Reader questions use of language

To the editor:

The less racism by whites one finds in our evolving society, the harder committed lefties such as Lynda Waddington have to look to find it. She takes high dudgeon over an Iowa City Council member using the admittedly dated term 'colored people.” Waddington claimed that Councilwoman Michelle Payne had said something inappropriate, bordering on racist.

If that's true she needs to chastise the nation's oldest and most respected civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored

People (NAACP) for having the temerity to commit the same offense. She also needs to write a column explaining to us knuckledraggers why 'colored people” is anathema while the much more stilted and pretentious 'people of color” is so accepted and in vogue with people such as she.

Kurt Maas

Coggon

Editor's note: Thank you for your feedback. Founded in 1909, the NAACP chose the most positive phrase used at the time to describe its membership and has kept the name both as a nod to tradition and a reminder. Unlike Michelle Payne, they have never publicly apologized for its use - an apology where Payne acknowledged use of 'an offensive term.” Finally, I very clearly stated in my column that 'I don't believe Payne is a racist, or that her choice of words was intended to disparage or diminish. She is, however, shockingly unaware of how privilege has colored her life.” - Lynda Waddington, columnist