Michael "Kramer" Richards - a racist?

[BhamMama]

My calling my friend a "redneck" because he prefers Chicken-fried steak to Shrimp Florentine is simply facetious.

Rofl! Reckon I'm a redneck too!

Many years ago the Bellamy Brothers had a song called Redneck Girl. I so identified with that song lol.

 

[Dalilah]

As I understand it, "cracker" is a term used for white people which originated during slavery. Apparently, some slaves referred to their masters as "cracker" if he were known to crack the whip.

 

[Nova]

Rofl! Reckon I'm a redneck too!

Many years ago the Bellamy Brothers had a song called Redneck Girl. I so identified with that song lol.

You caught me! I like chicken-fried steak better, too. Unfortunately, the boys are making Shrimp Florentine for Thanksgiving Dinner. But you know how the gays can be...

 

[Nova]

As I understand it, "cracker" is a term used for white people which originated during slavery. Apparently, some slaves referred to their masters as "cracker" if he were known to crack the whip.

Dalilah, I have seen that account from several sources. I have no way of knowing for sure, but my gut instinct is that that account is one of those that rise up years after the fact. Most slang words travel a more circuitous path of less literal meanings.

But as I say, that's just my hunch. I have no evidence that your account is wrong.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Edited
Everybody’s racist (as well as sexist, homophobic, ageist, etc, etc) to a certain degree. There’s no way to get to rid of it because we, unfortunately, are a xenophobic society. We all have preconceived notions about people and we know, in the darkest regions of our mind, we think racist thoughts once in awhile. If you don’t own your own inner racism and constantly question these thoughts and strive to learn more about other people, you’ll never learn anything and outward racism will persist.

Please do not attempt to speak for me or about me.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

yes, the term "cracker' today is used by blacks as an insult against whites, who "cracked" the whip during slavery days a la Simon Legree--But most slave-owners back then never did such a thing--the act ofwhipping was extremely rare--but of course this fact doesn't lesson the inhumanity of slavery in the Old South--but black slavery pre-dates the USA, as they recently discovered black skeletons among the Aztecs in Mexico dating back to 1540--Spain not only was the first to enslave blacks, they enslaved the Aztecs in Mexico and the Incas in Peru,destroying both civilizations--Spain worked thousands of them to death,forcing them to work in mines--Japanese did the same thing to white US and British soldiers during WW !!--thousands died--and the Nazis forced 7 million to work as slave-laborers--Man's inhumanity to man has a long and sorry history

 

[GonzoReiter]

I completely agree with you (and have implied as much pages ago), Gonzo. I'd even go further and say we are a xenophobic species.

But there's "racist" in the sense you mean, and there's "racist" in the sense most posters have used it in this thread, meaning a person so consumed with racism that he is filled with hatred of a group and advocates mistreatment of its members.

I don't agree that Richards' outburst, as the context has been explained to me, is ipso facto proof that Richards is the latter. (This is not to deny he made a stupid performance choice, as subsequent events have shown.)

As for his apology, I'm sure he has been advised strongly to act contrite and get "help," so that he can later be "redeemed" in the public eye. No point in trying to explain the nuances of satire and onstage improvisation (as this thread clearly demonstrates).

Thanks for the reasonable (and reasoned response).

The New York Post has additional information about Mr. Richards today. I'm sure we'll read and hear more about his past and future as long as this story has legs or until the next white girl comes up missing.

 

[Nova]

yes, the term "cracker' today is used by blacks as an insult against whites, who "cracked" the whip during slavery days a la Simon Legree--But most slave-owners back then never did such a thing--the act ofwhipping was extremely rare--but of course this fact doesn't lesson the inhumanity of slavery in the Old South--but black slavery pre-dates the USA, as they recently discovered black skeletons among the Aztecs in Mexico dating back to 1540--Spain not only was the first to enslave blacks, they enslaved the Aztecs in Mexico and the Incas in Peru,destroying both civilizations--Spain worked thousands of them to death,forcing them to work in mines--Japanese did the same thing to white US and British soldiers during WW !!--thousands died--and the Nazis forced 7 million to work as slave-laborers--Man's inhumanity to man has a long and sorry history

Indeed, except Spain couldn't have been the first to enslave blacks. There was slavery in Africa before Europeans arrived (which in no way excuses the latter).

 

[SieSie]

It was almost surreal how the audience was laughing at first. Richards actually did pretty good, except for rambling on about Katrina and then getting a bit tongue tied towards the end. But heck, if he offered up a smooth, polished statement, people would lash out at him even more.

Anyhow, did you notice that Letterman's hair seems to have grown back, but Kramer has lost his.

I think the audience thought it was a skit or something - they're so used to "Kramer" and Michael Richards equaling comedy, that they must've thought it was a spoof on the Mel Gibson thing or something - that's the only thing I can think of that would explain why the audience would've laughed during his apology. I must admit, I was baffled by the audience reaction, too. :waitasec:

I just watched the apology on the Letterman show from that youtube link, and I think more than ever after watching that, Richards is bewildered by his own actions. I really think this guy needs some therapy to figure out what happened when he melted down. It's almost like he had some weird sort of "out of body experience" where he was not in control of what was coming out of his mouth. He seems truly confused and ashamed of himself. Get some serious therapy, dude!

I'm hoping that he does get some therapy and gets help with his race issues, as well as his anger problem. I felt that he was sincere in his apology and that he realizes he has "personal things" to work on, as he said on Letterman.

 

[reportertype]

I hear cracker used all the time in the part of Fla where I live. Cracker-style buildings, people called crackers, which was explained to me simply as someone who was born and raised in Florida. By this definition, I have met two of these crackers. When I was in Texas, I only heard it to mean white trash, redneck, etc. This is interesting because I've never given it much thought, other than it doesn't compare to the n-word, because as someone pointed out earlier, the history and context aren't the same. By which I mean I don't find it nearly as offensive.

Gonzo, you are hilarious. If you're not writing books, you oughta be. Strom Thurmond fairydust....that's a great first title, IMO!

 

[Tricia]

The emphasis in your quote is mine. You nailed it right on the head. This is exactly what I am trying to say. On rare occassions when I lose it, I've been known to drop the F Bomb, I've said things like.. I hate you!... or.... You're such an *advertiser censored**hole..... Those are my bag of weapons words that I've regretfully used.

These are horrible things to say... but I can't even IMAGINE using the N word, no matter how angry I am with someone. It's not IN my 'bag of weapons'.

EXACTLY. The "N" word is not in my brain as a weapon to use in the case of extreme anger. Almost everything else is..Almost

Richards must use the "N" word a lot in his real life. That's why it was so easy for him to blurt it out in anger. He wasn't drunk, at least he isn't claiming he was drunk...yet.

The "N" word just flat out has to be a big part of this guy's vocabulary. That's the only thing that makes sense.

He is one wound up, frizzed out, freak I'll tell ya.

 

[Tricia]

Words are, indeed, very powerful.

Yes indeed.

Here is my stab at explaining why whites can't use the "N" word and blacks can.

When white people say the N word it comes across as a form of oppression. It's what the slave owners used to described the human beings that they owned and treated worse than their farm animals.

If a white person uses the "N" word I feel it comes across as something so powerfully demeaning that it can't be described only because of the past usage of the word.

However, the "N" word didn't have and to this day does not have, the same connotation and power when it is said to a black person by another black person. Black people didn't go to Africa and break up families to so they could own them and call them the "N" word.

Ok, I have no idea if I am making any sense. If not, my apologies.

 

[Tricia]

OMG..I am killing a thread again aren't I?

Ok, back in my cave.

 

[Dark Knight]

OMG..I am killing a thread again aren't I?

Ok, back in my cave.

LOL! Way to go Tricia! :slap:

Happy Thanksgiving, by the way!

 

[NaNaRosebud]

It was black slave traders in Africa who sold their brethen black people to the white slave traders who were buying them so long ago, then reselling them in America.

 

[BhamMama]

You caught me! I like chicken-fried steak better, too. Unfortunately, the boys are making Shrimp Florentine for Thanksgiving Dinner. But you know how the gays can be...

lol. Well you tell the boys they can come cook for me! I'll give up chicken fried anything for a meal I don't have to cook myself. Heck, I have a legion of kids, I wouldn't even have to do clean up. Sounds win/win to me!

 

[southcitymom]

EXACTLY. The "N" word is not in my brain as a weapon to use in the case of extreme anger. Almost everything else is..Almost

Richards must use the "N" word a lot in his real life. That's why it was so easy for him to blurt it out in anger. He wasn't drunk, at least he isn't claiming he was drunk...yet.

The "N" word just flat out has to be a big part of this guy's vocabulary. That's the only thing that makes sense.

He is one wound up, frizzed out, freak I'll tell ya.

I highly disagree. I don't think it stands to reason at all.

I've used the c*nt word 2 times in 40 years. As such, it's not a big part of my vocabulary. Yet both times I used it, I was very angry at someone and trying to draw blood with the worst word I could come up with. Maybe that's what happened here.

 

[Nova]

EXACTLY. The "N" word is not in my brain as a weapon to use in the case of extreme anger. Almost everything else is..Almost

Richards must use the "N" word a lot in his real life. That's why it was so easy for him to blurt it out in anger. He wasn't drunk, at least he isn't claiming he was drunk...yet.

The "N" word just flat out has to be a big part of this guy's vocabulary. That's the only thing that makes sense.

He is one wound up, frizzed out, freak I'll tell ya.

Tricia, I made the same argument many pages back and pointed out that though I have had (verbally) vicious fights with African-American friends, the word "" never came into my head.

But if (for some insane reason) I decide to do an imitation of a racist, I'm sure I could summon the word (just as I can summon it here when we are discussing the word).

Michael Richards is a trained and skilled improviser. I am told he was responding to 20 minutes of anti-semitic heckling. I suspect his rant began as a sort of "Let's see how YOU like it..." and then he quickly overcomitted to his own bit. AND he admits he has anger issues, which no doubt further fueled his rant.

This is not to say Richards has no racist thoughts or feelings. As Gonzo pointed out above, we all do. And I'm sure Richards drew (as all good actors) do on some of his own feelings for his tirade. But I'm not sure we can conclude the words/ideas he expressed are ones he thinks reasonable or commonly expresses.

Maybe the moral is: don't do racist material - not even under provocation or in jest. Because once that bottle is opened...

 

[Nova]

lol. Well you tell the boys they can come cook for me! I'll give up chicken fried anything for a meal I don't have to cook myself. Heck, I have a legion of kids, I wouldn't even have to do clean up. Sounds win/win to me!

It was very good. And we held dinner for you as long as we could.

And then we all put on swim suits and enjoyed the spa. We like traditional Thanksgivings here in the Desert.

 

[windovervocalcords]

I highly disagree. I don't think it stands to reason at all.

I've used the c*nt word 2 times in 40 years. As such, it's not a big part of my vocabulary. Yet both times I used it, I was very angry at someone and trying to draw blood with the worst word I could come up with. Maybe that's what happened here.

I have never used the c word in my life. Yet, I have said very hurtful things when I've been angry and used language that is not a usual part of my vocabulary but was street talk when I was growing up.

I remember being a child and using terms I heard in the street before I knew what they meant and getting in very deep trouble over it at home.

I did not know they were slurs.

I am not excusing Richards at all. I am just saying that sometimes things get imprinted in memory before we have consciousness of their harm and can come back to haunt us in moments when we are not in our right minds.

I did not know Richards had 20 minutes of anti-semetic heckling prior to his blowup. Does seem it may have been part of the causes and conditions for him to lose it.