Hack Chris Matthews Refers to "Crackers"

[Torie]

Do those who think the use of the term "crackers" in the public square is OK because whites have power (do crackers have power?), similarly think the use of term "honkies" is OK too?  Is there any limit here, or is it open hunting season when it comes to whites?  Just asking.

The subgroup thing may have some relevance. (I am trying to think of some putdown for a minority subgroup to flesh this out in my mind but am failing at the moment.)  Is "rednecks" equally offensive?

[opebo]

Do those who think the use of the term "crackers" in the public square is OK because whites have power (do crackers have power?), similarly think the use of term "honkies" is OK too?  Is there any limit here, or is it open hunting season when it comes to whites?  Just asking.

The subgroup thing may have some relevance. (I am trying to think of some putdown for a minority subgroup to flesh this out in my mind but am failing at the moment.)  Is "rednecks" equally offensive?

I think 'Honky' applies to both poor and rich whites - it mainly refers to their unpleasant speech and by inference their 'uncoolness' - and thus it cannot hold any offense.  Redneck, like Cracker and 'White Trash' holds a fair degree of offense due to the real economic oppression of many members of these groups (particularly white trash), but obviously the offense is minute compared to terms which refer to racial oppression.

[Fuzzybigfoot]

The n-word is seen as more offensive because black people often accociated it with beatings, lytnchings, and bombings of churches.... duuuuurrrrr.

Crackers?  Please. 

[Zarn]

I'm an 's' word, not a 'c' word or an 'n' word. I find differentiating people by ethnicity to be a problem causer. Every ethnicity has been discriminated in some form or another. Every ethnicity was seen as inferior by another one. Let's not pretend there is a controlling group.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Do those who think the use of the term "crackers" in the public square is OK because whites have power (do crackers have power?), similarly think the use of term "honkies" is OK too?  Is there any limit here, or is it open hunting season when it comes to whites?  Just asking.

The subgroup thing may have some relevance. (I am trying to think of some putdown for a minority subgroup to flesh this out in my mind but am failing at the moment.)  Is "rednecks" equally offensive?

Anything that's a class based epithet is definitely off limits. "White trash", "rednecks", "hicks", "hillbillies" etc. Those are definitely offensive. That could be because they aren't slurs used by one group exclusively (when have you ever heard a white man use the word honkie?) and are mostly used by wealthier whites to insult other whites of lesser means.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Is anybody actually offended by being called a cracker or a honkie? Has anybody ever been offended by being called a cracker or a honkie other than 'the blacks, Jews, gays, and Mexicans are keeping us down!' lunatics?

[Holmes]

Is anybody actually offended by being called a cracker or a honkie? Has anybody ever been offended by being called a cracker or a honkie other than 'the blacks, Jews, gays, and Mexicans are keeping us down!' lunatics?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4f9zR5yzY&feature=player_detailpage#t=129s

[Zarn]

Is anybody actually offended by being called a cracker or a honkie? Has anybody ever been offended by being called a cracker or a honkie other than 'the blacks, Jews, gays, and Mexicans are keeping us down!' lunatics?

Yes, I know people who are.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Is anybody actually offended by being called a cracker or a honkie? Has anybody ever been offended by being called a cracker or a honkie other than 'the blacks, Jews, gays, and Mexicans are keeping us down!' lunatics?

Yes, I know people who are.

Really? Huh. I've never met any (well, I've met one or two, but as I said, lunatics. I imagine these people would tend to be fairly conservative, but the only ones I've met have been blatantly out of their minds, Alex Jones-style types, it's not just an ad hominem).

[Zarn]

Is anybody actually offended by being called a cracker or a honkie? Has anybody ever been offended by being called a cracker or a honkie other than 'the blacks, Jews, gays, and Mexicans are keeping us down!' lunatics?

Yes, I know people who are.

Really? Huh. I've never met any (well, I've met one or two, but as I said, lunatics. I imagine these people would tend to be fairly conservative, but the only ones I've met have been blatantly out of their minds, Alex Jones-style types, it's not just an ad hominem).

I met a mixture, no real crazies though. This is NJ...

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Is anybody actually offended by being called a cracker or a honkie? Has anybody ever been offended by being called a cracker or a honkie other than 'the blacks, Jews, gays, and Mexicans are keeping us down!' lunatics?

Yes, I know people who are.

Really? Huh. I've never met any (well, I've met one or two, but as I said, lunatics. I imagine these people would tend to be fairly conservative, but the only ones I've met have been blatantly out of their minds, Alex Jones-style types, it's not just an ad hominem).

I met a mixture, no real crazies though. This is NJ...

I've found far-right crazies in Amherst and Northampton, Massachusetts. Maybe my luck is just completely bizarre.

[Mechaman]

Not to sound like I'm agreeing with the PC lobby here at all but: Ladaf***in' doo.

If people are going to freak out about some mad mick on a major news network calling a bunch of brain damaged idiot stupid extremely dumb ridiculously mentally challenged birthtards "crackers" then that says a lot about where their priorities are when it comes to political debate.

Don't get me wrong: I despise the Political Correctness Movement that is taking over every facet of public life.  However, what I despise, possibly even more, is when a bunch of dunderheads (whether it be online or on tv) bring up pointless and meaningless talking points about how calling somebody a "cracker" is more offensive than it is hilarious.  Considering the extreme lack of sanity, rationality, intelligence, hygiene, motor function, toilet training, etc. etc. etc. these so-called "Birthers" (and why the hell do they embrace such a label anyway?  "Birther" sounds like somebody who gets sexual highs out of being "birthed" out of a paper mache cocoon) have they could be (and should be) called a lot worse than the weakass "cracker".

[/rant over]

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Folks, did you know this dude proudly refereed to himself as well as his supporters, as "crackers"?

[J. J.]

The n-word is seen as more offensive because black people often accociated it with beatings, lytnchings, and bombings of churches.... duuuuurrrrr.

Not to mention foreplay.   I think it depends on context.

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I think it was inappropriate to use, in that context, but not really a racial slur.  It was similar to Lamborn's comments, perhaps a bit worse because he was referring to people, but more stupid than racist.

[The Mikado]

I don't get why I'm expected to defend Chris Matthews on this or anything else?  It was a stupid statement from a pompous, obnoxious windbag.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

It was a dumb comment, and made his overall argument severely less effective, but birthers are morons to begin with.