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Sent to you by moya via Google Reader:
I'm not trying to be the grammar police, but I really think some words just need to be retired. Take, for instance, "swagger," or simply "swag."
I mean, once a word becomes connected to a scent that your grandfather used back in the day, it might be best to let that go. (Sorry, PawPaw).
"Hater" is another word that I think should hang up its jersey in the slang hall of fame. True enough, it hasn't become quite as corny as swag, bling, or jiggy (don't act like y'all didn't say that word back in the day!), but it has been used so much that it really doesn't have much meaning.
I've been thinking about "haters" a lot recently. Helping to run a crunk feminist blog and being a crunk feminist teacher means that I'm frequently in the business of bringing up uncomfortable truths, considering difficult issues, and holding myself and others to pretty high standards that reject bullshit and shamtastery.
And I'm frequently called a hater.
Now, there are lots of things that I do despise: willful ignorance, racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, intolerance, muggy days, frogs (they jump at you, not away from you!), that asinine song by Rocko… I mean, the list goes on. But when I, or any other thinking individual, respectfully disagrees with someone else, calls someone on their ish, or generally acts like they've been cultivating their good sense, that is not hating, hateration, or holleration. It's none of those things in this dancery!
Seriously, we all it get it wrong sometimes. And sometimes its painful or even embarrassing to be disabused of our cherished notions. But this inclination to dismiss any kind of critique as hateration is more than side-eye worthy. (We see you, Tyler Perry). It's an indication that not only is your shit not tight, one, but also that you know it, and you are trying to pull the okey doke on folks. No sir, no m'am!
Respectfully holding each other accountable should be recognized as a loving act, especially in progressive communities who claim to be working for social change. Falling back on some old tired, "Stop complaining, [insert: raggedy social movement, musical artist, filmmaker] is out there doing their thing. You are just hating" is just that–tired.
I am not suggesting that we just talk to one another any old kind of way. But I am suggesting that we remain open to hearing each other out, learning from one another, and not being mired in comfortable ideologies that simply affirm what we already think is true.
Let's throw "hater" a retirement party. It definitely deserves it.
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