Racist or not?...you make the call.

[diebitter]

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I wonder if people would have the same repsonse if your example used the word "gypped."

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it just occurred to me that this was a slur against the gypsies. and i've used it for how long? holy [censored]

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Don't even mention blackballed.

[JaBlue]

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I wonder if people would have the same repsonse if your example used the word "gypped."

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Gypped as in gypsie? I never knew that's where that word came from, I guess I assumed it was spelled jipped.

I was thinking that this is so commonly in use it isn't racist, but then I realized that's a stupid thing to think and it is racist.

[roundest]

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I wonder if people would have the same repsonse if your example used the word "gypped."

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it just occurred to me that this was a slur against the gypsies. and i've used it for how long? holy [censored]

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Don't even mention blackballed.

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The word blackball has absolutely nothing to do with race.

[SackUp]

Of course it is racist. Anything that singles out a group and uses a stereoype will be racist.

However, the more pertinent question in my mind is whether it is offensive or at least in context does it matter?

I've used this phrase before and laugh my butt off when they makes jokes about this on south park. Do I think jews are tight with money and try to rip people off? No. In fact most of the jews I know are very giving and charitable. And if asked why I laugh at the jokes I'm not really sure.

Maybe it has to do with social grooming or maybe I find the sterotypes as ironic or maybe they are just fun to joke around with b/c in my mind they don't really matter. To me calling someone jewish b/c they are tight with money just translates in my mind that someone is tight with money. Not that all jewish people are tight with money. Using the word jew in this context is associated with being tight with money but has really no association with being jewish. I don't know if that will make sense to everyone, but for me there can be clear distinctions made.

Regardless of the context, the comments are still racists and do indeed promote stereotypes and racism. However, I do find a lot of jokes funny and think that context really matters.

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I find that like the term "nigger-rig"

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What does this term mean?

[diebitter]

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I wonder if people would have the same repsonse if your example used the word "gypped."

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it just occurred to me that this was a slur against the gypsies. and i've used it for how long? holy [censored]

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Don't even mention blackballed.

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The word blackball has absolutely nothing to do with race.

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No sh1t Sherlock. How about 'humourless'?

[Duke]

After a certain point a term loses all of the racially motivated meaning. I doubt anyone in the last 30 years has said "jew you down" while thinking: "I hate jews because enough of them are fiscally responsible so as to warrant stereotyping."

EDIT: ok I misused the quick reply thing. This should be in response to the first post in this thread.

~D

[SackUp]

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I find that like the term "nigger-rig"

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What does this term mean?

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I've also heard the term be used as the less offensive "jerry rig"

It basically means that you fix or make something using spare or random parts. For example. Say your car broke a belt. Well instead of getting a new belt you decide to tie together some socks, wire, and glue to make a new belt. It is much like being McGuyver.

[SackUp]

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After a certain point a term loses all of the racially motivated meaning. I doubt anyone in the last 30 years has said "jew you down" while thinking: "I hate jews because enough of them are fiscally responsible so as to warrant stereotyping."

EDIT: ok I misused the quick reply thing. This should be in response to the first post in this thread.

~D

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this was exactly my point. many phrases are now just terms of art and have nothing to do with their original stereotypic meaning.

[Duke]

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I wonder if people would have the same repsonse if your example used the word "gypped."

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it just occurred to me that this was a slur against the gypsies. and i've used it for how long? holy [censored]

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't even mention blackballed.

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The word blackball has absolutely nothing to do with race.

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No sh1t Sherlock. How about 'humourless'?

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When do we get to talk about anti-asian sentiment in math classes? Why do they have to call it a "slope" instead of just an "m" (in y=mx+b)? I think it has to do with asians being stereotypically good at math.

~D