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ziero0
23rd January 2022, 07:59 AM
https://www.etymonline.com/word/help


A domestic servant of American birth, and without negro blood in his or her veins ... is not a servant, but a 'help.' 'Help wanted,' is the common heading of advertisements in the North, when servants are required. [Chas. Mackay, "Life and Liberty in America," 1859].

This certainly sounds racist but racism didn't materialize until 1928.

https://www.etymonline.com/word/racism

racism (n.)
by 1928, in common use from 1935, originally in a European context, "racial supremacy as a doctrine, the theory that human characteristics and abilities are determined by race;" see racist, and compare the various senses in race (n.2) and racialism. Applied to American social systems from late 1930s.

I suppose just to be sensitive to the minority condition we need to eliminate HELP from our vocabulary.

osoab
23rd January 2022, 09:43 PM
So, we should yell "Fire!" in lieu of "Help!"?

ziero0
24th January 2022, 05:23 AM
So, we should yell "Fire!" in lieu of "Help!"?

Situation dependent.

Clinton, Obama and Biden face a firing squad. Clinton is first. At the last second yells "TORNADO" and everyone ducks. He gets away. Obama is next. At the last second he yells "EARTHQUAKE" and runs to freedom. Biden is last. Just as the rifles are leveled he yells "FIRE".

keehah
24th January 2022, 08:43 AM
\uu\
:)**