White Racial Slurs....

[Dhampir]

I should clarify. What I meant was that words period were the power. Slurs were a part of that.

[Seth C Triggs]

Concurring with Seth there, Y'gotta figure, that words were really the only power blacks have had, whether they were slurs against whites, or using slurs generally directed against them. That is perhaps part of the reason it is more acceptable that blacks use racial slurs than whites; it has been a tool of self defense, and the spirit in which thse words are used is different. That's not to say that this isn't slowly changing, though. I know of white comedians who will use the N word in mixed crowds and get away with it. At some point it will change completely, but at the moment, I think it is wrong to demand that it just stop, as that would be like dulling a cat's claws, then just declawing it altogether.

 

Something about suggesting that the only power blacks had was their use of racial slurs doesn't quite jibe with my sensibilities.

 

Well, when you're a marginalized group, sometimes language *is* the only way you can effect change. At least change in the perception of your power. People gain self-confidence from a sense of ownership. If a group is born and has it drummed into their heads that they are more or less the bottom, the dregs, you're going to get this sort of thing.

 

That said, I think that as hip hop culture spreads and spreads (indeed, most fans of hip hop are not racial minorities anymore) I think the term "nigger" will become archaic and lose its social bite.

 

Incidentally, some terms I've recently learned are based in slurs I will not use any longer. For example, "paddy wagon," a slur against Irish dating from the turn of the century, and "welcher," which is actually not only a term for people who fail to honor a (financial) promise, but is a slur against Welsh people.

 

I will argue this though: It's much easier to find slurs against a group that is a minority in the region where it's used. For example, in the United States you would probably find more slurs against racial minorities, and at differing points in history, Irish, Slavic and Mediterranean whites. At many different point, slurs against European ethnicities were popular, but dropped off. These included slurs against Polish and Italian persons especially, even to the point that though the use of Polish slurs has dropped off, the venerable "Polish jokes" have continued.

 

Given the founding circumstances of the United States, Briton slurs are very rare compared to other groups. All in all, slurs never just stop as said above; they merely fade into obscurity over time. I happen to believe that as the proportion of the Hispanic population in the United States grows, and that Hispanics may begin to form a number approaching a plurality, slurs towards them will fade into obscurity.

 

-Seth

[Fweethawt]

But the ones I don't understand are...

 

2.) WOP(I heard it meant, "Without Papers")

That's the sound that a healthy turd makes when it smacks the bottom of the toilet.

7.) Sand Nigger

Arabs, Muslims, etc...

8.) Coon (I think racoons are really cute)

What makes raccoons easy to spot at night time?

9.) porch monkey?

Yo! We just hangin' around da porch wit da homey's slammin' some 40'os and da slammin' jams, yo.

11.) Dago

I thought this one was "daygo"? I used to work with a lazy-assed Italian dude and we used to call him that 'cuz he just sat around and watched the daygo by.

[HuaiDan]

I thought it was "dego"

[Guest Shiva H. Vishnu]

Concurring with Seth there, Y'gotta figure, that words were really the only power blacks have had, whether they were slurs against whites, or using slurs generally directed against them. That is perhaps part of the reason it is more acceptable that blacks use racial slurs than whites; it has been a tool of self defense, and the spirit in which thse words are used is different. That's not to say that this isn't slowly changing, though. I know of white comedians who will use the N word in mixed crowds and get away with it. At some point it will change completely, but at the moment, I think it is wrong to demand that it just stop, as that would be like dulling a cat's claws, then just declawing it altogether.

 

Something about suggesting that the only power blacks had was their use of racial slurs doesn't quite jibe with my sensibilities.

 

Well, when you're a marginalized group, sometimes language *is* the only way you can effect change. At least change in the perception of your power. People gain self-confidence from a sense of ownership. If a group is born and has it drummed into their heads that they are more or less the bottom, the dregs, you're going to get this sort of thing.

 

That said, I think that as hip hop culture spreads and spreads (indeed, most fans of hip hop are not racial minorities anymore) I think the term "nigger" will become archaic and lose its social bite.

 

Incidentally, some terms I've recently learned are based in slurs I will not use any longer. For example, "paddy wagon," a slur against Irish dating from the turn of the century, and "welcher," which is actually not only a term for people who fail to honor a (financial) promise, but is a slur against Welsh people.

 

I will argue this though: It's much easier to find slurs against a group that is a minority in the region where it's used. For example, in the United States you would probably find more slurs against racial minorities, and at differing points in history, Irish, Slavic and Mediterranean whites. At many different point, slurs against European ethnicities were popular, but dropped off. These included slurs against Polish and Italian persons especially, even to the point that though the use of Polish slurs has dropped off, the venerable "Polish jokes" have continued.

 

Given the founding circumstances of the United States, Briton slurs are very rare compared to other groups. All in all, slurs never just stop as said above; they merely fade into obscurity over time. I happen to believe that as the proportion of the Hispanic population in the United States grows, and that Hispanics may begin to form a number approaching a plurality, slurs towards them will fade into obscurity.

 

-Seth

 

"Green thumb" is also offensive because it;s insensitive to those of us who have rotten green thumbs due to our frequenting of diseased prostitutes. "Rollaids" is now offensive because it seems to ridicule gays in wheelchairs. "fat tuesday" can no longer be uttered because people think it refers to a buffet coupon only redeemmable on the day after the day we all want to kill ourselves (not me. monday is just another day where I wake up at 3pm and smoke a joint)

[Seth C Triggs]

"Green thumb" is also offensive because it;s insensitive to those of us who have rotten green thumbs due to our frequenting of diseased prostitutes. "Rollaids" is now offensive because it seems to ridicule gays in wheelchairs. "fat tuesday" can no longer be uttered because people think it refers to a buffet coupon only redeemmable on the day after the day we all want to kill ourselves (not me. monday is just another day where I wake up at 3pm and smoke a joint)

 

Wow, I've not found any sociological backing for those three terms being considered offensive. The "Rolaids" one is rather darkly funny though!

 

-Seth

[Guest Shiva H. Vishnu]

"Green thumb" is also offensive because it;s insensitive to those of us who have rotten green thumbs due to our frequenting of diseased prostitutes. "Rollaids" is now offensive because it seems to ridicule gays in wheelchairs. "fat tuesday" can no longer be uttered because people think it refers to a buffet coupon only redeemmable on the day after the day we all want to kill ourselves (not me. monday is just another day where I wake up at 3pm and smoke a joint)

 

Wow, I've not found any sociological backing for those three terms being considered offensive. The "Rolaids" one is rather darkly funny though!

 

-Seth

 

Lately, gangstas have taken offense to the term "sugar-free". They think it's oppressive to the murdering hamhock with an unpronounceable name "Suge"(pronounced shoog) Knight. With a culture that seems dependant on phonetic spellings, this guy's name is a true anomoly.

[ped]

i just have to say this thread is extremely interesting.

i live in a very polarized city myself, and have these conversations with all kinds of people. me and my good friend (hes black) call every asshole that comes in off the street and is rude a nigger...white, black.. doesnt matter. we laugh about it cause we are the only ones we know that use the word correctly. its not a actually a racial slur, its simply a derogatory statement.

i know im the victim of racism, hell even my black friends are labeled "uncle thoms" for hangin out with me at work. because of this i used to go around a part of town called over-the-rhine and paint an old hippy mantra:

no where to hide,

love only provides,

racism is schism,

we all on the same road.

[Seth C Triggs]

i just have to say this thread is extremely interesting.

i live in a very polarized city myself, and have these conversations with all kinds of people. me and my good friend (hes black) call every asshole that comes in off the street and is rude a nigger...white, black.. doesnt matter. we laugh about it cause we are the only ones we know that use the word correctly. its not a actually a racial slur, its simply a derogatory statement.

i know im the victim of racism, hell even my black friends are labeled "uncle thoms" for hangin out with me at work. because of this i used to go around a part of town called over-the-rhine and paint an old hippy mantra:

no where to hide,

love only provides,

racism is schism,

we all on the same road.

 

This is absolutely the most tragic thing about racism. People that should be allies end up at each others' throats because of stupid superficial differences that nobody can change. To really screw with their minds and make them think, ask them "why" or "what does that mean?" When you do that enough, it really does have a good effect—at least in my experience it's worked wonders with some folks that have accosted me.

 

-Seth

[-Demona-]

My father's parents were from Finland, and my mother is Italian amoung other things. I say I'm a mut because to me, Irish and Finnish are two very different cultures! I guess it's because when someone asks me my race, I assume it's the same as ethnicity, when typically it only refers to skin color, which is a useless categorization, IMO.

Agreed. At any rate, being Italian doesn't make you "white". Italians are technically Latinos. And though most people don't think they are, they should be recognized as such, especially when one considers that the Latin language and culture originated millennia ago from that boot-shaped peninsula Italians call their motherland.

 

I'm Italian. I'm also of Briton and Germanic decent, with a few drops of Native American blood. But to those who don't know any better, I'm a white girl. But people only think so because my skin is white, when the fact is I feel more in touch with my Italian and (outwardly unrecognizeable) Native American roots than I do British and Germanic culture.

 

Skin colour is the singlemost useless thing to base an assumption or characterization of someone on. Ethnicity, as you said, is altogether a more eye-opening classification. Skin colour is only the surface of the person. If we had all the same colour skin, humankind would likely find something else to base their prejudices on.

 

As much as we humans have evolved, we as a race still have yet to outgrow our own desires to pigeonhole ourselves and everyone else. Perhaps the day we either all become colourblind and/or learn to enjoy each other's differences is the day our species will know peace.

[Dhampir]

Latinos are white. Look at Spaniards. Other ethinicties assimilated into it, and for some reason, original Latino is associated with something other than white.

[pandora]

Thanks, EternalDarkness.... I was beginnging to think that everyone thought I was a crazy racist! I'm glad someone understands what I mean.

[Guest Shiva H. Vishnu]

Latinos are white. Look at Spaniards. Other ethinicties assimilated into it, and for some reason, original Latino is associated with something other than white.

 

 

Yeah. Even in Mexico it's clear who is mostly a decendant of an aztec and who is mostly the decendant of a Spaniard. Those of European decent look decidedly european. The Aztec mexicans are the short, dark skinned and haired people who represent the majority of the population illegally immigrating to the US. The people they choose to put on tv are often times blonde and look like a northern european. Even in mexico the people prefer their stars to be as non mexican looking as possible. Strange.

[Seth C Triggs]

Latinos are white. Look at Spaniards. Other ethinicties assimilated into it, and for some reason, original Latino is associated with something other than white.

 

 

Yeah. Even in Mexico it's clear who is mostly a decendant of an aztec and who is mostly the decendant of a Spaniard. Those of European decent look decidedly european. The Aztec mexicans are the short, dark skinned and haired people who represent the majority of the population illegally immigrating to the US. The people they choose to put on tv are often times blonde and look like a northern european. Even in mexico the people prefer their stars to be as non mexican looking as possible. Strange.

 

This is because being European in appearance is considered beautiful. A microcosm of this happens with black Americans in that people with long, straight hair are considered to have 'good' hair. Also for the longest time many of the most popular black actresses and/or prominent stars were those with lighter skin complexions. (Take, for example, Dorothy Dandridge, or for a more modern equivalent, Halle Berry.) Generally, the darker your skin, the more 'ugly' you are considered to be in some respects.

 

-Seth

[Guest Shiva H. Vishnu]

Latinos are white. Look at Spaniards. Other ethinicties assimilated into it, and for some reason, original Latino is associated with something other than white.

 

 

Yeah. Even in Mexico it's clear who is mostly a decendant of an aztec and who is mostly the decendant of a Spaniard. Those of European decent look decidedly european. The Aztec mexicans are the short, dark skinned and haired people who represent the majority of the population illegally immigrating to the US. The people they choose to put on tv are often times blonde and look like a northern european. Even in mexico the people prefer their stars to be as non mexican looking as possible. Strange.

 

This is because being European in appearance is considered beautiful. A microcosm of this happens with black Americans in that people with long, straight hair are considered to have 'good' hair. Also for the longest time many of the most popular black actresses and/or prominent stars were those with lighter skin complexions. (Take, for example, Dorothy Dandridge, or for a more modern equivalent, Halle Berry.) Generally, the darker your skin, the more 'ugly' you are considered to be in some respects.

 

-Seth

 

And yet the sunless tanning industry is booming. Go figure.

[Asimov]

Shut up, cracker.

[Dhampir]

Women do seem to want the earmarks of black women: Big asses, full lips, slightly darker skin etc. That's not to say they actually want to be black, just as straight hair is not an indicator of that desire for blacks.

[The Sage Nabooru]

"Green thumb" is also offensive because it;s insensitive to those of us who have rotten green thumbs due to our frequenting of diseased prostitutes.

 

Are you suggesting that prostitutes are diseased? Careerist.

[Seth C Triggs]

And yet the sunless tanning industry is booming. Go figure.

 

That always confounded me too. But then sunless tans (and properly-done tans) result in a golden brown or even a glowing sort of color; not a natural dark brown such as what would come from a racial origin. Now I do happen to find darker skin attractive as lighter skin personally (I feel all complexion types are beautiful) but I think I am a rare sort.

 

-Seth

[Dhampir]

Now I do happen to find darker skin attractive as lighter skin personally (I feel all complexion types are beautiful)

As do I. Know what I hate? When black dudes say they'll only date outside their race if the girl is latino. It's like the 'in' thing for some reason.

[Guest The Walking Fox]

And yet the sunless tanning industry is booming. Go figure.

 

That always confounded me too. But then sunless tans (and properly-done tans) result in a golden brown or even a glowing sort of color; not a natural dark brown such as what would come from a racial origin. Now I do happen to find darker skin attractive as lighter skin personally (I feel all complexion types are beautiful) but I think I am a rare sort.

 

-Seth

 

Maybe you are, but if so, so am I... It's just the ribbon on the package though.

 

I'm one of those sort of mutts who really IS a mutt. Irish-creole-Choctaw here, I look like a Missisippi gator wrestler or something. With long hair I look Native. With a tan I look hispanic. Otherwise I look like a short dark white dude. I've been slapped with jewish epiteths plenty. Apparently if they can't figure out just what you are, "jew" is a good safe fallback.

 

I use racist words all the time and so do my friends. With each other at least. I'm the cracker, my friend Jay is the coon, Frank is the kike, and there's three guys all named Tonto. Just for reference, Aleutians don't like being called "Tonto"... And then there's the homosexual green-voting Russian guy in the group. Commie pinko fag.

[The Sage Nabooru]

Women do seem to want the earmarks of black women: Big asses, full lips, slightly darker skin etc. That's not to say they actually want to be black, just as straight hair is not an indicator of that desire for blacks.

 

One thing I was always actually jealous of black women about was that they could be big and good-looking. Queen Latifah, Mo'nique....a lot of black women are permitted to have at least a better amount of curves than white women. But us (and latinas and asians), we're not considered beautiful unless we starve ourselves. Unless you can see a little (or a lot) of rib lines hinting underneath massive, unnatural boobs and completely flat, available-only-by-surgery stomachs, we hate ourselves.

 

Statistically more black women/girls are actually perfectly satisfied with their appearance than white/latina/asian girls. I remember reading that in high school.

[AgnosticBob AtheistPants]

I'm so white bread. I love fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. Although recently, I have been more attracted to brown eyes and brunettes than usual.