Wednesday, March 12, 2008

"I was born a poor black child" -- N&R letter-writer channels Steve Martin

In the 1979 rags-to-riches-to-rags film The Jerk, a very white Steve Martin begins his story with "I was born a poor black child." It was a funny set-up for the running gag of Martin's character, Navin R. Johnson, believing himself to be just like the black family he grew up with. Not so funny is the claim by a N&R letter-writer that she is a minority, even though she is not.

Shirley deLong of Jamestown in her letter, published today, describes herself as "Being a minority and growing up in the South..."

Ms. deLong is white.

4 comments:

  1. Aren't women still considered a minority group?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Is that what you think deLong intended for her readers to understand? That she was referring to her gender?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Given enough adjectives, anyone (everyone) is a minority.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Women are in the majority locally, statewide, and nationally.

    ReplyDelete

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