Give the board your name so we can find out for ourselves? Or keep hiding behind the frat-star username.
OT: Is It Racist?
- Thread starter Spacegrass
- Start date
He didn't mean anything by it. It's a well-known phrase that many people use w/o a thought to its origins. He apologized and that should be the end of it.
On the contrary, I think the scrutiny is entirely sincere and legitimate. You're contributing to a narrative that requires reading the minds of the people raising the objection, and assuming the worst. That adds to the offense. THAT stirs the race pot just as much.
That's why I asked. He never answered.
We have a black man explaining why he doesn't find the term offensive and here comes the white liberal shaming him for not being offended. It's always white liberals giving unsolicited help.
Should be getting the "Sorry for how awful America is, Earth" comment any time now.
anon_0astpxev9h4gk
Well-Known Member
If it's going to be forgotten in a week or so, exactly how big of an injustice is anyone really making it out to be? Are you stressing out over a pretty run-of-the-mill complaint and making that out to be a grave overreaction?
I’m half black & my dad used to say that same phrase to me all the time when I was kid. Being from the south I’ve head that phrase a lot & never considered it racist.
I’m glad the one opinion from one black man settles the whole issue for you.
You quoted the same thing I linked, but you left off the very next line: " '...cotton-picking' referred directly to the difficulty and harshness of gathering the crop. This didn't extend to the specific expression 'keep your cotton-picking hands off of me'. This no doubt alludes to the horny, calloused (and usually black) hands that picked cotton."
You also have an antiquated idea of what real racism is and an inability or unwillingness to distinguish between "incorrect"/"perspective" and " deliberately faked."
It might be one black man but its AWilli6995---recognize!!!!!
Doesn’t matter. Apparently you can say racially insensitive shit but as long as you didn’t mean for it to be racist *wink wink*, it can’t be racist and you shouldn’t be offended by it. Brilliant!
Yeah, but look how he treated Daffy.
Bugs Bunny used it. I don't remember Bugs being a racist. He hated white folks if anything. Look at the way he treated Elmer Fudd.
Uh oh! Someone got their feelings hurt. Everyone must apologize!
We have def been over that, and I have admitted that i have a quick trigger to stuff like that b/c in many cases I cant fathom how it could possibly be genuine. Saying I have an antiquated idea of real racism infers you are the authority on the subject and should be able to tell me what is and is not, correct? I don't think its possible to know for certain if a person is/was truly offended or not, so its a judgment call and often times--personal opinion. I think I've been more than willing to listen to different perspectives---even if I don't agree. I do strongly believe that "crying wolf" anytime something could even be remotely racist disrespects those that have been affected by actual racism. Just b/c someone finds a way to take offense on any matter---doesnt necessarily make it offensive. Again---I guess it may not be possible to always have a definitive line on what is reasonable and unreasonable-----but if you broke down any subject into fractions---there would be no answers.
You really don't see how ignorant this comment is, do you? That one black man explained to you his way of thinking on this issue. You shrugged it off and replied with "what the hell". The issue isn't that it is just one opinion from one black man. The issue is that his opinion didn't fit your narrative so you just tossed him aside and chalked it up to just being one black man with one opinion. And yet, you truly believe that you are a stand up person who fights racism. That's funny.
More ignorance. Should he have known that his comments would be taken by some as racially insensitive? Yeah, probably. But assuming he didn't, there was nothing to suggest he meant to offend anyone. Now if he continues to use the term now that he has seen the outrage, then you can say it was more than just an innocent term that also happens to be racially insensitive.
Man, a LOT of dumb assumptions and generalizations here, especially given that two of the bigger liberals here (myself and Dat) said basically the same thing... likely didn't mean anything by it, apologize and it should be over, but worth noting the background of the phrase. In fact, I see nearly NO conflict here at all, no matter what ages the posters might be. The worst disagreement seems to be about knowing what phrases mean being different depending on where you are from, and that seems like a fairly small argument.
It's a bit strange that, even with that, there still seems to be this feeling of "OH MAN, HERE WE GO, THIS THREAD IS GONNA BE CRAY!!!"
It's a bit strange that, even with that, there still seems to be this feeling of "OH MAN, HERE WE GO, THIS THREAD IS GONNA BE CRAY!!!"
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Hey man. You and Datt definitely made reasonable comments.. I just don't see how people can see it any different in this particular case.
Out of curiosity. What are some of the dumb assumptions?
I don't know, just stuff like "Oh, these young people, they are going to make this some huge thing because that is what they do!" I don't know if that is true; I think that might be more of a lazy stereotype than actual reality. Just that sort of thing. No biggie... just seems like people are looking to argue, but nearly everyone is on the same page.
anon_0astpxev9h4gk
Well-Known Member
It was a dumb thing to say, but the manner in which he said it seemed to be applauding just how good Westbrook is, so the context seems a bit skewed. I don't really care either way, if you said that phrase in a different manner, then yeah I could see how it would be racist. However the south will south.
I don't know... Bwesty said he didn't think it was really meant as racist, but yeah, you can avoid the phrase. He seemed to take issue with someone saying the announcer shouldn't apologize to Russell Westbrook because of where he is from or something (sorry, I didn't follow that point), which isn't that crazy of a stance; if you said something that could be taken badly by the person you said it to, why not explain and apologize? I don't see what Bwesty said that was so crazy...?
I just take issue with the fact that someone would suggest that since Westbrook grew up in LA he shouldn't be offended because maybe(?) his ancestors weren't slaves? That doesn't matter at all in this context. He still can still be subjected to racial stereotypes and remarks even though his ancestors may have not been slaves. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
The spread of PC culture is the first phase of destroying the first amendment. People hear something that is foreign to them like this phrase and think they know better. They dont examine context, intent, or tone of how it was said, which are all more important. People who get offended by this stuff live in bubbles or echo chamber where they are blinded by the landscape of America and the history of its regions. Every region has different phrases and slang that is apart of their culture. The south is especially known for goofy quips, expressions, and sayings. It's just part of the culture...its usually the white liberals who think they are the most enlightened of Americans and they must be the voice for all victims of social injustice because they believe people cant do things on their own...which to me is racism and shows a level of entitled superiority in which they possess.
Whatever differences we have, this is a well measured, thoughtful post. Thanks.
You don't have to defend him. Just read his posts ITT. He clearly contradicts himself over and over.
The older generations in the south definitely deserve the benefit of the doubt in cases like these.
anon_0astpxev9h4gk
Well-Known Member
That'll be me. In this case IMO it matters where he grew up and what he was subjected too. If I was his age and grew up in LA who knows what I would of said or how I would of reacted. I can say this, all my friends/family who I grew up with and went to school wouldn't of sweat this like some are.
I get that and I respect your perspective, but it's just my opinion that that particular statement has ties to the south and slavery and thus why I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of people found it offensive, regardless of intent.
I don't need the benefit of the doubt from anyone just because I grew up in the south in a different time. You can't apologize for something you can't control.
