# As a white guy, can I refer to myself as a cracker? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 13, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463 "2015-06-13T21:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/1 "2015-06-13T21:35:53Z")
It’s not racist if you use a racial or ethnic slur in respect to yourself, right? ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/2 "2015-06-13T21:39:27Z")
As far as saltine language goes it can sound a little Ritzy. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/3 "2015-06-13T21:41:53Z")
Just like no-one can object if I call myself queer. Doesn’t give them permission to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/4 "2015-06-13T23:42:20Z")
I think it is racist, but it’s a kind of racist not many people are going to complain about. Unless, of course, you’re doing it to trivialize racial slurs in general. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/5 "2015-06-14T00:37:34Z")
My son went through a phase recently where he would ask nonsensical questions in the form, “Daddy, are you a (something) ?”. He asked me at various times if I was a table, an apple, and a towel. One day he asked, " Daddy, are you a cracker?" I had to give that some thought before I answered. Mike Birbiglia has a funny bit about trying to start a trend of white guys calling each other cracka. Anyway, as to the OP, something tells me you’re not really looking for serious discussion, so whatever. Call yourself what you want. But Mike Birbiglia is a damned funny guy. Go look him up on YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/6 "2015-06-14T00:40:39Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > My son went through a phase recently where he would ask nonsensical questions in the form, “Daddy, are you a \?”. He asked me at various times if I was a table, an apple, and a towel. One day he asked, " Daddy, are you a cracker?" I had to give that some thought before I answered. > > Mike Birbiglia has a funny bit about trying to start a trend of white guys calling each other cracka. Cracka, please! ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/7 "2015-06-14T01:10:10Z")
For future reference, OP, you don’t need the clause “as a white guy.” We could figure that out from the content of your post. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/8 "2015-06-14T01:20:46Z")
Hi my name is Graham, Graham Cracker. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/9 "2015-06-14T01:44:34Z")
I read in an old Georgia public school history text (1960s) that Georgia cattlemen used to drive their cattle to market to sell them. They would crack their whips over the cattle to drive them ahead, and that is where the term Georgia Cracker came from. The same text said most slaves were treated quite well. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/10 "2015-06-14T01:58:51Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > It’s not racist if you use a racial or ethnic slur in respect to yourself, right? The term is not necessarily a slur. Some [Florida Crackers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_cracker) take pride in the term. Are you an actual Cracker, or just white? Who are you using it to? Other whites, or blacks? Why are you using it? If you’re not an actual Cracker in the original sense, if you use it to non-Cracker whites, they’ll think you’re just crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/11 "2015-06-14T02:05:43Z")
> [@Asympotically\_fat](#): > > Hi my name is Graham, Graham Cracker. You’re an animal, Cracker. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/12 "2015-06-14T03:41:08Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > For future reference, OP, you don’t need the clause “as a white guy.” We could figure that out from the content of your post. True, but it’s well to have that extra level of explicitness. Without it, there would be more room for confusion and mistaken assumptions. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/13 "2015-06-14T04:25:13Z")
A black guy asking if he could call himself a cracker would be a far more interesting question. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/14 "2015-06-14T04:31:00Z")
I often call Indians ‘wogs’, so if you want to call white people ‘crackers’ go right ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/15 "2015-06-14T04:46:38Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > I often call Indians ‘wogs’, so if you want to call white people ‘crackers’ go right ahead. What’s your ethnicity? Because wog can be pretty damn offensive. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/16 "2015-06-14T05:10:10Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > What’s your ethnicity? Because wog can be pretty damn offensive. True but in the USA the word wog would generally be greeted with a 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/17 "2015-06-14T05:13:26Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > True but in the USA the word wog would generally be greeted with a 😕 [Wog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wog) > [@](#): > > Wog is a slang word in the idiom of Australian English and British English, usually employed as an ethnic or racial slur and considered derogatory and offensive. > > In British English, wog is an offensive racial slur usually applied to Middle Eastern and South Asian peoples. In Australian English, wog is a term used in jest or as a racial slur for people from Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean region of the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/18 "2015-06-14T05:19:29Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Just like no-one can object if I call myself queer. Doesn’t give them permission to do so. If you call yourself queer, you’re downright strange. 🙂 (Mind you, if it makes you gay, go right ahead. Say every fortnight or so. It costs nothing, so it’s not too dear.) ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/19 "2015-06-14T06:15:35Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Cracka, please! Cracka what! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/20 "2015-06-14T12:15:57Z")
50+ years ago in Atlanta it wouldn’t have been a problem. The pre-Braves minor league team was the Atlanta [Crackers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Crackers). (The article gives an alternate origin of the term “cracker”.) The Negro League team was the Atlanta [Black Crackers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Black_Crackers). But let me tell you, the phrase “white cracker”, when uttered by an African-American, is definitely _not_ a positive. It’s like calling someone a \ head. I would avoid the term. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463.md?page=2)