MovieChat Forums > Mercy Street (2016) Discussion > "Men of Color"? Really?

"Men of Color"? Really?

posted 9 years ago by childeharr-97472
31 replies | jump to latest

When I heard the female protagonist utter this ridiculous twenty-first century liberal term, I nearly turned the show off. This would not have been a term that was readily used in the period. Why does everything have to be completely ruined by modern-day nonsense liberalism? I guess the show will offer up none of the real raw images of war and diction that was used in the United States at the time. I guess this is just going to be some liberal fantasy of feminist power during the Civil War where everyone uses 21st century liberal racial and feminist terms? I hope this show doesn't completely take that tack throughout. Sadly, I know it will. Historical Civil War narrative tells us that even the most feminist of characters would have been miles behind any modern-day notion of today's radical feminism. Even in the North. Historical documentation tells us that blacks were somewhat better treated in the North, but the North was not some racial fantasy camp. But, I'm sure the agenda in this series won't address that. I just ask for an historical program that doesn't inject so much of today's modern liberal speech patterns and activist bias.

The only remotely believable character on the show is the black "doctor" who actually uses the N word. Let's face it. This would have been the terminology North and South. I have higher hopes for this show. I just hope it doesn't fall in the PC nightmare trap that so many modern films and movies have fallen into.

[–] bri_black 9 years ago

You nearly turned if off, but some spark of curiosity kept you watching. Follow this link from the late, great William Safire of the NY Times in 1988 and see if this information changes your opinion on the use of the phrase.

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/20/magazine/on-language-people-of-color.html

Did you know when you see a play written by Shakespeare that he was not transcribing history? That is how to appreciate historical drama or fiction. Even if you right about this being anachronistic, we don't reject JULIUS CAESAR because we heard the clock strike three (the mechanical clock had not been invented yet). The Bard was not carrying out some clock-maker's secret agenda.

A lot of your anger seems to be against women, with liberals on the side. I wonder how many of the last 100 books you've read for leisure were written by or about women?

Your comment reminds of a line from the song by Steve Martin, GRANDMOTHER'S SONG:
Criticize things you don't know about.

Turn off Limbaugh and Hannity for a month and see your life get happier.

[–] Ivy793 9 years ago

^ best possible response!

I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

[–] aurorak 9 years ago

This is the first time I've ever heard fugitive slaves referred to as contrabands.

[–] activista 9 years ago

@childharr

Honestly, you whole rant sound ridiculous---you're throwing a fit over a show because it used a term you thought was anacronistic? Just because you think it's a "liberal" term? Like the other posters said, the term "free men of color" was created in the 19 century. You could have found that if you'd actually bothered to look UP the term, which would have taken you all of 50 seconds. Tired of close-minded, whiny right-wingers like you whining because the whole damn world dosen't think exactly like the hell you do. And it's ALWAYS right wingers screming about dumb s*** like this. I rarely see liberals come on these boards and rant like this about their political beliefs---it's always these damn right wingers spouting off about their beliefs all the damn time, as if their beliefs are the only damn ones in the world worth following or listening to. Also, if you actually watched more than one episode of the series, it sticks to the time period it's set in.

Also, I'm tired of ring wing idiots like you acting like liberals are so damn wrong just for being liberals. It was liberals was started some of the most important movements in American society----the civil rights movement, the women's movement,the enviromental movement, the legalizing of abortion, all of that. So I don't want to hear any more of this bull**** demonizing of liberals by right-wing fools who can't fckg think for themselves because they'd rather believe every piece of right wing s*** off of FOX News. You right wingers need to stop hijacking the thresd of every fckg movie board and stop always making it abotu what the fck you believe, because no one gives a *beep* about what the hell y'all think. . 'Nuff said.

[–] verucasalt23-1 8 years ago

I feel like people might have used the term, "men of color" but not exclusively. Now that I'm thinking about it (because I am so used to the term, person of color that it didn't stick out for me), I'll have to notice.

Honestly, I feel like the preferred term, at least for southerners, would probably be "darkies," rather than the N word. I don't think that was even considered a pejorative (at least by white people), at the time, just the term people used to use, the same as "colored" or "negro" were used a few decades ago. My reason for thinking this is because I studied music in college, and one of the composers I studied was Stephen Foster, a Civil War era composer who wrote songs like Camptown Races, Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair, etc. Several of his songs casually include the term, "darkies," including My Old Kentucky Home Good Night and Old Folks at Home (Swanee River). So it seems like this was a commonly-used and accepted term that has simply been forgotten. It is also the term Margaret Mitchell, a southerner, used most commonly in Gone With the Wind

It's probably equally offensive to the N word, but at least it would be accurate. I don't know what term white northerners would have used, though I've heard "negro" and "free negro" was definitely something that was said.

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that a variety of terms, including but not limited to the N word and "men of color" were used, so that would be more accurate than using any one term exclusively.

"Arguing with trolls is like playing chess with a pigeon . . . ."

[–] activista 9 years ago

@childharr

Honestly, you whole rant sounds ridiculous and petty as hell---you're throwing a fit over a show because it used a term you thought was anacronistic? Just because you think it's a "liberal" term? Like the other posters said, the term "free men of color" was created in the 19 century. You could have found that if you'd actually bothered to look UP the term, which would have taken you all of 50 seconds. Tired of close-minded, whiny right-wingers like you whining because the whole damn world dosen't think exactly like the hell you do. And it's ALWAYS right wingers screaming about dumb s*** like this. I rarely see liberals come on these boards and rant like this about their political beliefs---it's always these damn right wingers spouting off about their beliefs all the damn time, as if their beliefs are the only damn ones in the world worth following or listening to. Also, if you actually watched more than one episode of the series (like I did) it sticks to the time period it's set in.

Also, I'm tired of right-wing idiots like you acting like liberals are so damn wrong just for being liberals. It was liberals was started some of the most important movements in American society----the civil rights movement, the women's movement,the environmental movement, the legalizing of abortion, all of that. So I don't want to hear any more of this bull**** demonizing of liberals by right-wing fools who can't fckg think for themselves because they'd rather believe every piece of right wing s*** off of FOX News. You right wingers need to stop hijacking the thresd of every fckg movie board and stop always making it about whatever the fck you believe, because no one gives a *beep* about what the hell y'all think. 'Nuff said.

[–] Captain_Augustus_McCrae 8 years ago

Could you repeat that? Oh wait, you did.

"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's LIVING!"
Captain Augustus McCrae

[–] activista 8 years ago

McCrae:

That was a computer glitch---I didn't mean to post twice--that was an accident.

[–] hmxone 8 years ago

I'm not sure why liberal is a bad word. Lincoln was a liberal republican. Liberal meant educated back then. He added the 13th amendment.

Nixon was a staunch Republcan. He appointed the Supreme Court justices that approved women's right to choice and privacy.

Republicans approved women's right to vote. 0 democrats voted for it.

The definition of liberal means open to change; freedom for all, and educated.

Colored became offensive in the 1960's. It was used a lot before then.

[–] Dragon6068 8 years ago

I find it interesting that someone of your ilk would even know where to find a PBS station. I am well informed of the difference between North and south in the way they dealt with black people in the 19th Century. The North was far from perfect but south was Hell for black people. Of course you wouldn't know that. You have a political agenda of your own. Please tell me you are sterile so your idiocy cannot be passed on to another clueless generation. Frederick Douglas used the term "men of color." Enjoy your life in Appalachia...

[–] gveronica 8 years ago

dear OP,

It seems that just a little online research could have saved you from having to eat crow. Next time inform yourself before posting.

[–] 8 years ago

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