>Hi Tamar,
>
>>Using "black" or "white" or "tall" or "short" to describe someone so others can find them or visualize them isn't insulting. But combining those descriptive words with pejorative words, in my view, makes the pejorative stronger and more offensive, especially if the pejorative word is part of a stereotype about the group identified by the descriptive word. So, for example (trying to choose one that's less inflammatory than some others), describing someone as a "blonde airhead" is offensive to blondes generally, while describing someone as an "airhead" is about only the individual so described.
>
>Personally, I don't see how a statement like "blond airhead" is offensive to all blonds. It still describes one individual. It would be different when you say "All blondes are airheads".
>
>IMO, there is a great difference between insulting and discrimination. Discrimination is about generalisations that are insulting. Here I miss te generalisation.
>
>Walter,

Good morning Walter;

I would think that the letter “a” (a "blonde airhead") is being used as the indefinite article in this case and does not apply to a specific group or individual. This may be an indication of the hypersensitivity many people in the United States feel. Even an indirect reference to specific words or terms is not acceptable to some and is cause for alarm.

Well, as you know we have exceptions to exceptions in our language. We cannot follow our own grammatical rules. Sensitivity to keywords is more important than the meaning of words. Why take time to understand what you or someone else says? I think we are too busy trying to accommodate others and survive. We tend to get bogged down in such matters! :)

Tom