“honky” is not derogatory, except to the extent that ANY slang term used to describe one group of people as distinct from others is derogatory. If you’re truly offended by honky, you’ve got some pretty limited ability to handle give and take, in my opinion.
Note that the OP is not seeking opinions on whether posters find this word offensive. He is asking permission to start an IMHO thread using it.
There is no blanket prohibition of words on this board. Words are restricted only due to context. Since this is merely soliciting opinions about the word, it would not be prohibited.
Taking this a step further, I think that *all *moderator decisions should be based on what a 1970’s sitcom character would do. Being a jerk? I don’t think so. Archie Bunker got mega laughs with that same line. Threadshitting? Let’s see what Maude would say about that.
Oppression of a minority is not the sole test of word being used in a bigoted way.
I think the fact that it doesn’t offend makes it an example of white privilege. So really, it’s best not to use that word.
Pretty hard to consider it a racial slur when the particular subset of white people most likely to be called it use it to describe their hangouts, “honky-tonks.”
That’s extremely interesting information, I’m sure, but it’s not the definition of a racial slur.
I’m not personally offended by the term, but I can see where some folks might be in certain contexts. It’s not really in the same category as “redneck” or “cracker”, which are not terms used to apply to a race.
So if the group a term is being used against uses the word themselves it’s not a racial slur? Good to know!
I am 100% behind this. I choose Adam-12 and Dragnet.
More seriously, specific words are, in general not banned. Note Quartz’s use of ‘Nigger’, above.
It’s the intent to deride or otherwise take someone out of discussion that can rile your moderating staff. At least in Great Debates.
I choose Mork from Ork.
“Honky-tonk” preceded “honkie” by almost a century. While the origin of “honkie” is disputed, it’s possible it’s derived from honky-tonk rather than vice versa.
One theory is that the honky from “honky tonk” came from the same place as the honky in ‘honky dory.’ At the time it meant to make a score in some game and was never a slur.
The honky from George Jefferson’s “honky” may be derived from “hunky” which was a slur against Hungarian and generally all eastern Europeans. So the honky we are discussing, at least by one theory, was a white against white slur before it was used as a black against white slur starting around the 1940s.
If you do a Sgt. Friday speech on your next warning I will vote to double your salary.
I nominate Alice as the standard bearer for insults, with the ultimate insult in this board being a request that one make out with ground corn products
Wait…is the term “dingbat” derogatory and/or offensive?
Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
"This is the forum, Straight Dope Message Board. I work here. I’m a mod.
It was Wednesday, October 18. We were working the day watch in Great Debates. My partners are Bone and tomndebb. My name’s Chance."
I’ll go to mid-America and nominate Arthur Carlson, Les Nesman and Herb Tarlek reacting to Venus Flytrap saying, with varying emphasis and intonation: As God is my witness, these honkies thought jive turkeys could fly!
Say what you will about Cracker & Peckerwood, but I love my rattan bar stools.
So racial and ethnic slurs, used as slurs, are OK in the Pit?
Serious question, given that I reported an instance of this the other day, and there was no moderator response.
Yes it is, Meathead.