By Lori Emerson Santa Monica
In response to a letter from Katherine K. McTaggart (SMDP, May 16, page 4)”
What a total bummer that Katherine K. McTaggart is bummed out about the word “bum.” OK, so what shall we call all of the people here that are “unfortunate enough to live on our streets?” Her offense to the word “bum” sent me right to old New World Webster’s Dictionary, in the hopes that another appropriate, but less offensive word could be found.
We can’t call them “transients” because Webster’s says that implies that they pass quickly, and are “temporary lodgers.” That’s not what they are. We can’t call them “vagrants” because Webster’s defines that as “one who wanders from place to place,” because they stay here — they don’t leave.
We can’t call them “hobos” because “hobos” were known for riding the rails (trains) and we don’t have those here in Santa Monica. We can’t call them “vagabonds” because there is a hotel chain by (close to) that name, and that could cause a whole new set of problems. We can’t call them “homeless” because Santa Monica is their home.
Webster’s defines the word bum, (adj. bummer and bummest) as: a vagrant, a loafer, a devotee, to live as a bum by begging, poor in quality, false, lame, someone out to annoy, depress, bore, etc., living as a vagrant, out of repair.
Derogatory or not, the word is correct. They are “bums,” and that’s what I will continue to call them.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 18, 2006. Read the original PDF.