Why Greens are calling for new suburb name to be scrapped

[Information Analyst]

That said, everybody understands the connotation.

Just because it hasn't historically been used in that way doesn't mean that we don't understand the word.

Really? I think that very few people outside the US automatically thing "hanging blacks" when they hear the word "Lynch," especially in places where it's well-known surname.

 

[Sideroxylon]

Really? I think that very few people outside the US automatically thing "hanging blacks" when they hear the word "Lynch," especially in places where it's well-known surname.

There’s one for the Family Feud pollsters. It would be in my top 5.

 

[dann]

Really? I think that very few people outside the US automatically think "hanging blacks" when they hear the word "Lynch," especially in places where it's well-known surname.

I think you're wrong: Lynchning (but not a well-known surname).

 

[theprestige]

We should all want social justice.

You'd think. But it turns out social justice is a mixed bag of good ideas, well meaning but bad ideas, and a lot of divisiveness, bigotry, and hate leading to poisonous and pants-on-head-retarded ideas.

 

[arthwollipot]

Really? I think that very few people outside the US automatically thing "hanging blacks" when they hear the word "Lynch," especially in places where it's well-known surname.

I disagree.

If used as a name (Film director David Lynch, b. 1946) then sure, it's just a name. But if used as a verb, eg. "let's lynch that guy", I think that there would be very few native English speakers anywhere who would fail to understand what is meant.

Personally, I understood that it meant hanging someone before I was fully cognisant of its racial context, but I understood both by my early teens.

 

[Sideroxylon]

You'd think. But it turns out social justice is a mixed bag of good ideas, well meaning but bad ideas, and a lot of divisiveness, bigotry, and hate leading to poisonous and pants-on-head-retarded ideas.

So like everything. But to have the term turn into a pejorative and poisoning the well in every conversation?

I took Carl Sagan’s pale blue dot speech to heart very early and don’t find myself reacting to propsals to change the names of places named after irrelevant white males. Why would this make someone angry?

 

[Noztradamus]

Lynching in Australia

Qué? That article appears to be about lynching in California.

 

[P.J. Denyer]

In the UK the word has the meaning of extrajudicial murder but no racial connotations.

 

[arthwollipot]

In the UK the word has the meaning of extrajudicial murder but no racial connotations.

But you know that it does in America, right?

 

[P.J. Denyer]

But you know that it does in America, right?

Yes, but I was just adding to the general conversation, seeing as how the suburb in question is in Australia how the word is interpreted in Britain is as relevant as how it is interpreted in America (namely an item of irrelevant interest).

 

[applecorped]

Sometimes something is just funny, even if the subject matter is no joke.

This

 

[arthwollipot]

Yes, but I was just adding to the general conversation, seeing as how the suburb in question is in Australia how the word is interpreted in Britain is as relevant as how it is interpreted in America (namely an item of irrelevant interest).

Sure, but you are aware that as the largest and richest English-speaking country, America exports its culture and values across the entirity of the English-speaking world, right?

I can't see how anybody who grows up in an English-speaking country can fail to understand the racial connotations to the word. "Oh, that's not how we use the word here" fails to be relevant the first time an American tourist happens to visit the place.

 

[Noztradamus]

Sure, but you are aware that as the largest and richest English-speaking country, America exports its culture and values across the entirity of the English-speaking world, right?

I can't see how anybody who grows up in an English-speaking country can fail to understand the racial connotations to the word. "Oh, that's not how we use the word here" fails to be relevant the first time an American tourist happens to visit the place.

Yes due to the pervasity of Murrican culture we can be aware of what the Shermans thought patterns are. But that is not enough reason to blindly follow them as the Oz Left has been doing for 50 years.

Next thing you know KFC won't be able to make an Australian cricket themed commercial without a Sherman tourist getting triggered - and you apologising for offending them.

 

[cullennz]

Surname LYNCH

SOURCE: Given Name

USAGE: Irish

Meaning & History

From Irish Ó Loingsigh meaning "descendant of Loingseach", a given name meaning "mariner".

 

[cullennz]

Personally think it is a bit silly

Though I would understand if black people wanted to change their surnames from days of the week if they have them.

 

[lionking]

I would not have drawn a connection between the fairly common name Lynch and the hanging of indigenous people. The Greens are behaving stupidly yet again.

 

[P.J. Denyer]

Sure, but you are aware that as the largest and richest English-speaking country, America exports its culture and values across the entirity of the English-speaking world, right?

I can't see how anybody who grows up in an English-speaking country can fail to understand the racial connotations to the word. "Oh, that's not how we use the word here" fails to be relevant the first time an American tourist happens to visit the place.

Funnily enough both Britain and Australia have our own culture and history of speaking English (here in England we've been doing it for some time. We almost speak it like natives).

Guess what, even when we know how Americans interpret something, we don't always care. And you might find this hard to believe, but we don't base every decision on the opinion of hypothetical American tourists.

 

[arthwollipot]

Culture blends.

 

[dann]

Qué? That article appears to be about lynching in California.

Why? Because its title is "Lynching and Racial Violence in the United States and Australia"??!

 

[Giz]

I can't see how anybody who grows up in an English-speaking country can fail to understand the racial connotations to the word. "Oh, that's not how we use the word here" fails to be relevant the first time an American tourist happens to visit the place.

Whooah, you propose a litmus test of "how might an American tourist react" to your local place names? Dude, you are trying too hard.