is the word 'cracker' racist?

[IDL]

The fact that there are no words to hurt and humiliate whites is a testament to who's "on top" in society. My av rings extremely true when this is considered.

There are. Just call them racist over and over and watch them curl up into a little ball and tap out.

 

[kpt018]

The concept that we have group properties that all that are perceived to be within that group share besides the obvious property such as gender or skin color or ethnicity or language is either a valid viewpoint or it is not.

Just because some benefited and some suffered does not change the validity of the concept. So either words are intrinsically racist or they are not. I do not believe symbols and words are intrinsically racist or sexist but if one is to be consistent in thinking one word used commonly as a racial slur is always racist they cannot protest when other individuals who are members of other groups feel the same.

With regards to equivalency, it's binary. We are judging the word as to whether or not it is in fact racist not that it means precisely what another word means.

That's great, but I never said cracker wasn't racist. I don't think you're doing this, but if one believed all forms of racism are equal, that person is a fool. They're not equal because context and history matter and so does the outcome.

 

[Jack V Savage]

That's great, but I never said cracker wasn't racist. I don't think you're doing this, but if one believed all forms of racism are equal, that person is a fool. They're not equal because context and history matter and so does the outcome.

Coming late to this (uninteresting topic, but I saw you as the last poster). Racism is the belief that there is a hierarchy of "races" (and further, that "race" is a meaningful biological category). So I wouldn't say that any particular word is "racist," and further, when people use the word, they're not indicating a belief in the inferiority of the "white race." If I call Jimbob a "cracker," you can't infer that I believe that I hold negative beliefs about whites at all. Hell, I might not even dislike Jimbob; I might just think he's a cracker.

 

[mudflap mike]

if you dont think the word cracker CAN be racist, you are a self-loathing white man or pc bitch.

eom

 

[kpt018]

Coming late to this (uninteresting topic, but I saw you as the last poster). Racism is the belief that there is a hierarchy of "races" (and further, that "race" is a meaningful biological category). So I wouldn't say that any particular word is "racist," and further, when people use the word, they're not indicating a belief in the inferiority of the "white race." If I call Jimbob a "cracker," you can't infer that I believe that I hold negative beliefs about whites at all. Hell, I might not even dislike Jimbob; I might just think he's a cracker.

That's a good point. Truthfully, I haven't really put much thought into "cracker" because it's so ridiculous.

 

[Possum Jenkins]

There are. Just call them racist over and over and watch them curl up into a little ball and tap out.

"Racist" isn't a racial slur.

Cracker, honky, n-word, and all the rest are racial slurs. There is no racial slur with the same level of offense towards whites as there are towards nonwhites.

 

[Jack V Savage]

"Racist" isn't a racial slur.

Cracker, honky, n-word, and all the rest are racial slurs. There is no racial slur with the same level of offense towards whites as there are towards nonwhites.

It's interesting that the "slurs" that are directed toward whites all have class implications (they all are generally terms to apply to poor white Southerners, as opposed to whites in general). I wonder why that is. Are there any even partly racial slurs used for middle-class or wealthy whites or just for whites in general? I've heard "cowboys" used to refer to whites in general, but not in a negative way.

And, yeah, of course "racist" isn't a racial slur. Just IDL instinctively siding against the underdog.

 

[spamking]

That's a good point. Truthfully, I haven't really put much thought into "cracker" because it's so ridiculous.

So you're a white guy who owns a business . . . you just so happen to have a few black guys, white guys, mexicans, etc. who work for you.

You don't micromanage them, but you expect them to work and get done whatever projects you assign to them.

The black guys feel that you are pushing them too hard and ultimately start calling you a cracker.

Why would they even think to call you a cracker? What would be the point if not to describe you in a manner similar to a slave owner in the 1800s?

Do you think it would be ridiculous for you or <insert white guy owner here> to initially be insulted by that if they chose to make it an issue?

 

[Bay Area]

The fact that there are no words to hurt and humiliate whites is a testament to who's "on top" in society. My av rings extremely true when this is considered.

Cracker ass cracker ass cracker ass honky!!



Did that do anything for you?

 

[oldshadow]

I never come to the War Room because, well, seriously. I just came to see if the "rape culture" thread got moved here, and saw this.

From a sociological point of view, in Western nations, racism doesn't exist towards the oppressor. There are valid reasons to dislike or even "hate" white people that have nothing to do with race. Racism is the feeling that your race is superior to another on a biological level. Black people don't hate white people because they're white. They hate white people due to the oppression of their race over a long period of time. The term "cracker" in reference isn't racist because their are various and valid reasons other than race that black people hate white people for.

Well that is pure bull shit^^. Blacks can

 

[spamking]

You cracker ass cracker ass cracker ass honky! Honky ass cracker!!!!



Did that do anything for you?

You didn't say "By the Power of Grayskull" first . . . . so no.

 

[Hollywood Nicky]

as the resident expert on teh racisms and the keeper of the sacred sherdog racisms list, i'd say it depends on the intent.

 

[Jack V Savage]

So you're a white guy who owns a business . . . you just so happen to have a few black guys, white guys, mexicans, etc. who work for you.

You don't micromanage them, but you expect them to work and get done whatever projects you assign to them.

The black guys feel that you are pushing them too hard and ultimately start calling you a cracker.

Why would they even think to call you a cracker? What would be the point if not to describe you in a manner similar to a slave owner in the 1800s?

Do you think it would be ridiculous for you or <insert white guy owner here> to initially be insulted by that if they chose to make it an issue?

That etymology is dubious, and the term generally refers to poor white Southerners.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=cracker

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/07/01/197644761/word-watch-on-crackers

The same can be said of the N word.

Did you even read my post?

 

[Possum Jenkins]

That's a good point. Truthfully, I haven't really put much thought into "cracker" because it's so ridiculous.

Honesty has no place in a discussion on race!

Kindly GTFO.

 

[Bay Area]

 

[Fugue]

You didn't say "By the Power of Grayskull" first . . . . so no.

*blackskull

 

[Possum Jenkins]

It's interesting that the "slurs" that are directed toward whites all have class implications (they all are generally terms to apply to poor white Southerners, as opposed to whites in general). I wonder why that is. Are there any even partly racial slurs used for middle-class or wealthy whites or just for whites in general? I've heard "cowboys" used to refer to whites in general, but not in a negative way.

And, yeah, of course "racist" isn't a racial slur. Just IDL instinctively siding against the underdog.

Well, it's domination, once again.

"Redneck" and all the others are slurs towards the poor. Why? Because the poor are victims of domination, just like nonwhites, women, gays, etc.

Slurs towards the well-off are, just like any of the ones directed at dominant groups, pretty laughable. Playboy? Posh? You have to use qualifiers like "asshole" or "piece of shit" for them to mean anything. And even then they don't mean shit.

 

[panamaican]

I agree it isn't even in the same ball park in comparison to the "N-word".

Everything else you stated in this post and your previous, can you please provide some back up for it because and I'm sorry to offend but it sounds like complete bullshit.

"if it's individual vs. group" determines if it's racist and the "referring to poor, rural whites vs broadly", where are you getting this info?

Again, people are making more of it than there is, it's all based on intent and perception. Here's a simple rule, if you think it might offend someone you don't want to offend than don't say it.

Well, the term "racist" means a belief in hierarchies of the races. That racial group A is superior to racial group B. You can be racist and never use a racist term, it's a mindset. In fact, you can be racist and never be hateful. Someone might believe that people of a racial origin are inferior to people of another origin but not dislike the inferior group of people. Similar to how we all like our pets but we don't consider them the equals of humanity.

By contrast, bigotry is when you look down on one race as a group. It means more than just thinking one group is superior, it's going so far as to actually dislike another group entirely (usually based on stereotypes but sometimes other reasons)

You can simply look up the 2 terms in any dictionary. Racism and bigotry center around beliefs and actions towards the group as a whole, not the individual.

 

[kpt018]

So you're a white guy who owns a business . . . you just so happen to have a few black guys, white guys, mexicans, etc. who work for you.

You don't micromanage them, but you expect them to work and get done whatever projects you assign to them.

The black guys feel that you are pushing them too hard and ultimately start calling you a cracker.

Why would they even think to call you a cracker? What would be the point if not to describe you in a manner similar to a slave owner in the 1800s?

Do you think it would be ridiculous for you or <insert white guy owner here> to initially be insulted by that if they chose to make it an issue?

Aside from it being inappropriate in the work place, I'd laugh it off.

What is the insult? I'm acting like a slave driver? Ok, it's really just taking reality (that I'm working them too hard) to an extreme in your example (and I have been told I work employees too hard). It's not an attempt to say that I am inferior in some way based on race. I'm Irish, Polish and German, so using one of the unflattering racist comments that is used for those would be a problem, yes.

 

[mudflap mike]

Aside from it being inappropriate in the work place, I'd laugh it off.

of course you would. you already know everyone sees you as a joke