Michael "Kramer" Richards - a racist?

[Masterj]

I hope no one thought I was criticizing about what tv shows people watch. I was just surprised by Nova's friend b/c if I was dating someone or had a friend who was on tv or in a movie, I would definitely watch it at least once. Also, I feel like Seinfeld (and Friends for that matter) are on a million times a day.

In regard to movies, I am not one to talk. The list of movies I have not seen drive my boyfriend and friends nuts. Lets just say that all the Godfather's are on that list.

 

[2sisters]

I hope no one thought I was criticizing about what tv shows people watch. I was just surprised by Nova's friend b/c if I was dating someone or had a friend who was on tv or in a movie, I would definitely watch it at least once. Also, I feel like Seinfeld (and Friends for that matter) are on a million times a day.

In regard to movies, I am not one to talk. The list of movies I have not seen drive my boyfriend and friends nuts. Lets just say that all the Godfather's are on that list.

Oh, no not at all (i didn't take it that way)! I just saw what you all were talking about and wanted to throw mine tidbit in. I haven't seen any Star Wars movies.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Well, I've never seen Friends OR Melrose Place--so there!

 

[Marthatex]

I never have either.

I did love Seinfeld, and recently saw him live for the second time.

I have the boxed DVD set; I love his "Show About Nothing", as well as Elaine dancing, the parents coming to visit; it's all funny to me.

 

[LinasK]

:hand: Mel Gibson now says he sympathizes with Michael Richards, well, duh!:doh: You're both racist anti-semitic jerks!:razz:

 

[NaNaRosebud]

Pretty soon no one will be able to say a THING to or about anyone without the PC police coming to arrest them. It's a shame that free speech is gone in our counrty that was founded on free speech!!!

 

[Marthatex]

:hand: Mel Gibson now says he sympathizes with Michael Richards, well, duh!:doh: You're both racist anti-semitic jerks!:razz:

Mel Gibson showed his true colors again, didn't he? Nothing about "I learned my lesson, I do feel for Michael at this time"...

Only bizarre comments about being persecuted and obviously feeling bitter about it. If he's doing an AA program, it's nothing I"ve heard of, because that definitely involves making "amends" to those you have harmed.

I guess he did a "quickie".

 

[Marthatex]

Pretty soon no one will be able to say a THING to or about anyone without the PC police coming to arrest them. It's a shame that free speech is gone in our counrty that was founded on free speech!!!

We don't have total free speech in this country; there are definite limitations.

And "hate speech" is another matter entirely; people pay the consequences of that one way or another.

 

[2sisters]

We don't have total free speech in this country; there are definite limitations.

And "hate speech" is another matter entirely; people pay the consequences of that one way or another.

You are right. We say free speech but common decency and manners will tell you otherwise. Even if you don't like blacks, catholics, indians, religious folks whatever even ,if you think someone is fat and ugly you just don't come out and say it.

 

[Marthatex]

You are right. We say free speech but common decency and manners will tell you otherwise. Even if you don't like blacks, catholics, indians, religious folks whatever even ,if you think someone is fat and ugly you just don't come out and say it.

Amen. People in the "public eye" unfortunately have to be especially careful.

And if I want to say something to my friends, it's different from saying it in a public arena.

Oops, Like Websleuths! I'd better be careful!!!!! (that's why we have the PP)

 

[fundiva]

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!

As a white person, I find the term cracker just as offensive as to a black person, especially in conjunction with f-ing and motherf-r. I find it totally hypocritical that a black person can use as a "term of endearment" to another black, but no white person had better call them that. In Michael Richards case, I would have been offended when they were calling him a f-ing cracker motherf-r. I think I would have lost it too. This is not just a simple case of minor heckling. The black men were out of line by starting the whole event. I don't agree that Richards ongoing tirade was appropriate. I think the security at the club should have removed the "guests" that were using such language in the first place before things got out of hand. As for Gloria Alred wanting money damages - no one saw the heckler's faces or knew who they were until she paraded them before the public at press conferences. If they didn't want negative press or to be damaged, they should have stayed incognito. Frankly, they just want their 15 minutes of fame. Why else would they come forward and admit they were the ones calling white people derogatory names and using extreme profanity. Richards has to apologize for his profanity and behavior, but they get to flaunt their behavior. Sad.

 

[Nova]

Was it reported that MR was called a "cracker"? I thought we were just discussing the term.

As for "cracker" being "as offensive" as "," that's ridiculous. But after black people keep white slaves for 400 years, we should definitely look at the words again.

Anyone who can figure out how to post here should also be able to understand that words have different meanings in different contexts. Calling an NFL tight end "Butterfingers" is highly insulting. Calling a poet the same thing? Not so much.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

"But after black people kept white slaves for 400 years"--lol--I think you got that backwards----but I agree there is no comparison to the n word and cracker---much more offensive for whites to use N word against blacks, not the least is because so many blacks were lynched in the Old South--number was in the thousands

 

[Nova]

"But after black people kept white slaves for 400 years"--lol--I think you got that backwards----but I agree there is no comparison to the n word and cracker---much more offensive for whites to use N word against blacks, not the least is because so many blacks were lynched in the Old South--number was in the thousands

I was being ironic, Peter. My point was that when whites have been treated as blacks were, then we can talk about whether the epithets are equivalent.

 

[dark_shadows]

Just a general post;

We are of one race,the Human race.

No one should be distingushed by race.I see applications where you have to check off a box asking what race you are.What is the purpose of checking off a box asking what race you are?What if it a racist reviewing that answer determines whether or not you get a job,housing,credit,ect.,that you are seeking?

No one is born from the womb a racist.Somehow,somewhere,the seed was planted in their mind for a person to conform to be a racist.
Respectfully,
dark_shadows

 

[Paladin]

But after black people keep white slaves for 400 years, we should definitely look at the words again.

I don't understand your logic here. "Black people" using the word "cracker" is most definitely intended to harm/upset its target the same way "" is. While "" certainly has more of a history to it, I find "cracker" to be equally offensive based on its intent, and anyone who uses it but doesn't like being called the other word is a racist hypocrite.

 

[2sisters]

I don't understand your logic here. "Black people" using the word "cracker" is most definitely intended to harm/upset its target the same way "" is. While "" certainly has more of a history to it, I find "cracker" to be equally offensive based on its intent, and anyone who uses it but doesn't like being called the other word is a racist hypocrite.

i always thought growing up that "cracker" was a white word to describe "white trash" i had heard it describing less than desirable white folks and had heard trailers called "cracker boxes". that was up north. I had only hear black people use it in the south. I personally am not offended by it only b/c people who use the racial slurs are usually idiots and I could care less what an idiot thinks of me or my race, but it is seen as derogatory to most so if blacks don't want white to call then n****r then they shouldn't call white crackers. Just like Jews shouldn't be called kikes, or asians called slant eyes, etc.

 

[Nova]

I see applications where you have to check off a box asking what race you are.What is the purpose of checking off a box asking what race you are?What if it a racist reviewing that answer determines whether or not you get a job,housing,credit,ect.,that you are seeking?

DS, I'm not sure which applications you mean, but, generally, applicants are asked for race because (a) somebody (usually the government) is tracking such statistics to measure fairness, or (b) the entity receiving the application offers some sort of preference system.

While we'll all agree that color-blindness is the goal, merely declaring "that's how it should be" doesn't do anything to solve historical inequity.

 

[Nova]

I don't understand your logic here. "Black people" using the word "cracker" is most definitely intended to harm/upset its target the same way "" is. While "" certainly has more of a history to it, I find "cracker" to be equally offensive based on its intent, and anyone who uses it but doesn't like being called the other word is a racist hypocrite.

White people were never enslaved by blacks.
White people were never lynched by blacks because of the color of their skin.
White people were never prohibited from learning, voting, eating, drinking, etc., because of the color of their skin.

In the context of our society and our history, there is simply no equivalent between the two words.

Even your assumption that the "intent" is the same in either case is superficial. In our society and because of our history, the word "" carries connotations of violence that simply don't attach to the word "cracker."

(That's not to say either word is polite.)

 

[Nova]

i always thought growing up that "cracker" was a white word to describe "white trash" i had heard it describing less than desirable white folks and had heard trailers called "cracker boxes". that was up north. I had only hear black people use it in the south. I personally am not offended by it only b/c people who use the racial slurs are usually idiots and I could care less what an idiot thinks of me or my race, but it is seen as derogatory to most so if blacks don't want white to call then n****r then they shouldn't call white crackers. Just like Jews shouldn't be called kikes, or asians called slant eyes, etc.

2, despite my insistence that "cracker" and "" aren't really equivalent, I agree with every word in your post. It was never my intent to argue that it's okay for black people to call white people "crackers."