Colorful insults - Racist or not?

[Mr Sunshine]

I usually try not to judge people by their race, color, sexual orientation or whatever, but when I get angry at someone, who happens to represent a minority or is out of the ordinary, my insults tend to become more.. imaginative. For example, if I have a quarrel with a fat person i might call him a whale or if he is black an ape. However, if he doesn't have any noticable characteristics( which change from society to society), I'll just call him an ass-hole.

How do you react in such a situation? Is it ethical or would you say it's racist?

 

[Hel]

I'm currently writing a term paper about discrimination and yes, I'd say it's racist (or xenophobic or homophobic or fat-people-phobic or whatever). It's also a little hypocritical because you base your insult on a specific feature of the other person that normally doesn't matter to you, or so you say. Anyway, stating that you have nothing against Africans, for example, and then calling someone a black pest from the primitive jungle of Uga-Uga just because he happens to be African will definitely make people question your credibility.

 

[Popo]

I think it's ridiculous, so I can call him a thousand worse insults, but if i refer the word black, nigger or whatever suddenly everything is wrong? Tbh I don't care if anyone calls me white, cracka, whiteboy or whatever, it isn't a lie. Racism to me is believing that my race is superior and all others are inferior, not calling someone a nigger, a chink, or whatever.
People see racism in everything these days, games, movies etc. If a game does not feature a black character=racist. If it does but that character's role doesn't please=racist. If in a movie a guy is between two girls, and he chooses the white one=racist. Hell, I once saw a movie where he was deciding between two black girls and he chose the lighter skinned one and Bam, Racism.

 

[Hel]

Tbh I don't care if anyone calls me white, cracka, whiteboy or whatever, it isn't a lie. Racism to me is believing that my race is superior and all others are inferior, not calling someone a nigger, a chink, or whatever.

Whether or not it's a lie is not the point. When you insult someone, there's usually a reason for that. If it's your stupidity that bothers me, I call you stupid. If it's your ugliness, I call you ugly. But calling you a nigger would suggest that the thing I find annoying about you is your dark skin colour, which in turn means that I consider dark skin something undesirable, which leads us straight to your definition of the term "racism".

It would be something different, of course, if the term "nigger" was used as a general insult towards anyone regardless of their actual skin colour, just like "fag" is often used for the sole purpose of offending people even if you don't think they're actually gay. I can't tell if that's the case with "nigger" since the term isn't used a lot where I live, but then again, there's not many black people here either... Coincidence?

 

[Mr Sunshine]

I'm currently writing a term paper about discrimination and yes, I'd say it's racist (or xenophobic or homophobic or fat-people-phobic or whatever). It's also a little hypocritical because you base your insult on a specific feature of the other person that normally doesn't matter to you, or so you say. Anyway, stating that you have nothing against Africans, for example, and then calling someone a black pest from the primitive jungle of Uga-Uga just because he happens to be African will definitely make people question your credibility.

I guess you are kind of right. It doesn't look good on me or whoever acts like that. However, I just can't help it.

I've never had trouble being friends with overweight people in the past. But then, this fat girl comes to me and starts commenting on the fact that i don't talk much and picking on my shyness. That is the ultimate insult someone can tell me because it feeds my social anxiety and makes me feel 10 times more uneasy than I already do. Not to mention, she votes the neo-nazi party.. I hate her SO MUCH! I can only think of cows and the fattest of mammals nowdays when I see her.

People see racism in everything these days, games, movies etc. If a game does not feature a black character=racist. If it does but that character's role doesn't please=racist. If in a movie a guy is between two girls, and he chooses the white one=racist. Hell, I once saw a movie where he was deciding between two black girls and he chose the lighter skinned one and Bam, Racism.

It is indeed unfortutate that whenever a group of people experiences racism, some of them tend to become extremists of the opposite side in an effort to protect themselves. One example was RE5 and its allegations of racism. I agree with you, though I believe it's only natural.

I mean, if John is in a room with 99 white people, he is black and someone asks you "who is John?", of course you'll reply "the black one". It's so easy to give a proper description that way. There's no racism in that.

 

[KennedyKiller]

I openly use the term "Nigger" in my house. Not to describe black people because that's NOT what a nigger is. A "Nigger" is anyone who doesn't wanna work for what they have. You can be black, white, Mexican, or a damned MARTIAN, and you can still be a nigger...And from MY frame of reference, the reason nigger is used to describe black people is because stereotypically they DON'T wanna work for what they've got. And I'm not saying that I believe that's always true. I know just as many lazy white ass Americans as I do black ones. That being said, stereotypes are ALSO there for a reason. Stereotypes are NOT racist, but they're are noticed patterns. Observations in the lives of humans. Stereotypes are NOT racist. They can be USED to make racist remarks...Comments...What have you, but they themselves are not racist. Me personally, I have nothing against any other race. I really don't. But guess what. I'm gonna make fun of em anyway. Wanna know why? Because the stigmas are already there. Racism ISN'T going to stop as long as people believe in it. So why not make fun of something as completely stupid as the idea of racism. And f*ck it. I make fun of white people too...

The same can be said about homosexuals. I about as supportive as gays as you can be. But there is a line to be drawn. I HATE the gays that go around PREACHING about being gay, and stating that it's "Normal," and being INCREDIBLY flamboyant just for attention. And notice how I said "Normal." The reason I said it that way is because it's proven that it's an abnormality in the brain. So don't try calling it anything else. There's nothing WRONG with it in my opinion. Homosexuality itself I mean...But it's not NORMAL. Don't confuse "Normal" with "Abnormal, but accepted."

 

[Hel]

I guess you are kind of right. It doesn't look good on me or whoever acts like that. However, I just can't help it.

Well, that happens to everyone once in a while. It doesn't make you a bad person. Did that fat girl know that your shyness was more or less your berserk button when she started picking on it? Because honestly, I think it's okay to strike below the belt if the other person does it first. Forget trying to "be better" or "not be pulled down to their level", that has never helped anyone.

Not to describe black people because that's NOT what a nigger is. A "Nigger" is anyone who doesn't wanna work for what they have.

Where did you get that from? Is it today's meaning of the word over there in America? Because etymologically, "nigger" derives from several words that mean "black" in various languages, and was originally a term used for black slaves, dark-skinned people who worked, not people of all possible skin colours who didn't want to work. It's entirely possible that it means something different nowadays, but that's where it came from.

Me personally, I have nothing against any other race. I really don't. But guess what. I'm gonna make fun of em anyway.

Same here, I make racist, sexist, gay, and other jokes all the time and I don't even care if the strangers eavesdropping from the other table get that I'm not serious. But making fun of something when it's clearly just fun is different from seriously insulting a person based on their skin colour or the like, and that's where my opinion differs from the one I have about merely making jokes. But then again, everyone does it occasionally.

There's nothing WRONG with it in my opinion. Homosexuality itself I mean...But it's not NORMAL. Don't confuse "Normal" with "Abnormal, but accepted."

What people usually confuse is "not normal" with "bad", that's where most of the offence is taken from. Homosexuality will never be "normal" in the true sense of the word unless the amount of homosexual people within a society exceeds that of the straight ones, because that's what "normal" actually means: common. The more common something is, the more "normal" it is. Not to be confused with "normative" or "natural", which are related, but mean different things.

 

[JujuLodestar]

I'm on the page with Hel

It's more on WHY you irritate me not like I get irritated at your skin (Hell my girlfriend is black so I stay away from that)

Anyways If I do insult someone I keep it just on why and remark to that.

Example: There are A LOT of stupid people in my school so one of my most common used insults is plainly say
"Why is your head harder than a brick? I mean seriously There are some weird, stupid, creepy, and downright insane people in this school but you borderline on all of them so do yourself a favor and Stfu" (I've used that one since I'm pretty steamed lately" I didn't say if from skin or sexual orientation (The most common here in MD) but from what they annoyed me with

My school doesn't really tolerate the whole gay/lesbo thing which is sad as they are nice people but there are some here. its sad how people harass them. Nobody is really insulted by skin here (Okay whites are in a sense)

What I don't understand is WHY people discriminate like that I mean what does it do? Make your ego bigger and what? Doesn't make sense.

Though it doesn't apply to me since I'd drop the cocky SOB. Still such a sad thing.

You do hear most blacks go like "Nigga this, Nigga that, Nigga everywhere" (Literally) to everyone but that's how they talk so eh. But ^ is how I feel about this whole thing I don't have experience on getting called or what not because again. I'd drop the fool

 

[Popo]

 

[Meg]

Yes it's racist. @sshole is a perfectly good, well-rounded insult. So why you feel the need to resort to such awful remarks, I have no idea. But I suggest you stop. Especially calling someone black an ape. That's mega awful.

I like using "ass" as a root word and then attach whatever other word onto it that I feel like using. My most common ones are: asscrack, asshat, and asswipe.

 

[Turo602]

I'm not afraid to use "colorful" insults or jokes which I have on many occasions. Does this make me racist? No. I have friends of many racial backgrounds who have never taken any offense to the slang I may use from time to time. I've had a few outsiders claim "nigga" was their word and it has never stopped me from using it. Sure, out of anger I tend to make racist remarks to get a rise out of those who've done me wrong. But this behavior in no way represents how I treat others of different skin color.

 

[KennedyKiller]

I like where a lot of you are coming from. I'll put it this way. If I'm gonna insult you, It's not gonna be because of your race. It's because you've done something to me to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're just a F*CKING moron.

 

[Jay]

Yes it's racists. @sshole is a perfectly good, well-rounded insult. So why you feel the need to resort to such awful remarks, I have no idea. But I suggest you stop. Especially calling someone black an ape. That's mega awful.

I like using "ass" as a root word and then attach whatever other word onto it that I feel like using. My most common ones are: asscrack, asshat, and asswipe.

Couldn't have said it any more clearer. I like those alternatives too.

 

[La Femme Fatale]

I'm very, very wary to keep this thread open. Some comments here have made me incredibly uncomfortable, and are frankly shocking.

Here's my answer: I've never known an articulate, and well-spoken person to resort to saying such things. I think using derogatory terms makes you look worse than the person you're speaking about. If you want to give the impression of being someone who is well-spoken, then think of something else to say.

 

[Meg]

I'm very, very wary to keep this thread open. Some comments here have made me incredibly uncomfortable, and are frankly shocking.

Here's my answer: I've never known an articulate, and well-spoken person to resort to saying such things. I think using derogatory terms makes you look worse than the person you're speaking about. If you want to give the impression of being someone who is well-spoken, then think of something else to say.

The queen has spoken! Let us all use classy insults like butt-muffin-face-maker! :grin:

 

[Turo602]

Classy... What's so classy about an insult? The point of an insult is to be offensive, rude, and demeaning. I find it quite arrogant for one to think there to be a "proper" way to insult someone like if they're any better for doing so.

 

[Romero]

I actually have an @sshole!! So I take offense if people call me that. :mellow:

 

[Mr Sunshine]

It wasn't my intention to heat things up nor to insult a certain group of people by creating this thread. If some of my terms sound derogatory it's because by default I had to describe a situation in which I feared I might be racist.

Yes it's racist. @sshole is a perfectly good, well-rounded insult. So why you feel the need to resort to such awful remarks, I have no idea. But I suggest you stop. Especially calling someone black an ape. That's mega awful.

I actually never called a black person an ape. My problem was with an overweight girl, which I didn't even call her names because I'm usually a little baby and eat in the face whatever people say to me. I thought those slurs about heavy animals in my head instead which i guess it's the same. I just assumed calling a black person an ape would be the equivalent of my situation. I believe it is the same. People should be feeling equally guilty, because people are offended by different things.

I have no idea why these remarks came to my mind either. I can tell you a close friend of mine in school was over-weight. My grand-father was overweight and I can assure you I loved him, yet I thought horrible things about that girl. It's SO contradicting..


Anyway, after reading some responses here I believe I made up my mind. I usually am forgiving in regular or even worse crimes, but when it comes to trivial matters such as personal relatioships I think "an eye for an eye" works better. i mean if you don't get along with someone, no need to try to be compassionate. There are plenty other fish in the sea.

People keep preaching about how we shouldn't discriminate black from white, fat from slim people but rarely anyone talks about people who suffer from social anxiety disorder. like I said everyone is offended by different things. My red line is my sociality. If someone doesn't respect this aspect of myself, I'll gladly treat him the same way - Insult him where I assume he hurts the most. I have respect towards all groups of people who don't harm each other, but to the person who disrespects me, I have not. It is only personal.

It might be hurting my image, but I guess nobody is perfect.

 

[KennedyKiller]

This is long, so I bet half of you won't read it all the way, but here it goes...

Is it wrong to say using racial slurs DOESN'T make you a racist?
Racism - the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races
rac·ist
ˈrāsist/
noun

1. 1.
   a person who believes that a particular race is superior to another.
   synonyms:racial bigot, racialist, xenophobe, chauvinist, supremacist More
   
   

adjective

1. 1.
   having or showing the belief that a particular race is superior to another.
   "we are investigating complaints about racist abuse at the club"

Using racial slurs doesn't make you a racist, as long as you don't truly fell the way that slur implies about the entirety of the race. If one were to say "Niggers are beneath Mexicans, because Mexicans at least work for what they've got, even if they're stealing those jobs from LEGAL immigrants." THAT Statement is racist. But is someone were to say, "Asians have slit eyes" that is NOT a racist comment. However, (And I'm not sure how it works in Europe where a lot of you are from) in America, the latter would be taken as a racist comment, and can cause HUGE problems. Even though it is a fact, not a racist remark. Is racism wrong? Most definitely. We are all equal when it comes to race...Sex...religion. Everything. What makes people different are their ACTIONS.

So hypothetical situation time.

A rich white male calls a group of black men who are selling drugs in an alleyway "a bunch of niggers," but then turns around and donates $10,000 to a charity for event for the NAACP (Nation Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Is this man a racist? Answer as you see fit, but I say no, because the derogatory remark he used was to describe the actions and characteristics of the group of men who HAPPENED to be black. Not because they WERE black. Those same black men, in the good 'ol country of America could actually sue said man for using such a remark, and win because he simply said the work to them. Is that right? I say no. Is the word wrong to use. Definitely. But is it ok to sell drugs in an alleyway? And cases like this happen all the TIME in America. It's sickening.

I have a friend named Roger. BIG Black guy. And he's a DIE HARD Republican. Now for those of you who don't live in America, more than 80% of blacks are Democrats, so he's something of a rarity. Now, this man is also a college professor with 2 masters degrees. When Barack Obama ran for president, Roger voted for him. When I asked him why he plainly said "Because he's black." Now Obama was president for 4 years. When his time for re-election came up, Roger saw how badly Obama had effed things up, and he DAMN well didn't for him again. Moral of the story, don't pick your battles and beliefs based on race. Pick them based on situations, morals, and what you truly believe to be right. Despite your own personal prejudices.

 

[Meg]

Classy... What's so classy about an insult? The point of an insult is to be offensive, rude, and demeaning. I find it quite arrogant for one to think there to be a "proper" way to insult someone like if they're any better for doing so.

Right because anyone who thinks "butt-muffin-face-maker" is a classy insult is being totally serious. :tongue:Irony can be hard to detect in writing, but context clues help quite a bit. Or you could just ask if I'm being serious or not.