::gets on soapbox::
There are groups and organizations out there, many that are respected, others that are seen as negative by certain portions of society, but all serve a purpose of advocating for the rights and the dignity of whatever group of people or subject that they are claiming to represent. These groups range from PETA and NAACP on one side of the spectrum to The Alliance Defense Fund and American Legion on the other. Now with this background, let me begin...
Upon leaving SDCC this year, it became evident to me, if it wasn't before just more so after the event, that the terms nerd and geek and the like were used in a very derogatory manner, and often as a slur. Although I have spoken up against PC-ness in the past, I find it peculiar that some of the same people who may advocate respect of others based on some other factor, are very quick to stereotype a large percentage of the population whom they may call nerd or geek, and often treat them in a negative manor because of the stereotype and negative image that they actively act upon. Therefore, why is there not a group out there that advocates for the respect and the equal treatment of those that are often derided by the terms geek and/or nerd? Where is their group to defend them similar to the Antidefemation League or CAIR? Are they not a worthy enough group of society?
Those people who use the term geek and nerd in a negative connotation, as a slur, imagine if they were to use the N-word or fag or some other group slur that has been accepted by society as something that is disrespectful and hurtful to the group that it is directed at. I am pretty sure that there would be whole organizations and advocates, or members of that section of our population, who would speak loudly and clearly how they will not stand for such defamation to their group.
That being said, I hereby advocate for the removal of the terms nerd and geek as derogatory slander against a portion of society that accepts people regardless of their gender, ethnic or racial heritage, political affiliation, sexual preference/orientation, age, and income; thus those who are not members of that segment of society should use the term Intelligent-Americans when referring to us. Intelligent-Americans should also be treated with the same courtesy and respect that those outside of that group would wish to be accorded to them. Furthermore, those terms should be reclaimed as their own by Intelligent-Americans, just as African-Americans have reclaimed the N-Word as their own, and how homosexuals have reclaimed the word fag as their own.
::gets off soapbox::
Thank you everyone for your time.
