Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun

Monday, June 3, 2013

A GAY SLUR? AND GETTING AWAY FROM PEOPLE

WORDS
CUTTING BOTH WAYS
     Teaching us diplomacy and providing a way to keep us out of continual scrapes, fights and altercations, mom taught us the childhood adage
      "sticks and stones may break my bones-
       but words will never hurt me."
     How I wish that were still true.  Maybe it would be if only we all lived that reality.  But words have power and the meaning can hurt.
      An NBA star is in trouble and has been fined for something he said.  The phrase "no homo" derives from a black idiom, complicated by African American attitudes about gay life, but has mutated in use to where in the macho world of professional athletes it meant to imply something else and was not meant in disrespect, though it could be offensive to some.  No harm intended, but offense could be taken.  Such is the tyranny of political correctness especially in the hyper amplified world where big name stardom and social media meet. 
       I don't know if it is an improvement that we now are more aware of our language skills and word choices and sensitive to their impact, or if we have just netted ourselves in a time and place where, despite intent, a word or phrase can lead to a knee jerk type of social persecution.
      I'm inclined to think we must indeed be wise in our word choice, but still there was so much wisdom-and hassle avoidance, in that old childhood retort.
SO LET'S JUST GET AWAY FROM PEOPLE
Big Sur-Lime Kiln Canyon-One of the world's special places









    A simple pleasure is to hike from where water falls out of the mountains to where it runs into the Pacific.



  Here, words and language seem secondary.
  See you down the trail.



9 comments:

  1. I've missed the gay slur so have no idea what that's about.

    Think I've seen these Lime Kiln pictures before. Nice, though.

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    1. Bruce-
      New pictures of an old trail. Snapped this past week.

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  2. Ah Lime Kilns! Special place on the planet. I need to walk those trails again soon! Thanks for capturing the essence of this most unique spot. My first visit to Lime Kilns was about 40 years ago! Very special memories... I believe you and I got a bit lost there once upon a time.

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    1. Yes we did. Long before it was a state park and as Lana was expecting #1. We did however find the water fall, return to camp and made it a place we return to and are forever in love with.

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  3. Life in Carpinteria is nice so far, but I miss the Cochrun tribe.

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  4. Steve-
    We miss you up here in the village. The Tennis Courts seem out of balance.

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  5. I'm not sure when and how we got the idea that people have the right to never be offended, but it sure has become silly. It's as though people go out of their way looking for slights.

    Great photos. I'd dearly love to see this area.

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  6. Lime Kiln is one of three State Parks in the Big Sur area. We discovered it when it was still a private camp ground, in the late 60's. It never disappoints. Hope you can visit it someday. The drive is magnificent, along Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway.

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  7. Still gorgeous after all these years
    FBP

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