*Parnell Marcano, Los Angeles, CA:
"As always, Steven Ivory (03-28-06 EUR) is right on target. I have heard the word 'amazing' applied too many times to things that were just 'aiight.' There is a misuse and underutilization of vocabulary, that has taken over American culture from our President on down to Willie the wino on the corner.
It's 'amazing' to hear rappers paint vivid pictures using metaphors and similes in their music, but then in interviews only be capable of, 'ni**ah, ni**gah, ni**ah,' assorted expletives and, 'know-what-Im-sayin'?' I KNOW they have more words to express themselves, but as Steve points out, we've all gotten lazy. Yeah, I'm including me as well.
To continue on a theme, Darryl James then writes about grace, or the lack thereof. As he writes that there used to be a time when 'please' and 'thank you' were common utterances. People would say 'excuse me' if they needed to get past you or acknowledge one another in passing. Now, we're all too hard or 'too cute to poot' (as my Mom used to say) to act like we don't know about common courtesy. Maybe etiquette classes should be part of the school curriculum, it couldn't hurt. Businesses should teach employees how to make customers feel welcome, as well as how to work the register.
I'm not saying we all have to speak like Harvard graduates, or behave like the aristocracy. But you can still be 'hood' and act like you've got some home training. Does that make sense? Forgive me for that one Steven."
EUR: OK, time for a shameless plug. Parnell, since you brought up the idea of etiquette classes, etc. -- which is a very good point -- we thought that we should remind folks that we now have a weekly column about that very subject. Angela Carr Patterson's "Polished Stones Etiquette" weekly column addresses the issues head-on. She doesn't just talk about it, she provides straight up lessons every week. We encourage everyone to check it out each Tuesday at EURweb.com. For the current issue, just click this link: http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur25557.cfm.
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