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White Trash as a Racial Slur
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Post by
Squishalot
It is becoming more widespread in Australia, as our culture gets more Americanised. Particularly in, ironically enough, the "white trash" suburbia in which I live.
Don't you live up on the Central Coast? It's probably more likely to be a class-based slur, not a racial one.
You can't tell me that you've never walked through Cabramatta, Granville, Bankstown etc and never felt even the slightest bit uncomfortable.
I'm not white, and I still feel a bit uncomfortable. But that's primarily because I've seen some of the dodgy stuff go on in places like Cabra - we had a gang come in and start selling butchers cleavers to diners at a restaurant some years back - we were guessing that the restaurant's protection money was late. The way I feel isn't because of any racial bias against me, it's because of characteristics of the area. I'd feel uncomfortable walking around Kings Cross and Redfern as well. But psychologically, because the most prominent characteristic is the racial difference, a person's mind can trick oneself into perceiving a racial bias that doesn't actually exist. They may just hate you because you're rich. Or good looking. Or they like your shoes.
A lot of these towns were at least 50% Aboriginal, and while most of them were fine, there were certainly areas where I would be abused as soon as step onto the street.
I don't deny that discrimination exists, and you can understand where some of it comes from. But my point is, it's not acceptable to either side. The reason we give leeway to the Aboriginals is because we (as migrants) essentially exterminated them 200 years ago. But as far as I'm aware, they're the only minority group which gets special favours.
After the racial riots in Cronulla in 2005, the Australian flag, and clothing bearing the Australian flag, was banned from the Sydney Big Day Out. The reason? It was perceived that after the riots in Cronulla, any Muslim attendees may be intimidated by the sight of the flag, and that it may re-spark racial tensions.
Actually, it's less because that Muslims would be intimidated, and more because people would use it as a rallying sign for violence, in light of the racial riots. If they used any other symbol, I'm sure that symbol would have been banned as well.
Remember the story a few years ago where some girl was wearing a burqa to school and they tried to stop her from doing it? Now I don't know about you, but I find people walking around in public during hot weather with their entire bodies concealed to be pretty intimidating.
If a whole bunch of Muslims were waving their burqas in the air and shaking them aggressively in my direction, yeah, I'd be intimidated. If a girl is just wearing it in class, no, I don't find that to be intimidating. If a bunch of Christians were waving a person-sized crucifix in my direction aggressively, I'd be intimidated by that too. Seeing it in a church doesn't bother me. It's all about context.
In relation to being bothered by such things though, I'll repeat what I said before:
I would refer you to Tarol Hunt's recent
blog
post for a response:
The intent with my jokes is to make someone, somewhere smile and I will continue with this personal goal of mine. This may cause me to accidentally offend someone again in the future. If this happens, I ask any offended parties to show as much respect for my right to humour as I believe should be shown toward your own, person pain due to past experiences.
If a slur is used intentionally to offend someone, then it is wrong to use it, because intentionally offending is wrong. If a slur is used and ignorantly hurts someone, then they should be made aware and they can then make a judgement call for themselves as to whether to use it in that context in the future. However, the fact that someone is offended by something is not in and of itself grounds to decree that the something is wrong.
Post by
mindthegap5
Jeez, i'd prefer being called a chav than a white trash
Post by
tuckmuck203
Too lazy to read too much of this thread, and it doesn't interest me enough to muddle through it.
So I just wanted to get my oppinion out there.
I think it's just retarded that there are racial slurs at all. I wouldn't be pissed if someone called me white trash. There are literally no racial slurs against white people would offend me.
Why the %^&* are black people offended by being called the N word? Because SOME of their ancestors were enslaved 200 years ago? I don't see how that's any different than being enslaved 2000 years ago, and 2000 years ago white people were being enslaved as well.
If you yourself were enslaved at one point by white people, that would be a valid reason. But...You weren't. It's like a spoiled rich kid acting superior because his father makes a lot of money. He didn't make a lot of money, he has no right to act superior. And yet he does.
And when I say acting superior, I say it like that because if you're black and you call yourself a #$%^&*, but get all pissy if a white person calls you one, that's acting superior. You're entitled to something that someone else isn't.
In fact, if you call yourself a ^&*!@#, but don't let white people call you one, you yourself are being racist against white people.
Post by
donnymurph
A lot of things
Well said Squishy. I find it hard to didsagree with anything you've said there. Which is fine because I'm not necessarily
trying
to disagree with you.
My point about the burqa is that its intended purpose is as a
disguise
. It can be, and certainly sometimes is, used to breach security. And I personally find that intimidating.
That said, I see just as much repulsive behaviour from white people as I do from ethnic minorities.
Post by
nioxic
i honestly dont care if people "mock" my race ect. i dont really see the problem.. :p
same if people mock my country, or the people in it (and not just me, or my mom ect)
some people just cant handle other peoples opinions.
if a person with lower income ect ect ect. is called a white trash, well then thats what they're called. too bad if thye dont like it.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
I'm not necessarily
trying
to disagree with you.
You're doing it wrong, dammit! =D
Post by
606231
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Murrdurr
No because he is just throwing any random word that has to do with the color white in there as a comeback and it makes
him
look like a dumbass.
Post by
Hesten
I usually call my friend the N-word.
But that's not really the same thing.
He's from Bolivia.
Post by
Hesten
I'm from Sweden
Post by
Ishtar
I am white and it doesn't bother me at all, as should all slurs. Time to get over it?
Post by
Squishalot
Well said Squishy. I find it hard to didsagree with anything you've said there. Which is fine because I'm not necessarily
trying
to disagree with you.
Heh, if you say so. I'm arguing that there isn't an intrinsic racial bias against white people though, it's just a perception of bias about other factors that's been associated with racism. Same reason that 'white trash' has gone from a classism comment to a racism comment.
I agree that the burqa can be used maliciously. But then, so can motorcycle helmets. It's all about context. There have been no significant attacks by Muslims wearing burqas in Australia, anywhere. That should say something, don't you think? I'm happy giving them the benefit of the doubt.
I'm not necessarily
trying
to disagree with you.
You're doing it wrong, dammit! =D
He's relatively new to Off-Topic, leave him alone =D
Post by
479779
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
donnymurph
I'm not necessarily
trying
to disagree with you.
You're doing it wrong, dammit! =D
He's relatively new to Off-Topic, leave him alone =D
Wouldn't matter if I was or not. I have better things to do than start arguments with faceless people on the internet.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
Wouldn't matter if I was or not. I have better things to do than start arguments with faceless people on the internet.
Oh don't worry, you'll understand what we're talking about if you stick around :P
Post by
475128
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
534868
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
MyTie
I keep hearing people saying white trash is not racial. To those people, I have to ask if the term where 'black trash', would it then be racial? If there were a term to refer to impoverished people as 'black trash', would it be accepted by society? I highly doubt it.
Post by
107106
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
It's like saying "rich black people" you're describing them, even if it is in a mean or "socially unacceptable" way.
How is "rich black people" not "racial"? One of your qualifications is race... a "racial" qualification.
Unless you mean racist. Then it would be connotation that would determine it, not necessarily the intended meaning.
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