# If "Paki" is acceptable to use then what other slurs are? Nigger? Spic? Homo? Jap? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 16, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375 "2012-07-16T02:51:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/2acd7d/32.png) [@Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Tilt_Boogie)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/201 "2012-07-17T12:51:29Z")
> [@boomerwang](#): > > I think this issue should be settled with a cricket match! 😃 Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/202 "2012-07-17T12:56:12Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > What it comes down to: why is so important that people be allowed to use words that are racial slurs? And **DrDeth** , if you’re going to insist that this is an American board, and thus “paki” doesn’t count as a slur, then perhaps you shouldn’t be so quick to insist that “jap” isn’t offensive either. Can’t have it both ways. > > Honestly, why is such a big burden to NOT use certain words here, people? Where do we draw the line? _Brit? Aussie? Black_? Every term is offensive to _someone._ Why don;t we concentrate on the ones that really are meant and use that way, instead of allowing Political Correctness to run amok. ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/2acd7d/32.png) [@Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Tilt_Boogie)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/203 "2012-07-17T13:04:56Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Where do we draw the line? _Brit? Aussie? Black_? Every term is offensive to _someone._ No, and no one’s ever suggested we take a blanket ban - can we please stick to the specifics and not go off in tangential misdirection and false dichotomies? > [@](#): > > Why don;t we concentrate on the ones that really are meant and use that way, instead of allowing Political Correctness to run amok. We are doing precisely that - it’ll just take the US a little time to catch-up (as the rest of the world did with ‘nigger’). ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/204 "2012-07-17T13:07:13Z")
> [@RetroVertigo](#): > > I find it hard to think that the term “Paki” carries with it the same connotation as “Nigger”. I might be totally wrong, and I’m not saying it isn’t offensive, but it doesn’t seem to carry the same cultural significance. > [@Mangetout](#): > > In the UK, the term ‘Paki’ is indeed approximately as offensive as thee term ‘Nigger’ is in the USA. The background is different, but in terms of intensity, it’s a reasonably apt comparison. Like I said I might be wrong. I only came to the conclusion after asking my wife, who was raised in England. She said it was offensive, but more like calling someone a “Spic”, and not nearly the same level as what “nigger” is used to mean. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/205 "2012-07-17T14:09:06Z")
To be honest with myself, the only name/word that I really find offensive to my own sensibilities is “nigger”. There is a history there that is pure institutional racism to an embarrassing scale for mankind. All the others might represent some varying derogatory degree depending on the person speaking, including those who simply delight in shortening names but nothing on the scale of the N word. My early years, as one of many immigrants in Canada were full of European name contractions and the only word in that regard that my mother discouraged was “DP”. What puzzles me, is that to the best of my knowledge (and please correct me if you can) that the two peoples who might obviously have slurs for each other, the Palistinians and the Israelis, don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/206 "2012-07-17T14:17:34Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > What puzzles me, is that to the best of my knowledge (and please correct me if you can) that the two peoples who might obviously have slurs for each other, the Palistinians and the Israelis, don’t. No, what what they usually do is simply deny each others existence as a nation. Palestinians almost never refer to “the Israelis” or even “the Zionists”(unless there’s a camera crew nearby) but instead refer to “the Jews” while the Israelis often simply refer to “the Arabs” rather than the Palestinians. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/207 "2012-07-17T16:16:38Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Also… > Substitute pretty much anything for the graped term, and it’s no less offensive. By that logic, no racial slurs exist. They’re often uttered inside sentences. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/208 "2012-07-17T16:31:27Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > By that logic, no racial slurs exist. They’re often uttered inside sentences. That wasn’t meant to be a fully formed argument - just an observation that the intent of the quoted phrase looked to be at least as much a problem as the inclusion of any specific word. Please dont try too hard to misunderstand me… ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/209 "2012-07-17T16:38:11Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > That wasn’t meant to be a fully formed argument - just an observation that the intent of the quoted phrase looked to be at least as much a problem as the inclusion of any specific word. Please dont try too hard to misunderstand me… Sure, but that was just an example. I’ve heard the word used in a thousand different ways. The constant tends to be the word. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/210 "2012-07-17T19:23:39Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Where do we draw the line? _Brit? Aussie? Black_? Every term is offensive to _someone._ > > Why don;t we concentrate on the ones that really are meant and use that way, instead of allowing Political Correctness to run amok. Because the word “jap” IS used that way. And you bloody well know it. Once again, context and history play a part, no matter how much you insist otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/211 "2012-07-17T20:00:14Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Sure, but that was just an example. I’ve heard the word used in a thousand different ways. The constant tends to be the word. OK - that’s not in dispute. As I said, until I joined this thread, I had only ever encountered the word in its UK context (violently racist), but it turns out that’s not global - maybe not even the majority usage of the term, and a significant portion of the community of people who use the term innocently _are the people of Pakistan_. Hence, a blanket ban cannot be appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/212 "2012-07-17T20:04:52Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > OK - that’s not in dispute. > > As I said, until I joined this thread, I had only ever encountered the word in its UK context (violently racist), but it turns out that’s not global - maybe not even the majority usage of the term, and a significant portion of the community of people who use the term innocently _are the people of Pakistan_. Hence, a blanket ban cannot be appropriate. Well, as was pointed out earlier, a significant portion of the people who use the term “nigger” (man, I hate even typing these words!) are black people. That doesn’t make it OK for anyone else to use the term, though. It means something different from different people and, unfortunately, intention is not a factor. It’s a strict liability word. But more importantly - the term doesn’t mean “from Pakistan”. With all due respect to those in Pakistan, it’s not just about them. The word has grown beyond them. Indian people do not appreciate it, and there are lot of them - and I assure you the term is applied equally to Indians, as it is to others. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/213 "2012-07-17T20:17:10Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Well, as was pointed out earlier, a significant portion of the people who use the term “nigger” (man, I hate even typing these words!) are black people. That doesn’t make it OK for anyone else to use the term, though. Nobody argued that it did. Seriously. Nobody is arguing that people who use the term with racist intent should get away with doing so. > [@](#): > > It means something different from different people and, unfortunately, intention is not a factor. It’s a strict liability word. > > But more importantly - the term doesn’t mean “from Pakistan”. Yes it does. It absolutely does, to a lot of people. (At least, in the same sort of sense as ‘Brit’ means from Britain - the only important difference is that ‘Brit’ is fairly uniformly non-offensive) > [@](#): > > With all due respect to those in Pakistan, it’s not just about them. The word has grown beyond them. Indian people do not appreciate it, and there are lot of them - and I assure you the term is applied equally to Indians, as it is to others. You know, I think the best thing would be for you to argue this directly with **AK84**. You’re proposing deletion of what he considers a perfectly innocuous part of his vocabulary, on account of the misbehaviour of idiots in another country. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/214 "2012-07-17T20:27:27Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Well, as was pointed out earlier, a significant portion of the people who use the term “nigger” (man, I hate even typing these words!) are black people. That doesn’t make it OK for anyone else to use the term, though. Wait a minute… We both agree that the term ‘paki’ is unacceptable in the UK - so let’s set that aside please. Are you suggesting that no white people anywhere in the world should now be able to use this term, even if they have always previously done so in accord with the same innocuous descriptive intent as native Pakistanis use it? Let’s say Australians, for example - if they’ve only ever used the term ‘Paki’ as a descriptive abbreviation, maybe even because they learned it from native Pakistanis - they must stop using it that way, because _they’re white_, and some (mainly) white people in Britain tainted the word with their racist usage? Is that what you’re saying? It sounds like it is, but I really hope it isn’t, because that itself would be a horribly racist view. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/215 "2012-07-17T20:34:14Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Wait a minute… > > We both agree that the term ‘paki’ is unacceptable in the UK - so let’s set that aside please. > > Are you suggesting that no white people anywhere in the world should now be able to use this term, even if they have always previously done so in accord with the same innocuous descriptive intent as native Pakistanis use it? > > Let’s say Australians, for example - if they’ve only ever used the term ‘Paki’ as a descriptive abbreviation, maybe even because they learned it from native Pakistanis - they must stop using it that way, because _they’re white_, and some (mainly) white people in Britain tainted the word with their racist usage? > > Is that what you’re saying? It sounds like it is, but I really hope it isn’t, because that itself would be a horribly racist view. OK, I’ll be clear: Nobody, anywhere, should ever call me a Paki. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/216 "2012-07-17T20:42:15Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > OK, I’ll be clear: > > Nobody, anywhere, should ever call me a Paki. That’s very clear, but not very useful. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/217 "2012-07-17T20:56:51Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Because the word “jap” IS used that way. And you bloody well know it. Once again, context and history play a part, no matter how much you insist otherwise. On the other hand, people in India refer to “the Japs” all the time, and the term has no such context or history there. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/218 "2012-07-17T22:50:34Z")
_I’ve got a pocketful of UAV’s and I’m going to the arcade…_ ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/219 "2012-07-17T23:59:20Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > On the other hand, people in India refer to “the Japs” all the time, and the term has no such context or history there. Well, I’d say that most on this particular board, if they’re of Japanese descent, or are from Japan, would feel otherwise. And as such, perhaps you should take that into account. Just as some here have said, they don’t like being referred to as “Pakis”. Common courtesy. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375/220 "2012-07-18T00:14:33Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Race is a myth. > > The Ummah however is real. The Ummah _was real_, but they haven’t really existed since 1999 and I have no idea what relevance Q-Tip and his friends have to this discussion. > [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Beyond that, no one would classify Hispanics as a race or Mexicans as a race, but if someone were to say “Mexicans are assholes” or “Hispanics are scum” I assume you wouldn’t object to my classifying those as racist comments. > > Similarly no one would classify Arabs as a race but I assume most of you would not object to me classifying the term “ragheads” as a “racial slur.” > > Perhaps I’m wrong, but I would assume that anyone who is so thin-skinned that they’d accuses me of being a sexist for saying > > Would feel that way. I had to re-read most of that thread to see what the hell you were on about; as I read I remembered it was the thread where you misquoted me in order to “win” a point. Please quote where I called you sexist. > [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > \ > > If you disagree that we’re not a race, well, then I’m reminded about Allesan’s comment regarding charges that Jews aren’t a nationality, “Sorry we don’t fit your definition of nationality, we came first.” Jews are not a nationality. Israelis are a nationality. When you can show me Jewland on a map, then I’ll agree that Jews are a nationality. You want to know why Muslims aren’t a “race”? Because you can choose to be Muslim. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-paki-is-acceptable-to-use-then-what-other-slurs-are-nigger-spic-homo-jap/628375.md?page=12)