# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/21 "2015-06-14T13:56:58Z")
Once my DIL made something really good and turned to my wife and me and said, “Not bad for a shiksa:)”. If we called her that, it would be insulting, but she can certainly call herself that. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/22 "2015-06-14T14:11:22Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > It’s not racist if you use a racial or ethnic slur in respect to yourself, right? Is this a thing that is done culturally among white guys in your neighborhood in natural conversation, or would this be an out-of-place utterance for no particular reason “just to prove a point”? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mr.Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Me)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/23 "2015-06-14T14:42:39Z")
I’ve heard that the current politically correct term is ‘Saltino’ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/24 "2015-06-14T15:08:58Z")
> [@Mr.Me](#): > > I’ve heard that the current politically correct term is ‘Saltino’ 😃 I believe it’s Saltino-American. _offended now_ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/25 "2015-06-14T15:26:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is this a thing that is done culturally among white guys in your neighborhood in natural conversation, or would this be an out-of-place utterance for no particular reason “just to prove a point”? Exactly. ---
**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, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/26 "2015-06-14T15:29:32Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > I believe it’s Saltino-American. > > _offended now_ Well, only if they have a slice of cheese on their head. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/27 "2015-06-14T15:31:31Z")
Seems like just one more in the endless series of threads about how unfair the world is to the white man. ---
**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, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/28 "2015-06-14T16:01:45Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > True but in the USA the word wog would generally be greeted with a 😕 Even if you don’t know what the word means (and I think more Americans know this than you think), it’s pretty obvious that it’s a slur. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/29 "2015-06-14T16:20:28Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is this a thing that is done culturally among white guys in your neighborhood in natural conversation, or would this be an out-of-place utterance for no particular reason “just to prove a point”? Exactly. To answer the obvious mirror-image question that often comes up, just throwing around some terms for African-Americans out of context is just as offensive. (I’m not black but if I were I would be wary of referring to myself as an N-word if I didn’t know the people around me even if they were black, in case it was inappropriate to that subculture.) Occasionally, some black people would be offended, even if you used the N-word in context in a subculture which used it a lot, but that doesn’t happen very often especially since people who are so keen to use offensive language often don’t hang around black people too much. But there would also be people who don’t use the N-word themselves and would be genuinely offended at it, as well as those small amount of people who wouldn’t care one way or another if it were used in context. About the only difference I can see is that if a black person came up and started using the “C”-word in front of whites either insultingly or completely out of context (i.e. not bantering around with friends), their response would be largely context-dependent instead of universally negative. If a random dude started it most of the white people would be like 😕, if it were a black police officer or group of several males, that would be another story. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/30 "2015-06-14T16:20:45Z")
The politically correct term is Saltine-American. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/31 "2015-06-14T16:30:52Z")
As far as I know cracker is a term that some blacks use in reference to whites. Joking around I don’t think it would make much difference what you say but if you are trying to sound hip or cool and fit in with some black guys it might sound condescending. My general rule is I talk to blacks the same way I talk to anybody. ---
**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, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/32 "2015-06-14T17:19:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is this a thing that is done culturally among white guys in your neighborhood in natural conversation, or would this be an out-of-place utterance for no particular reason “just to prove a point”? Using it may be racist or non-racist. But if you have to ask, it’s probably racist. ---
**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, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/33 "2015-06-14T18:15:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is this a thing that is done culturally among white guys in your neighborhood in natural conversation, or would this be an out-of-place utterance for no particular reason “just to prove a point”? Why does that make a difference? ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/34 "2015-06-15T00:01:35Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > Why does that make a difference? It’s his version of calling it a “microaggression.” ---
**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 15, 2015, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/35 "2015-06-15T00:04:41Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > Why does that make a difference? Could you explain why you call Indians a highly offensive term? ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/36 "2015-06-15T00:17:09Z")
I have and still refer to myself as a Cracker. I have even said it to other white people. But I also wouldn’t cry about it if someone else of any race called me that either even out of hatred because I really don’t care. Taking offense is a sign of weakness to me because it shows a lack of self discipline and control. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/37 "2015-06-15T01:00:19Z")
**As a white guy, can I refer to myself as a cracker?** Are you asking for permission? From me? Well then, I grant it. Call yourself whatever you feel like. God, I feel powerful! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/38 "2015-06-15T03:25:46Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > It’s his version of calling it a “microaggression.” No-It’s my version of “That point you think you’re making? You’re really not.” ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/39 "2015-06-15T04:53:09Z")
Color me confused. I don’t understand why it’s even a question. If you’re black you can say this nigga don’t play like that. Or, you can call yourself an ass, jerk, nerd, or the anti-Christ. How is it racist to refer to oneself’s by anything other than something that implies some disrespect to any one other than yourself. ---
**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 15, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463/40 "2015-06-15T16:35:51Z")
If you’re asking what to call yourself the one person you should ask is your mother. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-a-white-guy-can-i-refer-to-myself-as-a-cracker/722463.md?page=3)