Let me know where I changed your words, cuz of course I didn't mean to.

>you of all people i wouldn't expect to change people's words.
>what i am saying is...there is "baggage" associated with
>"nigger," or "kike," or "chink," or "redskin," for that
>matter, and i haven't been shown that "A-rab" carries the type
>of baggage those words do. so to term what is merely an
>alternative pronunciation offensive does strike me as out of
>the ordinary.

I'm not sure what would prove it to you other than the testimony of Arabs... assuming the original poster is one, there's a testimony, and you could ask other Arabs to find out if this is something common. To me, it seems clear that when people hear "ay-rab", they associate it with the rampant stereotyping that is part of dominant American perceptions of Arabs.

>and would i be surprised if someone associated "colored" with
>white racism? dude, i know you ain't been here that long :)
>but no, i don't really see any black americans getting
>up-in-arms about someone saying "colored," other than to
>pointedly note that is not what we call ourselves. and i can
>understand that aspect of indignance when someone says
>"A-rab." but offensive? no, i can't really empathize.

Well, as I said, I understand why you wouldn't get upset. Hearing it for me evokes "the good old days", and I would expect that many black folks feel this way.

>edit: one more thing. black AND white people say "A-rab," and
>we DON'T just use it when saying "disparaging" things about
>middle eastern folks. you glided over everything else i said.

Naw man, I didn't have to glide anywhere cuz you made a categorical claim to which I provided a counterexample. Black people and non-disparaging comments were irrelevant.