Was this a Racial Slur?

[RedBull]

Be careful . . .


These days
not being offended
can be very offensive to some .

OMG, I think I'm a coffee drinker... | Random Thoughts

Almost 40, never touched the stuff...now, with the hematologist saying I need to curb my really nasty "Goody's Headache Powder" habit, I've been drinking two cups in the morning at work. Folks here are in shock and laugh each time I walk by with a hot cup... Best news?! No headache...

www.hayabusa.org

 

[Sandow]

So....Is it ok if all those "coloured" artist use it? Or shouldnt it be used at all?
Maybe someone could enlighten me on this please. I am very curious....

 

[Mr Brown]

Come on man. Did you read a single thing I said before posting that trash?

 

[Bumblebee]

No, nothing to be gained from rewriting literature either. I certainly would not use something like Huck Finn as a teaching tool without providing historical context regarding the language.
For example, I was very disappointed to see Laura Ingalls Wilder lose her award, and the Dukes of hazard taken off the air, doing those things accomplished nothing.

Many things which were acceptable in their time and not acceptable in this day and age are being chastised with extreme fervor it seems.

Instead of embracing what these did to effect change, they are systematically being removed.

Even in our country statues of founding fathers are being removed due to their participation in the perceived prosecution of our indigenous peoples. In their time, this was normal practice and the fact it was wrong to do so was not even a concept then. We as a nation have and are learning how to repair this damage but the fact remains these people formed the nation for what it is today and the memory of who they are can't be removed with the removal of their statues..

Much the same as the memory of what the States went through can't be removed with taking down civil war statues, it happened and that is not erasable.

My $0.02

 

[Mr Brown]

Many things which were acceptable in their time and not acceptable in this day and age are being chastised with extreme fervor it seems.

Instead of embracing what these did to effect change, they are systematically being removed.

Even in our country statues of founding fathers are being removed due to their participation in the perceived prosecution of our indigenous peoples. In their time, this was normal practice and the fact it was wrong to do so was not even a concept then. We as a nation have and are learning how to repair this damage but the fact remains these people formed the nation for what it is today and the memory of who they are can't be removed with the removal of their statues..

Much the same as the memory of what the States went through can't be removed with taking down civil war statues, it happened and that is not erasable.

My $0.02

I largely agree, however with respect to the civil war statues it is important to distinguish between those which were erected directly after the war, and those put up decades later. They serve very different purposes and should be dealt with differently.

 

[Bumblebee]

I largely agree, however with respect to the civil war statues it is important to distinguish between those which were erected directly after the war, and those put up decades later. They serve very different purposes and should be dealt with differently.

Never knew there were statues put up so much later...I agree those would serve a whole different purpose.

 

[skydivr]

No, nothing to be gained from rewriting literature either. I certainly would not use something like Huck Finn as a teaching tool without providing historical context regarding the language.
For example, I was very disappointed to see Laura Ingalls Wilder lose her award, and the Dukes of hazard taken off the air, doing those things accomplished nothing.

No, we don't need to re-write history. That includes Huck Finn, The Jeffersons, and EVERY CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL IN EXISTENCE BECAUSE THE SOUTH LOST. Because - if you take away the history, people don't know how they got to where they are now, and those that forget are the ones that might repeat it.

What I don't really like is that Black People call other black people that word all the time - buy by god a white boy utter is he's the devil encarnent. They can call me cracker any time they want, because I DON"T CARE. IT can't hurt me, it will never hurt me. It's just a WORD. I'm above that.

 

[Sandow]

No, we don't need to re-write history. That includes Huck Finn, The Jeffersons, and EVERY CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL IN EXISTENCE BECAUSE THE SOUTH LOST. Because - if you take away the history, people don't know how they got to where they are now, and those that forget are the ones that might repeat it.

What I don't really like is that Black People call other black people that word all the time - buy by god a white boy utter is he's the devil encarnent. They can call me cracker any time they want, because I DON"T CARE. IT can't hurt me, it will never hurt me. It's just a WORD. I'm above that.

Amen on this! My thought!

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

No, we don't need to re-write history. That includes Huck Finn, The Jeffersons, and EVERY CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL IN EXISTENCE BECAUSE THE SOUTH LOST. Because - if you take away the history, people don't know how they got to where they are now, and those that forget are the ones that might repeat it.

What I don't really like is that Black People call other black people that word all the time - buy by god a white boy utter is he's the devil encarnent. They can call me cracker any time they want, because I DON"T CARE. IT can't hurt me, it will never hurt me. It's just a WORD. I'm above that.

Says the white boy...

 

[Mr Brown]

No, we don't need to re-write history. That includes Huck Finn, The Jeffersons, and EVERY CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL IN EXISTENCE BECAUSE THE SOUTH LOST. Because - if you take away the history, people don't know how they got to where they are now, and those that forget are the ones that might repeat it.

What I don't really like is that Black People call other black people that word all the time - buy by god a white boy utter is he's the devil encarnent. They can call me cracker any time they want, because I DON"T CARE. IT can't hurt me, it will never hurt me. It's just a WORD. I'm above that.

As I said, I don't use the word so I can't comment on why some people (black or not) find it appropriate, or under what conditions.

Regarding your position that people can call you a racialized name and it not bother you, I believe you. However words do have power, ask any mental health professional about the damage they've seen from psychological abuse. It's not as simple as "it don't bother me so it can't bother anyone else", different things bother different people. The historical context of the N word gives it a power which other words do not have, and as such, as @08BusaKY said, it should be left to die.

 

[1busa]

No, we don't need to re-write history. That includes Huck Finn, The Jeffersons, and EVERY CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL IN EXISTENCE BECAUSE THE SOUTH LOST. Because - if you take away the history, people don't know how they got to where they are now, and those that forget are the ones that might repeat it.

What I don't really like is that Black People call other black people that word all the time - buy by god a white boy utter is he's the devil encarnent. They can call me cracker any time they want, because I DON"T CARE. IT can't hurt me, it will never hurt me. It's just a WORD. I'm above that.

I’m not gonna pretend to know everything or be the spokesperson for this particular topic. But from my background, upbringing and life experiences have shown me that Black People aren’t the only 1’s who take a racial slur or word associated with a negative description and flip it......

I grew up on a block with a lot of Italians and when 1 of them did something stupid or funny the others would call them a dumb Day-Go. They would laugh about it..... but if someone outside their race that they didn’t know and weren’t cool with said the same thing it would be a completely different reaction!!! Same thing with polish guys I met in the Marines when they did something foolish they would joke it was their polish side coming out. Or Jewish guys in my unit..... we were all tight 1 unit and could make jokes about stuff that in any other social setting around other people their mouths would drop and they would run out the door to avoid the conversation.

You hear women all the time refer to their “Besties” as Bitch or make jokes about how so n so was such a slut last night..... Again if it was a man or someone that they didn’t know said this there would be a different reaction!!! I can go on and on with examples that I’m sure everyone has heard or can relate to

Now with that being said @skydivr...... A black person calling you a cracker doesn’t affect you or ruffle your feathers the way a white person calling a black person the N word does and you know why? Because your ancestors weren’t enslaved, beaten, raped and murdered for hundreds of years with that word being used to describe them as something less than a human being.

So it’s easy for you to brush it off cracka as nothing more than someone calling you an A-Hole etc. It’s just a word that carries no weight or power over you. It’s funny how white People constantly say how Blacks should just get over that word. Let it go..... stop giving it power. It’s just a word!!!! You let it affect you!!! So if a bunch of guys dress up in SS NotZee uniforms and walk thru a Jewish neighborhood hurling racial slurs ya think they should just “get over it too???” It’s just some clothes right? That whole Hitler Thang has been over for some time right!?!?

 

[Bumblebee]

Race has and always will be a touchy subject, I personally have had unique experiences with race. I was raised by an "Archie Bunker" type father who was very bigoted and anti almost everyone. Thankfully all this did to me was reinforce the fact that everyone is equal and there are good people and idiots of all color, race and creed.

When I joined the military, I was introduced to a whole diverse world and have had superiors and subordinates of all races, color and religions. I found it to be interesting to learn from them not only on a professional level but in theological and racially as well. I worked with many nations and found the interaction between races within their militaries to be interesting and eye opening.

I heard (and corrected) junior soldiers (US Army) referring to their colored leadership in derogatory names...a PFC referring to a full bird as a N-word to me was horrible...I had him to attention and gave him what for knowing full well if he had so little respect for a full Col, a Sgt Maj sorting him out would not be effective.

I would engage other people/soldiers in foreign nations regarding their religion and how it works (Muslims mostly), I learned quite a bit which went far in dealing with touchy situations...I knew enough to take my boots off and wash my feet going into a Mosque for instance. Doing that raised some eyebrows and when I talked to the Clerics, I had some clout in what I was talking about just by doing this.

I guess what I'm eluding to is, people are people and if each person takes a little time to understand each other's ideology, it would go far in creating at least tolerance of each other.
Racial issues will always be a thing but they needn't be, the only reason they exist is people on both sides aren't educated in how to go about ending the cycle. This would be a huge (but necessary) undertaking.

 

[fallenarch]

@1busa you preach it brother.

 

[fallenarch]

I'm always a little untrusting of people who are too PC. That usually means that they are more calculating about their racial views, and when someone is that careful about hiding it then they must really have something to hide. Most of us don't live in an intellectually rational space, we live in an anecdotal, tribally biased world (or more simply, our understanding of race is based on our experience with race).

So as @1busa points out, great teams don't ignore race they simply move beyond it. They can form alliances and bonds with whomever they need to get a task done. They are not raceless, they are instead not racially orientated.

 

[SSGT_B]

Race has and always will be a touchy subject, I personally have had unique experiences with race. I was raised by an "Archie Bunker" type father who was very bigoted and anti almost everyone. Thankfully all this did to me was reinforce the fact that everyone is equal and there are good people and idiots of all color, race and creed.

When I joined the military, I was introduced to a whole diverse world and have had superiors and subordinates of all races, color and religions. I found it to be interesting to learn from them not only on a professional level but in theological and racially as well. I worked with many nations and found the interaction between races within their militaries to be interesting and eye opening.

I heard (and corrected) junior soldiers (US Army) referring to their colored leadership in derogatory names...a PFC referring to a full bird as a N-word to me was horrible...I had him to attention and gave him what for knowing full well if he had so little respect for a full Col, a Sgt Maj sorting him out would not be effective.

I would engage other people/soldiers in foreign nations regarding their religion and how it works (Muslims mostly), I learned quite a bit which went far in dealing with touchy situations...I knew enough to take my boots off and wash my feet going into a Mosque for instance. Doing that raised some eyebrows and when I talked to the Clerics, I had some clout in what I was talking about just by doing this.

I guess what I'm eluding to is, people are people and if each person takes a little time to understand each other's ideology, it would go far in creating at least tolerance of each other.
Racial issues will always be a thing but they needn't be, the only reason they exist is people on both sides aren't educated in how to go about ending the cycle. This would be a huge (but necessary) undertaking.

I can relate to everything you said here brothers. My dad, who changed later in life but as I was a child was very much Archie bunker. I learned that early in life and followed that pattern I’m sad to say. I didn’t know better. I went to a 5A high school in which there were only 12 white people and that included staff. Now all my family is German and from Germany but I’m still seen “white” but I was an ass. One guy I fight with daily, bad fights , bad words both ways, funny thing is we have been best friends now for over 30years. It took going to the military and learning a new way of thinking, experienceing new cultures. Not seeing the color of a mans skin but seeing the color of his uniform and the character of his actions. Knowing that anyone of us can die ( and did ) at anytime and without question no Matter of color would die for the man next to him. I’ve lost many brothers in my time there on many foreign soil, color however never had a bullet on it. But I’m getting off topic I am very sorry. Hard to type and cry thinking of these things. People need to learn acceptance, and loose the hate. Actions need to define us, all of us. Much can be learned from every person of every background if everyone would close their mouths, open their hearts and explore the experience.

I’m off my pitty party and going to go have my coffee then re read this later and see just how much of an ass I just made of myself

Pie out

 

[Mr Brown]

Race has and always will be a touchy subject, I personally have had unique experiences with race. I was raised by an "Archie Bunker" type father who was very bigoted and anti almost everyone. Thankfully all this did to me was reinforce the fact that everyone is equal and there are good people and idiots of all color, race and creed.

When I joined the military, I was introduced to a whole diverse world and have had superiors and subordinates of all races, color and religions. I found it to be interesting to learn from them not only on a professional level but in theological and racially as well. I worked with many nations and found the interaction between races within their militaries to be interesting and eye opening.

I heard (and corrected) junior soldiers (US Army) referring to their colored leadership in derogatory names...a PFC referring to a full bird as a N-word to me was horrible...I had him to attention and gave him what for knowing full well if he had so little respect for a full Col, a Sgt Maj sorting him out would not be effective.

I would engage other people/soldiers in foreign nations regarding their religion and how it works (Muslims mostly), I learned quite a bit which went far in dealing with touchy situations...I knew enough to take my boots off and wash my feet going into a Mosque for instance. Doing that raised some eyebrows and when I talked to the Clerics, I had some clout in what I was talking about just by doing this.

I guess what I'm eluding to is, people are people and if each person takes a little time to understand each other's ideology, it would go far in creating at least tolerance of each other.
Racial issues will always be a thing but they needn't be, the only reason they exist is people on both sides aren't educated in how to go about ending the cycle. This would be a huge (but necessary) undertaking.

Very well put.

 

[Mr Brown]

I can relate to everything you said here brothers. My dad, who changed later in life but as I was a child was very much Archie bunker. I learned that early in life and followed that pattern I’m sad to say. I didn’t know better. I went to a 5A high school in which there were only 12 white people and that included staff. Now all my family is German and from Germany but I’m still seen “white” but I was an ass. One guy I fight with daily, bad fights , bad words both ways, funny thing is we have been best friends now for over 30years. It took going to the military and learning a new way of thinking, experienceing new cultures. Not seeing the color of a mans skin but seeing the color of his uniform and the character of his actions. Knowing that anyone of us can die ( and did ) at anytime and without question no Matter of color would die for the man next to him. I’ve lost many brothers in my time there on many foreign soil, color however never had a bullet on it. But I’m getting off topic I am very sorry. Hard to type and cry thinking of these things. People need to learn acceptance, and loose the hate. Actions need to define us, all of us. Much can be learned from every person of every background if everyone would close their mouths, open their hearts and explore the experience.

I’m off my pitty party and going to go have my coffee then re read this later and see just how much of an ass I just made of myself

Pie out

Words from the heart are always appreciated.

 

[Bumblebee]

I can relate to everything you said here brothers. My dad, who changed later in life but as I was a child was very much Archie bunker. I learned that early in life and followed that pattern I’m sad to say. I didn’t know better. I went to a 5A high school in which there were only 12 white people and that included staff. Now all my family is German and from Germany but I’m still seen “white” but I was an ass. One guy I fight with daily, bad fights , bad words both ways, funny thing is we have been best friends now for over 30years. It took going to the military and learning a new way of thinking, experienceing new cultures. Not seeing the color of a mans skin but seeing the color of his uniform and the character of his actions. Knowing that anyone of us can die ( and did ) at anytime and without question no Matter of color would die for the man next to him. I’ve lost many brothers in my time there on many foreign soil, color however never had a bullet on it. But I’m getting off topic I am very sorry. Hard to type and cry thinking of these things. People need to learn acceptance, and loose the hate. Actions need to define us, all of us. Much can be learned from every person of every background if everyone would close their mouths, open their hearts and explore the experience.

I’m off my pitty party and going to go have my coffee then re read this later and see just how much of an ass I just made of myself

Pie out

My brother, been in your shoes and lived a similar life although I grew up in a rural community and went to a suburban school where we kids from the farms were thought of as "pig farmers" even though few had pig farms....

Lots of fights as a kid, got real good at it too....when you spend all your time slugging hay bales and cutting wood, you get physically tough.

No pity party was perceived, it is whole different life we lived which many can't understand.

 

[Bumblebee]

I'm always a little untrusting of people who are too PC. That usually means that they are more calculating about their racial views, and when someone is that careful about hiding it then they must really have something to hide. Most of us don't live in an intellectually rational space, we live in an anecdotal, tribally biased world (or more simply, our understanding of race is based on our experience with race).

So as @1busa points out, great teams don't ignore race they simply move beyond it. They can form alliances and bonds with whomever they need to get a task done. They are not raceless, they are instead not racially orientated.

Well my man, I can honestly say I have no hidden agendas, I've learned to be understanding of all races and religions. I've been shot at by more than a few racially and religiously charged zealots and it would be VERY easy to succumb to stereotypes of hate...

I have good reason to have hate towards these people but have none, I know I'm the exception and not the norm however as I have interacted with several peers who have definite hate towards this group of people.

Oddly enough when we captured the insurgents, we got to see many of them were uneducated and subjected to a type of "brain washing" once they got to know us, they started to rethink their whole role in waging war...now this wasn't all of them, there were several who thought we were "infidels" invading their way of life and no manner of discussion would ever change their views.

I suspect this same sort of thing is present in our western society as well. Years upon years, generations upon generations have set the precedence and it will take the same to educate and correct I figure.

 

[08BusaKY]

I don't think the N word needs to be removed from historical books and things. I don't think it should be used in new music, TV shows, and movies like it is now. It's like there are some that want to keep it alive.