White People! Are you offended being called a "Cracka"?

[AuronFtw]

The difference between "******" and "cracker" in my mind is that "******" has actually been used to refer to people who are actually being subjugated and treated in the most vile ways. "Cracker" has no such historical background in blood and torture...

Except the Inquisition, the Holocaust, and the intense racism against specific races of white even as recent as the founding of America? Being irish had a stigma for a very long time. Still does in some places.

Pretending that blacks have the monopoly on being mistreated is just ignorant. Don't be one of those people.

 

[RicoADF]

Been watching a lot of the George Zimmerman case. Last night I was flaberghasted when Erin Burnette of CNN referred to the word as a racial slur.

I'm sorry, but there is not a world where Cracka or Cracker could offend any white person. Right? I mean I'm pretty sure any of hear the word our minds do not jump to our skin colour but to delicious Saltine crackers. It's like calling someone Spaghetti.

Even honky... If I get called a honky the only thing my mind jumps is the old Jefferson's TV show.

Is there any white slur that has any bite at all? I mean I suppose "You impearalist swine whos anncestors kidnapped and enslaved my ancestors for years and then tried to pull that segration bullshit" but that'd be to hard to say in conversation.

I've never heard of it nor do I live in the states, I'm guessing it's an American thing? Still the fact remains if it's a racial slur then it is racism and the offending person should be prosecuted. After all if a white person called an african american a N word they'd be castrated, to not punish for racism in the other direction would be racist against caucasians. Which is actually more common than against any other race today as it's practically legal, I've never heard of caucasians successfully charging someone for racism.

 

[Epicspoon]

I would be offended because it's not as funny as "Jet Puff"

 

[Chicago Ted]

And even if not I really wouldn't care... I actually don't mind slang terms for races. We call Americans "Yanks" and the English "Poms" and they don't take much offense.

Since when are Americans and English races?

I also mentioned the French and Russians. They're all "white" but you'd be a fool if you couldn't tell the difference between them.

Toss "Mick" in there and you've even got the Irish.

But sure, it'd be unlikely for any of them to call another white person "Cracka".

Calling a Russian "cracka" wouldn't even make any sense. Russians never owned slaves as far as I know, I mean hell, they had serfdom until the 1800s.

If you're going with the origin of cracker being whip cracker or something, it doesn't make sense to call many Americans that either. I mean, what if you called a white American a cracker, but they're a first generation immigrant. The only thing that ties them to slavery at all would be by the fact that they are currently living in a country that supported it ages ago, before their ancestors were even close to the country or its practices.

As for my opinion on the word, yes, I think it's racist, not for its direct meaning, but for the intent in which it is said. If the word is used as a hateful and derogatory term for a white person, no matter how silly sounding, or easily dismissive it is, by its very nature it is racist.

Edit: Would I be offended by it? Depends on the context. If someone was using the term jokingly, I wouldn't really take any offence to it. If however the person using it was saying it with malice, then yes, I would be offended by it.

 

[Sansha]

I've never heard any person make a racist remark towards me or any white person that offended me. I've been called a 'dumb cracka' and 'stupid white dickhead' before and it didn't so much as confuse me.

 

[smokeyninjas]

No its just a word like any other personally i believe the tone & context of what being said is the deciding factor on whether or not something is offensive not what individual words are used.

 

[Saulkar]

Not even remotely, hell, a couple of aboriginal friends call me it all the time because I get sunburn abnormally easy and thus do not often go out of my way to expose myself to it and in turn look like a corpse.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

No, and if it did offend me, I would strive to get over it rather than change the world so that nobody ever says cracka because it hurts my tender butt. I think it's counter intuitive to be clawing for words to get offended over. I hate how people nowadays think that being offended somehow puts you at a moral high ground. Like its somehow progressive thinking to strive for a society where everyone is thin skinned and gives words power over them so that they can put their feelings in the hands of other people in hopes that they'll feel pressure not to say the things that they've decided will hurt them for no reason. Why do we seem to want to be more sensitive and uptight as a society?

Also a lot of times when people get "offended" it's completely disingenuous. If something doesn't actually illicit negative personal feelings, what's the point in pretending to be offended on principle? Why is it not enough to think something is stupid or ignorant without a veneer of personal distress? Just seems like a ***** move to try to victimize yourself so that you can whine rather than talking about something on an intellectual level.

 

[Doclector]

Not really, no.

Then again, that word doesn't have quite such a history behind it as the N word. I think that's why. I generally don't take offence in individual words unless that word has a history behind it that makes it offensive.

 

[lunam-kardas]

But I love saltines! Especially when you top them with meat and cheese! How could you make saltines racist?...Unless... You mean unsalted saltines, the vilest of all things!!

But in all seriousness, no I'm not offended by it because let's face it, "Cracka" is quite possibly the silliest sounding thing I have ever been called. It is literally impossible to say "Cracka" with any real amount of venom or hatred.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

The difference between "******" and "cracker" in my mind is that "******" has actually been used to refer to people who are actually being subjugated and treated in the most vile ways. "Cracker" has no such historical background in blood and torture

Ironically it technically does, and from the exact same point in history no less, but from the other side. "Cracker" refers to the cracking of a whip, not the salted grain product. So yeah it does have a historical context but not a demeaning one. If anything THAT slur is demeaning to black people as well.

Not that it detracts from what you were trying to say though, just thought the phrasing of it was too anecdotal not to point out.

 

[Benni88]

Me and my house mates call each other cracka all the time. Honky too. But tbh honest I don't think I'd be offended if a non-white stranger were to call me it. I have too many humorous associations that go with it for the word to mean anything to me.

 

[Teoes]

No. Should I be? Neither the word nor "my people" have the history attached that should result in any offence.

Plus, you know, words are like bullets..

 

[Hawk of Battle]

Yes, I would be insulted by it. If someone were to insult me, I'd expect them to be a little more high class about it. I'd be more insulted by the stupidity of the word and the insulters belief that I would be insulted by it.

People need to be more original with their insults.

 

[Steve Waltz]

it is a racial slur. if you are of another race and you maliciously refer to a white person as a "cracker", you are a racist.


we just dont find it offensive. probably because it doesnt sound very harsh. neither does "honkey", or "white boy".

I always figured that I don't find it offensive because it's a "ghetto" word and I don't live in "da ghetto."

If you ask me, being called "white trash" is more offensive and that's not even a racial slur. XD

 

[Playful Pony]

I'm from Norway. The only thing that offends us are toll booths and people that don't like fishcake, and if we encounter any of those things we just laugh it off and go buy some more money...

In all seriousness, no. It's not actually a word I have ever heard used outside of American TV (to mean a racial slur that is). Meanwhile I do hear enough racial slurs thrown at people of middle-eastern apearance, which really worries and angers me. Norway has a few movements of extremely imigrant-hostile people that want nothing more than to see the borders shut and anyone slightly middle-eastern or black in appearance thrown out. Truly disgusting, and the worst part of it all is that there are a worrying amount of people that think in this way! I'd rather see that bunch thrown out to be honest...

Yes! I am not a crunchy, salty, snack!

Yes you are damnit! Now get back in the wrapper with the rest of us!

 

[Altorin]

Been watching a lot of the George Zimmerman case. Last night I was flaberghasted when Erin Burnette of CNN referred to the word as a racial slur.

I'm sorry, but there is not a world where Cracka or Cracker could offend any white person. Right? I mean I'm pretty sure any of hear the word our minds do not jump to our skin colour but to delicious Saltine crackers. It's like calling someone Spaghetti.

Even honky... If I get called a honky the only thing my mind jumps is the old Jefferson's TV show.

Is there any white slur that has any bite at all? I mean I suppose "You impearalist swine whos anncestors kidnapped and enslaved my ancestors for years and then tried to pull that segration bullshit" but that'd be to hard to say in conversation.

You didn't know that Cracker/cracka was a racial slur? Also my ancestors where enslaved and sold by group's of my own race, slavery then and still now is a business that prevails. As I said before in another thread the Defense might have done a reversal. But yeah it is a racial slur that probably means shit to white people as a whole.

I mean I knew it was suppose to be a racial slur. And I know human trafficking still exist in this world, I was just talking specifically on black/white relations in the United States... Which I don't know about the world over, but the fact that at one time one could legally and openly own another human being in this country like cattle is fucked up.

I just don't feel the word carries any weight as an insult.

Is it because you think they're calling you a crispy topping holder served at parties? cause they're not.

They're calling you a filthy bigot asshole if they call you a cracker.. it goes back to being a cracker of whips.

It means "fuck you, your thoughts aren't worth anything because you're a filthy degenerate pig that takes pleasure in the pain and suffering of other human beings"

if you don't hear the word with any context, of course it falls flat

 

[HellbirdIV]

Considering that white people have never spent hundreds of years being enslaved and oppressed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_slavery

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_medieval_Europe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_slave_trade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_labor_in_Germany_during_World_War_II

Yeah, NO-ONE EVER enslaved white people.

It's also worth noting that black Africans have enslaved eachother just as long as Europeans, Middle Easterners, Asians and Native Americans have; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Africa

I hate to be the one to bring actual history to the table, but the Trans-Atlantic, North American slave trade did not invent slavery as a concept, so saying "THIS IS WHY ALL WHITES ARE THE DEVIL" is absolutely ridiculous.

If you ask me, being called "white trash" is more offensive and that's not even a racial slur.

Actually it is. It uses a racial descriptor (white) and an insult (trash) together to represent a demeaning stereotype. I'd definately call that a racial slur. See also "Raghead" and "Curry-stinker".

 

[Altorin]

Considering that white people have never spent hundreds of years being enslaved and oppressed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_slavery

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_medieval_Europe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_slave_trade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_labor_in_Germany_during_World_War_II

Yeah, NO-ONE EVER enslaved white people.

It's also worth noting that black Africans have enslaved eachother just as long as Europeans, Middle Easterners, Asians and Native Americans have; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Africa

I hate to be the one to bring actual history to the table, but the Trans-Atlantic, North American slave trade did not invent slavery as a concept, so saying "THIS IS WHY ALL WHITES ARE THE DEVIL" is absolutely ridiculous.

yeah.. black africans were the ones selling other black africans to the europeans.. They were enslaved to the blacks before they were sold to the whites.