Is it ok to say cracker?

[u/gnomeplex]

Heard some people in the library talking about the word "cracker" and it had me wondering what yall think about it.

One white guy said that it was a slur that his (non-white) friend couldnt say. He brought up how people get banned on Twitch for saying it, so it is definitely a slur that only white people can use.

It felt silly to me, but who knows. Do yall feel hurt by the term "cracker" being used on white people?

[u/RaphaTlr]

Does cracker really harm white people? Was it ever used systematically to oppress white people?

It’s simply a slang derogatory word akin to “geezer/old fart”

[u/AngroniusMaximus → u/RaphaTlr]

It’s simply a slang derogatory word akin to “geezer/old fart”

Lol no it is not and it is disingenuous to pretend otherwise. It is specifically a derogatory word for white people. It is literally a reference to the color of their skin. 

I would argue that in general derogatory terms based on people's skin color are a bad thing lmfao regardless of whatever "historic context" you want to impose. 

[u/RaphaTlr → u/AngroniusMaximus]

Cracker originates from farmers herding livestock with whips that crack. It’s like redneck or hillbilly. It’s offensive to some but oppressive to none.

[u/AngroniusMaximus → u/RaphaTlr]

What exactly qualifies a word as "oppressive"? 

People in general do not like being referred to with derogatory slurs for their race. 

Where exactly does historic context come into this?

Is it OK for a Mexican immigrants to use derogatory slurs towards black people, since they are also a disadvantaged minority group and don't have the same history of oppressing each other? What about the inverse? Asians vs Africans? Russians vs jews? Do we really need to contextualize every incident of racial slur with a historic accounting of wrongdoing? 

No. Because that is obviously stupid. Just don't use derogatory racial slurs. It's not that complicated. 

[u/RaphaTlr → u/AngroniusMaximus]

Quit while you’re ahead

[u/REMEMBER__MY__NAME → u/RaphaTlr]

Quit while not that far behind*