cracker,spic, ******, camel jockey, tamale snapper, porch monkey, dothead, sandnigger,gooks, chinks, nips, raghead, beaner,kike, limey, coon, jigaboo, honkey, wetback, spade, canuk, whop, mick, The more we use these words in everyday life in a non-derogatory way the more we take the ammo away from the haters. They rely on these words to instil fear and hatred but we can beat them at their own game.
I'm ashamed to say I use some of these adjectives on occasion,then admonish myself for having done so.They are terrible words.
Interesting topic. You have already seen examples of this happening in the black community. They now often call their friends "niggas"; something that kind of baffles the rest of us (especially since we really can't say it without risking injury or something). And the Canucks are a Canadian hockey team. But really, it goes to show that it isn't the words that are hateful and hurtful, it is the attitude and intentions of the person using them.
I'm offended by anyone who uses those words and aren't a member of that race that they are poking fun of. Hypocritical, yes, but thats how I think.
The point I'm trying to make is that if we use those words enough we will take the negative meaning out of them, therefor denying the haters the ammo to spread their sick message.
I know what your getting at,but the execution is all wrong.I personally don't want to see these words used anywhere,at any time.I don't feel the need to resort to that low a level,to remove the negative connitations from them.Imho.
It is probably not a good idea to use the words a lot. People will still be offended if we refer to people as "wetbacks" in normal conversation. We use the word motherfucker a lot, but it doesn't lose it's offensiveness when the person using it is trying to be offensive. It's too bad that we have such a problem with racism. Diversity is a good thing for a species. The human mind is capable of so much knoweldge and intelligence that it is a shame that some people use it the way they do.
I think these words are sick and disgusting in any context, but if you're a member of that race that you are using the words for, who am I to say that you shouldn't say them? If that doesn't make sense, its because I couldn't think of any better way to say that
Actually, Black Americans calling each other "nigga" is nothing new,it didn't start with Rap music. Blacks(not all) having been using that word with that spelling for decades. Just listen to Richard Pryor's 70's albums
My roomate (and half my floor) is Philippino, and I always call her a "Pino" or "Rice-picker"....It's all in jest though. Plus, she calls me a "potato-hacker" (I'm Irish), so it's all good!
I intensely dislike any of those words. My husband may say a few of them on occasion, and it tends to bother me when he does. Luckily, he never says any of those around our children. I certainly do not want to teach my children racism! Peace.
Why is it that the accepted way of referring to a person’s ethnicity keeps changing? Example Negro (accepted in the 1960’s insulting now) Black (accepted in the 1980’s isn’t proper now) African American (in during the 90’s, out now) People of Color (currently the vogue word)
I don't know... I wish it'd all stop... I'm tired of everyone bringing race into things that it has nothing to do with...which is almost everything.... For god's sake, we're all just people dangit
i can see where your coming from. but then i thought, withought these terms how would we tell the haters from the non haters. if everyone used them it would be much harder.then the haters would coime up with new words and we would use them too. and then we wouldent be able to tell again.
This isn't hypocritical in my eyes. I took this from another post of mine on the Women's Forum, but here's my philosophy summed up and slightly edited: "You're NOT allowed to throw around "bitch" as a man. Here's why: This is a sexist word used by men to insult womyn, much like the infamous "N-word." People (primarily white men) always complain: Why can't they use the words? They weren't always used properly in the past by certain groups of people. The minority groups (although womyn are not a minority, they are certainly treated like a minority) have a right to reclaim this word and embrace the positive qualities of being a certain ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation and make that part of the stereotype... It's wrong of me to use non-white racial slurs because it's [not] an issue of reclaiming the word for me."
I personally, don't think that it really matters what word you use. It's the intent and attitude you use the word in that counts. If you are speaking to a person that doesn't mind being called a ****** or bitch or some "derogatory" word in a friendly context, then it doesn't matter. But you have to be contientous of when you use words and how. It's about respect, not symantics.
it's acceptable if all the parties find it acceptable example: I call myself a bitch all the time, and occasionally a ****. TO ME, they are strong, empowering words - because I choose to take them that way. But I would NEVER call another person a bitch or **** unless I knew ahead of time that it would be ok with them. EVER. Taking back words has to start with the people they are referring to, and it has to be completely consensual... I'm not going to tell another woman that she should call herself a ****. I might offer up a history of the word (which actually has a very positive history until recent usage), but I would never say "you aren't a strong, liberated woman until you call yourself a ****". the same applies to racism, IMHO. It's only even vaguely acceptable if everyone involved ok's it.
