Even more Wankery that we find acceptable...

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

While I generally disagree with his politics I think Mr. Savage raises an excellent point.

Now consider this...

Bill Maher and NYT's David Carr the "Middle Places" and "Low-Sloping Foreheads".

I apologise for linking as I seem to be having trouble embedding the video.

Now I would assume that both men in the second video consider themselves to be reasonably intelligent and enlightened men. If accused of being racist or bigoted I would imagine that they would be properly offended.

Which is why I'm going to ask an uncomfortable question, why is it ok to disparage one socio-political/ethnic class as stupid, dangerous, useless, ect... but not another. Would his comments have been more or less offensive had he been talking about "Fags" "Twats" "Spics" "Wops" "Chinks" or *Gasp* "N*ggers"?

Discuss.

Comments

[prog-expat.livejournal.com]

The key difference is that "redneck" only ever applies to a white subculture. You don't call just any white person a redneck.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

You'd almost think it was intentional.

I remember telling you that I had a bunch Wanky shit that I had been refrianing from posting. ;)

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

Just wait, the next one is about gun control, sort of.

[prog-expat.livejournal.com]

Sounds like the word is undergoing a semantic shift in the South that I wasn't aware of. If that shift spreads nation-wide I can see how it would render nigger no more offensive than redneck.

However, that usage is not widespread yet and the general understanding when someone hears nigger is still "derogatory catch-all for black person", whereas redneck is "ignorant, poor, rural white person". Ganstas get made fun of with no more outrage than rednecks. Nigger falls into the same category as cracker, honky or round-eye.

[prog-expat.livejournal.com]

Well, sure, if we substitute honky it is the exact same thing, but this subthread got started by someone comparing redneck to nigger.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

[rasilio.livejournal.com]

Not really, this way of thinking has been prevalent in the South for several generations. At least since the late 60's.

[rasilio.livejournal.com]

"Joe, he's a good one. I like him. He's black and he hates niggers too."

I've encountered this exact line of reasoning when I used to live in Alabama and then later Atlanta.