Urban Warfare

[poliphilo]

There are kids out the back throwing stones at other kids- some of which land in our back yard- so Aliz and I go out and sort of stand there and quietly object (no shouting) and that defuses things. A small boy (reaching to my elbow, maybe a little higher) aims a final verbal insult at his foes- who happen to be girls, "I have only one thing to say to you:- YOU FAGGOTS!"

Comments

If an Americanism, it's unpleasant.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

But it mayn't be, you know. It did after all long belong to the same class of word as besom, trout, baggage, and the rest, as in 'miserable old' whatever-it-was.

Re: If an Americanism, it's unpleasant.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Quite right. In the olden days (meaning when I was a kid) "faggot" was mild and even faintly endearing. It had no sexual overtones- in fact rather the reverse. A faggot was someone beyond sex.

Re: If an Americanism, it's unpleasant.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Or something you eat with peas and gravy. :)

Re: If an Americanism, it's unpleasant.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That too....:)