PC in FL

Nope, not Press Conference, Pete Carroll or Personal Computer: Politically Correct. From the Sun-Sentinal, an article about Florida's new regulation to rename offensively named streets and locations (emphasis mine):

So far, the state's list reads like a handbook of slurs and names many consider pejorative: Jap Rock, Negro Island, Jewfish Creek and Cracker Swamp. That some names are open to interpretation, however, has caused confusion. The well-intentioned legislation does not list which words could be considered offensive, nor does it penalize locales for refusing to change a name.

...

"I've heard about Hooker Highway in Belle Glade and Cracker Street," said Todd Bonlarron, Palm Beach County's executive director for legislative affairs. "It's really subjective regarding the history. We need to figure out whether or not it was done in a derogatory manner."

I laughed my ass off just reading those names, and how incredibly insensitive they are. Who knew? I thought Jap Rock was a derogatory name for Hoobastank. Here's a picture of "Jap Rock" (below, from Wanna Surf) but where's the rock? Makes me almost wish we had a "Imperial British Venereal Disease Sailor Bay" in Hawaii.

But wait, just like everything else in the news, it gets better and better. The article goes on to try to explain away those names as "unoffensive", or done in a "non-derogatory manner." Turns out "Chink Rock" has nothing to do with the Chinese -- it's because, the rock, uhh, has a, chunk, a chink in it. And "Jap Rock," why them Japs used to fish on it!

"Jewfish" also is open to interpretation. Three years ago, the American Fisheries Society changed the name of the "jewfish" to goliath grouper after it was determined that the fish got its name because it looked like a big nose. Still, a subsequent effort to change the name of Jewfish Creek in Monroe County stalled when local residents decided it didn't bother them. There are currently eight creeks, basins and islands named for the fish.

While you certainly can't legislate away racial tensions, I find this article also points out the fact that you can't legislate away sheer stupidity either.

Link here.

Posted by juechi at September 21, 2004 11:15 AM