What's worse, n-word or cracker?

[justalurkr]

Orlando Jones had a tumblr post commenting on a CNN story/"commentary" on this question.

Answer 1: Is there anyone left who doesn't know what "n-word" refers to? And when I say "c-word," do you immediately go to "cracker?" I'm pretty sure the ones you can't spell all the way are worse than the ones you can.

Answer 2: "Cracker" is like throwing rocks at a tank. "N-word" is like the tank running over the rock thrower.

Comments

[nialla]

I first recall hearing "cracker" used in the late 70s on TV, and it definitely didn't have the same baggage as the n-word for this white kid. I bristled when my older relatives used the n-word or the older term of negro, which with a certain dialect, sounds more like "neegra" which makes it sound more like the n-word.

I honestly don't think most white people even know what "cracker" means, other than it's an insult by black people towards white people. Some might be upset when it's said, but it's more about the context of the situation in which it's said than the actual word.

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

OMG my grandmothers did that, too. The "neegra" thing, I mean. And usually with that "you know what I really mean, right?" smirk.

I never heard the word "cracker" until 1989, when I moved to Florida where it's apparently a thing. I do remember when a friend of the appropriate religious upbringing told me my Yiddish pronunciation was "not bad, for a shiksa," and her mother took her to task harshly for calling a friend that.

(a) I had no idea what "shiksa" was.
(b) When explained, I had my first conscious white privilege moment when I realized I wasn't offended but amused.

The mom and I both probably overreacted, in hindsight. My friend meant it about as seriously as yours did with the SNAFU.

[nialla]

Most of the people I've heard use negro/"neegra" are of the generation when that was considered the polite way to say it. They just never adapted. I even knew an older black woman who would say it that way too because she was of the same generation.

I've also seen some interesting language evolution in the library's catalog. There's probably still a few history books with subject having Negro in it, or Afro-American, Black American, etc. They're part of the books I'm working on redoing the cataloging because they were done horribly when they first computerized, but I've been working on it off and on for years.

I was in high school before I realized other people weren't using some of the words I did. My mother's family used a lot of Yiddish and German words that aren't technically unusual in English usage, but damn sure were in a small Texas town in the 80s.

People might have looked at me strangely before high school, but no one ever questioned me until then. They probably thought I was making up words, which wasn't helped by that part of my family also making up words, generally fake cuss words, like my all-time favorite, bulshevik. That one goes back to at least my great-grandmother, and it was hysterical to hear her or my grandmother use it. Something about their accents added to the effect. I didn't use it at school though, because it sounded a little too much like the real thing and could've got me in trouble with a teacher.

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

My mom's not-so-made-up swear was "tuffsky shitsky." Cold Warriors, one and all. :D

[nialla]

I need to sit down one of these days and write up the "family language". It's not used as much since my grandmother died, but I don't want it completely forgotten. It's difficult though, because while they'll pop out of my mouth without me thinking about it, when I try to come up with examples, I go blank.

When I did the 23 and Me DNA test (which mostly traces through mDNA), I was halfway expecting there to be markers associated with Jewish populations, considering how much Yiddish we have in the family language. That didn't show up, but French/German (which is lumped together) did, plus lots and lots of English and Irish, with a soupçon of Scandinavian (probably due to Vikings in Britain).

I wish I could talk my parents into taking the test. Especially my father, so I could get the paternal DNA line. My only other option is to get one of my cousins to do it, and it would follow their maternal line, which is my paternal one.

[captain-tiv.livejournal.com]

Speaking as someone who grew up in the South and still lives here, 'cracker' usually makes people laugh because it's not even an insult anymore. It may have been some years ago, but today? A cracker is something you eat with soup.

Although there are some occasions where some people will use the word, but it still usually gets a giggle.

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

I'm with Orlando Jones on this for sure: with all that's going down, this was a serious conversation for CNN? I guess 24 hours is a lot to fill.

[captain-tiv.livejournal.com]

I think you need fluff as well as the hard stuff, but this is giving me a giggle. :)