to originate and be called the
> Nigger Temple chances are it would be offensive to a
> lot of people. So why is it acceptable for it to be
> called Moorish Temple, when this is offensive to a
> substantial number of people who happen to be arab.
> Context in this case is irrelevant.

Context is never, never, never irrelevant. Let's say a hiphopster
started a band called Nigga Temple...

> The term actually originated during the crusades by
> the europeans as a term to describe their arab
> adversaries,

You hafta watch out for argument from origins. The internet was started
by the US Department of Defense. Especially when it comes to etymology:
words change meanings as usage requires. Once upon a time calling
someone a bastard was a mortal insult. Now it's almost meaningless,
"Poor bastard", for example, being a term of pity rather than insult.

> and to my knowledge of the time period it
> was offensive even then.

So calling architecture Moorish is insulting the architect? Or the
building? I'm not quite sure about this one...

bye
John