When is a word racist?

He did note later that he had failed to include that point.

 

well I still don't think it's about any language I think it's about controlling thought.

 

No word is racist , racism is subjective . If somebody calls you white, thats because you appear to be white , if somebody calls you a homo , thats probably because you are or they are making comparatives .

Either way , if you're offended by words , you're a pssy .

 

The correction that I posted (and is on the second page of this thread)...

 

Those who have to use offensive words to attack their opponents are P******.

 

What offensive words might they be ? There is no such thing as an offensive word , there is only people who take offense to that word .

Swearing, isn't even swearing , there is no such thing , it is subjective !

 

I was at Grandma's the other day when she went to the kitchen and came back with a tray of munchies. She held it out and asked "cracker?".

I smacked the bitch. Even Grandma can't get away with calling me cracker!

 

Context, Richard The Last, can be a b####?

 

A word is racist if a majority of people of the race in question think it is racist.

A person's past sheltered life regarding exposure to racist words does not render the word non-racist. It only reveals the person as uninformed.

Regarding the word "spook" and your final question, if for example a person says "I sure would like a new car" and 5 minutes later a knock on the door reveals a rich relative who wants to give that person a new car that is now sitting in the driveway, saying "wow! That is SPOOKY!" would be acceptable and justified and non-racist. But to call someone a "spook" or to name a cat a "spook" would be very insensitive at least, and racist at worst.

 

a spook's a spook why coddle into something diff...

if the next cat's white, call it 'greengo' to balance things out...

speakin of greengo, why isnt the lefties calling out their own voter base for it?

 

testing, ***** testing ******* testing puss

edit: interesting that its censored here...

weird n sad how shallowy reversed we've become... by we've, i mean society

 

Don't wish to live in the more of the 1930s

 

Why? The cat in question was named for a behavior not it's color. What if the cat was Tortoiseshell Calico or Orange Tabby instead of black? Or using my example above, what if the cat was named "Apple"? Would that be as unacceptable in your eyes since Apple is also a racial slur?

 

No word should be banned. Enforcement of bans requires force, and there is no ethical justification to respond to mere words with violence (the notable exceptions being verbal threats of violence and calls to violent action). If someone calls you a n-word, call them a chickenFer, part ways and focus your energy on something productive or meaningful (get over it).

 

The reason would be irrelevant. All that matters is the common recognition of the racial reference.

Apple? I never heard that? It isn't a commonly recognized racial reference. But IAC who names a pet or a person "Apple"? I think this is a non-issue that most don't recognize.

 

But you stated that "A person's past sheltered life regarding exposure to racist words does not render the word non-racist. It only reveals the person as uninformed."

In this case, Apple is a slur for a Native American who has been disassociated from their culture. Effectively being "Red on the outside, White on the inside" in much the same way "Oreo" is used for African Americans.

And who names a pet "Apple"? Well...here's someone who named their cat Apple.



Now is this person an anti-Native American bigot for calling their cat a word that can be a racial slur but in more common usage is either a fruit or a popular technology company?

 

Like I said. Not commonly recognized. Your argument is that "Apple" is as racist as "Spook". So you're the one who sees racism in everything. Maybe you also feel nothing in this list should be used because it would be racist: http://www.rsdb.org/full

 

it's only commonly recognized to racists themselves, most decent people wouldnt see it that way...

naming a black furred labrador (canine) 'black', an olive 'black', squash 'yellow', a panther 'black', deformed twins 'siemese'...

just name the cat 'blackie' , there's nothin wrong with it , 'cept in the eyes of a racist...

 

I love it when people put thoughts into my head that aren't mine (he said, dripping with sarcasm). What I'm actually arguing is that "Spook" is or isn't racist based on the context it's used just like Apple is or isn't a racist slur based on the context it's used in.

Just like so many of the other words out there that has been used as a slur but were originally and are still commonly used for non-racist things.

If one were to call an African-American a "spook" they're being racist. If an author is calling a spectral operative in the CIA a "spook", they're simply doing a double play on words for the same of the puns. (Harry Turtledove - "Case of the Toxic Spell Dump" - Character: Henry Legion).

So giving your beliefs, answer this simple question. If someone has taken a normal word and turned it into a racial slur, should that word forevermore be discouraged lest one be perceived as a racist even though the usage was for the original, non-racist definition?

 

reminded me of what Ricky Gervais said

RICKY GERVAIS: ‘THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO WIND PEOPLE UP’

I don't agree with him 100% but then I'm not a comedian. I do believe you need to make a reasonable effort not to offend, however the pitch fork mob mentality needs to go.

 

Words are not racist, people are.

 

Worrying about what people think is racist is a fool's errand. Do you think the cat's name is racist? Does it have anything to do with race?

No, the "that's racist!" idiots out there have exhausted all of their credibility, so just ignore them for the morons they are.

I've recently stopped calling black people blacks and now refer to them as colored people. Reason? Because it's no different from people of color.

Sorry lefties, but there's no difference, except that you take offense at the latter, but not the former. I'm not the one that started this nonsense, but I can beat you at your own linguistic games every time.

 

You "coddle it" when in mixed company, if you have black guests in your house, it may be uncomfortable for them.

 

Words are racist, You can be as colorblind as I believe God intended, but if your white and say "hey wuts up *****" when you meet someone it won't be recieved well.

 

And if I said that it would be because I was racist not my words. As I don't believe in god I won't speculate on his intention.