Slurs you weren't aware were slurs

[PennyThompson]

I love that for you!

That one is tricky, because it can also be completely sincere... Tone of voice matters a lot!

 

[lovecraft68]

I never worry about this in my writing, and I'm never offended if people use slurs in their writing.

Writing should not be censored or held back due to the professionally offended.

Don't like it, don't read it, but don't tell others what they should read or write.

 

[cw5523729]

I never worry about this in my writing, and I'm never offended if people use slurs in their writing.

Writing should not be censored or held back due to the professionally offended.

Don't like it, don't read it, but don't tell others what they should read or write.

I'm offended by your post and your lack of offense. 1-star.

 

[old_prof]

Combining this with the research thread, in recent stories I've had to look up french slurs for homosexuals and for Tunisians. (By separate characters in separate novels.)

 

[AG31]

Again, context ....

Jeff Foxworthy made a career out of it.

Googled him. Getting a couple of books out of the library.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

If you had to look him up, you might be a redneck.

 

[AG31]

If you had to look him up, you might be a redneck.

Now I'm really confused.

 

[cw5523729]

Googled him. Getting a couple of books out of the library.

I'm sure you can find his stand up comedy routines on youtube. He had a TV show for a while as well.

 

[AG31]

I'm sure you can find his stand up comedy routines on youtube. He had a TV show for a while as well.

Yes, found a lot of DVDs at the library, but I don't like watching videos on anything but a TV or a movie theater screen.

 

[cw5523729]

Yes, found a lot of DVDs at the library, but I don't like watching videos on anything but a TV or a movie theater screen.

There isn't much to watch besides him standing there with a microphone. You really just need to listen to the jokes.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

If you think ustacould is a word, you might be a redneck.

Ustacould be able to say stuff more easily.

 

[AG31]

There isn't much to watch besides him standing there with a microphone. You really just need to listen to the jokes.

Well, now, that's an approach I hadn't thought of. So I tried it. I'm still LingOL after watching/listening to

Jeff Foxworthy's Ultimate Redneck Wedding Story.​

Is that OK? I'm a poster child for a "lefty." It's true my parents come from rural Missouri and rural Georgia, but I come from a Chicago suburb and an elite college and post graduate school, and have espoused left wing views my whole life. Even attended the occasional demonstration.

But I do yearn for opportunities to bridge political and cultural divides.

Why is it OK (is it OK?) for me to laugh and Foxworthy's jokes when I'm not part of his "family?"

 

[Writer61]

Bugger off is a polite way of saying FO.

Not that polite.

 

[RetroFan]

'Spastic' - once a commonly used medical term for people with cerebral palsy - is now considered highly offensive in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland, but I didn't realize that it isn't considered as offensive in America.

For example in the movie 'Hairspray' from 2007 one of the girls Penny refers to another girl Amber as a 'plastic little spastic'. I thought given the movie is set in 1962 that the term was included to show that it was fairly commonly used back then when there used to be 'schools for spastic children' and road signs warning drivers that there were 'spastic pedestrians' in the area, but apparently not.

 

[cw5523729]

Well, now, that's an approach I hadn't thought of. So I tried it. I'm still LingOL after watching/listening to

Jeff Foxworthy's Ultimate Redneck Wedding Story.​

Is that OK? I'm a poster child for a "lefty." It's true my parents come from rural Missouri and rural Georgia, but I come from a Chicago suburb and an elite college and post graduate school, and have espoused left wing views my whole life. Even attended the occasional demonstration.

I don't recall Jeff being very political in his humor in either direction

But I do yearn for opportunities to bridge political and cultural divides.

Why is it OK (is it OK?) for me to laugh and Foxworthy's jokes when I'm not part of his "family?"

It's ok for anyone to laugh at it. It's only ok for Jeff to tell the joke because he's a redneck.

That applies to any group at all. It's considered acceptable to joke about your gender, race, ethnicity, whatever, so long as you are a part of that group. Otherwise it's bigotry, racism, etc.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Bless your heart.

For added emphasis, Well, Bless your heart...

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

The only place I ever saw/heard that used was on 'Reba' and she did it with a sneaky little grin/sneer.

 

[cw5523729]

The only place I ever saw/heard that used was on 'Reba' and she did it with a sneaky little grin/sneer.

 

[Britva415]

If you think ustacould is a word, you might be a redneck.

Ustacould be able to say stuff more easily.

Funny, the community I know that from is basically a diametric opposite of the redneck-American community.

 

[THBGato]

retard

Two things:

1. My kids' school uses a Spanish registration system. If a child turns up late to a class the teacher is meant to mark them as 'retrasado'. Parents them get notified. Because I'm British the notifications come through to me in English... but the translation doesn't tell me my kids are late, but rather that they were 'retarded'!

2. Have you heard of the euphemism treadmill concept? Basically, we invent euphemisms for taboo concepts, but then those euphemisms start being used as insults and become taboo themselves. 'Retard', 'moron' and 'spastic' all started as medical terms that were turned into playground insults and thus became taboo. 'Autistic' is sadly the insult of choice at my kids' school...

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

There are all manner of uses for the word including 'to retard timing' in mechanics. The slur comes in from the phrase 'mentally retarded' which itself is no longer used.

 

[AG31]

I don't recall Jeff being very political in his humor in either direction

Right, but a thing these days is how the left and mainstream media make fun of the right. Foxworthy is making fun of people who some think are stereotypical right targets of this humor. I'm not sure the complaint is as true these days as it was when Johnny Carson routinely made jokes about "hillbillies."

It's ok for anyone to laugh at it. It's only ok for Jeff to tell the joke because he's a redneck.

Yeah, I suppose.

That applies to any group at all. It's considered acceptable to joke about your gender, race, ethnicity, whatever, so long as you are a part of that group. Otherwise it's bigotry, racism, etc.

It just may be that simple.

 

[WittyUserName]

Bugger off is a polite way of saying FO.

I have heard that one as well. I guess I thought the two were essentially the same. I'm glad I'm better informed now.

 

[Bazzle]

'Spastic' - once a commonly used medical term for people with cerebral palsy - is now considered highly offensive in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland, but I didn't realize that it isn't considered as offensive in America.

For example in the movie 'Hairspray' from 2007 one of the girls Penny refers to another girl Amber as a 'plastic little spastic'. I thought given the movie is set in 1962 that the term was included to show that it was fairly commonly used back then when there used to be 'schools for spastic children' and road signs warning drivers that there were 'spastic pedestrians' in the area, but apparently not.

The Spastic society complained if I remember.

it's a similar reason in management meetings you can't "brain storm" because that is a mental illness.

 

[Bazzle]

Not that polite.

Suggesting someone "Foxtrot Oscar" is another way.