But the black woman, the Chicana lesbian, the transgendered bisexual Jew--if they stop identifying their difference from the majority, their own genders, sexualities, races become erased under the ubiquitous (white-straight-male) label "person."

I never claimed to have any problem with identifiers such as "transgendered bisexual Jew" or "Chicana lesbian." Those are some honest, unequivocal descriptors that do not seek to claim contradictory positions within society. "Black woman" is a term I take more of an issue with, since its intent is to both highlight the user's alienation from what is seen as the societal norm and to lay claim to the power and status inherent in being a woman¹.

You say:

But at least it communicates something about a person, even if that something is only, "Hi, you won't want to be friends with me because I'm a whining miscreant who will spend my time annoying you by insisting you say person of color."

I say:

I never claimed that such descriptors failed to communicate something... I only claimed that what they are communicating is contradictory, ineffective and inconsistent.

You say:

What's the alternative?

I say:

No alternative is necessary. I'm not out to change the world, and I'm not (believe it or not) out to change the way people talk... Hell, how am I going to know who I'm supposed to oppress if people aren't stridently proclaiming their identity as "Black woman lesbian paraplegic vegetarian veterans?" Goddess knows, I'm usually too lost in my own issues to notice this shit until someone starts whining it in my direction.

Really, the only thing that I would like to see changed about the existing situation is this: I could really use a minority-crafted and approved handbook that details guidelines for how exactly I am expected to oppress marginalized members of society.

As a member of the entrenched White, middle-class, male power-structure, this is a significant issue for me. I often find myself uncertain how to act in a given social situation.

I mean, I know that I'm supposed to assert my masculinity by letting an undercurrent of potential violence and fear permeate any interaction I have with a gay man, and I know that I am supposed to treat lesbians with a veneer of disgust that only thinly veils the unholy lust I feel at the idea of two chicks getting it on. Similarly, I feel comfortable in my understanding of the way I should treat Blacks (i.e. with a careful mixture of fear and contempt) and straight women (i.e. as sexual objects that embody a contradictory standard requiring them to be both virginally pure and always ready to respond to my advances like the eager little sluts they are).

And of course, I have a clear understanding of my economic responsibilities: don't offer a job to anyone other than a white male. If no white male is available, I can employ non-whites or non-males, provided that I reduce the offered wage by 13% for non-whites and 17% for non-males.

I'm clear on all of that... but I'm often confused when confronted with an atypical minority member. When I meet a gay Black man, am I supposed to verbally degrade him or ignore him or meet him with physical violence, or what? Does the lesbian Chicana expect me to gang-rape her, or just offer her a low-paying, menial service position? And what about the transgendered bisexual Jew... somehow it seems that burning a cross on his lawn just isn't sufficient.

I need to know what these people expect so that I can continue to effectively fulfil my role as evil oppressor. A handbook is definitely in order.