This is not something I see here on lemmygrad. In fact, lemmygrad does an excellent job of this and challenges ableist language I sometimes use.
However, this is the only place I know that is willing to stay tough on problematic language and terminology.
As I’m sure you know, the 90’s and 00’s was a time when the “F” slur was common. You heard or said “thats gay” 95 times a minute. The “R” slur was about as common.
Then, somewhat suddenly, this language began to die down. Over the years it became more and more rare to hear. I think this is because people wanted to be more respectful, or, at least that’s why I also decided to be more intentional about these matters.
But this is changing. The last few years I’ve seen people double down on the R slur. I am somewhat unsurprised, afterall, the R word was not rejected as aggressively as the F slur or the “thats gay” comment. I am convinced most people around me are closeted eugenicists emboldened by the extreme ableism baked into their emerging fascist identities.
But now I am seeing people defend how they use gay as an insult as well. I find this to be terrifying. I don’t understand how any conscientious person could shamelessly use such language.
For those of you that have decided its ok to use such language. Thank you. I am working overtime trying to find out who exactly will be comfortable killing disabled people and queer people. You make my life easier. I will trust my gut about you in these times and treat you as the enemy you are.
“Cracker” is also a slur used by wealthy whites to refer to poor whites that they viewed as dangerously close to “going native.”
White people should not refer to other whites as crackers unless they desire to insult whites based on colonial bourgeoisie sensibilities. Or maybe if they want to do digital black face.
Interesting… I can see what you’re saying. My personal use of it has been to punch up and infer the white person that I call a slur as having a broken morality.
So if we get into the bourgeoisie foundations of our day to day used language I think others, like me, keep learning new ways they’ve influenced our language and in turn ways of thinking. That said, common use of language is what defines it over time (e.g. new language is created all the time), so we can reclaim and recreate the meanings of words and phrases. But in light of what you’re pointing out, should we?
I can see where digital blackface could be what someone sees in my language too… If I call them “white devil”, I’m of course invoking language popularized by the Black Panthers, and I do mean to do so. My purpose behind that is to convey that I’m not a friend of the concept of “whiteness” and it’s hegemonic power. Again, should I not? My thoughts when it comes to this is that I align with my class and that the language of the BPP come from class and not race. But I’m white, so I know I’m liable to have shitty blind spots. I’m trans so my focus tends to be trying to find my queer phobic blind spots first, and naturally through a white lens.
The unintellectual lizard brain side of me also just wants something to call ruling class and their toadies something that pisses them off.