Well, gosh yes. Here I was, involved in the longest most involved “Whoosh” yet in the history of the SDMB, and Guinastasia is the one poster smart enough to see through my ploy. Darn it. Fudge.
Probably for the same reason many of the posters here feel their opinion is superior to a Pakistani who lives in Pakistan? 
Well, I’ve tried to stop saying “hillbilly” and “white trash” because some Dopers indicated it was offensive. It doesn’t have to be as offensive, IMO, just contextually offensive enough.
Although I think I’ll keep “fundie” over the objections.
Dear IBN_Warraq,
Whenever a “Paki” is used for a non-Pakistani south Asian Muslim outside of UK and Canada , its used for the similarity in looks not in derogatory sense. Like a “Chinese” for a Korean or a Japanese. But its offensive for non-Pakistanis coz they have a separate identity and more so because of Pakistan’s love for Jihad.
Only a few people outside of UK and Canada are aware that it is used as an derogatory term by some in those 2 countries (and nowhere else I guess). Besides it comes out as just an obvious short form for “Pakistani”.
I was part of another forum where “Paki” was used by everyone including the Pakistanis sometimes. I genuinely feel there’s no reason for you to feel offended and that I do not owe any apology. However I wouldn’t be using “Paki” anymore on this forum since one of the mods wishes so.
Cheers Brother.
Well since the thread is about ethnic slurs rather than political ones I still don’t think it’s a useful comparison. Unless you’re saying pubbie etc. is comparable to any of the racial slurs others have discussed above. Funnily enough, terms like mick or paddy would be better examples to use to make your point. They’ve been used as ethnic slurs but can be used affectionately, and by Irish people to self identify (well the latter is anyway). They’re also probably absolutely devoid of any negative connotation to the vast majority of the populace of the earth.
Which Irish poster?
Six pages on this? … and now we’ve degenerated to the point of “what about if I call someone from Lima a Perubean?”
Dreaming up hypothetical comments and asking in advance whether they’re insults is useless. I can use “nigger” in a non-insulting way (asking about the etymology, for example.) So it all depends on context. At this point, seems to me that if you’re dreaming up ways of skirting the no-insult rule, you’re being a jerk.
[sarcasm]We’re in the process of drafting up the precise rules and terms under which use of these are insults. Under Proposed Regulation VI.C.127(b)(iii), the word “Paki” used in post #284 above is not an insult. However, under Proposed Regulation IX.D.23®(iv), the word “Fudge” as used in post #281 is an insult to the people of Fiji, to whom it was obviously addressed.[/sarcasm]
BOTTOM LINE: As has been noted often, what’s a mortal insult in one country/region/city is not necessarily so in another. A southsider in Chicago calling someone a Cubs fan would be huge insult in some neighborhoods, not in others. We’re not going to try to moderate on an individual word, we moderate on context and tone, and it depends on the fuckin’ context.
Piece of advice, brother. If you’re trying to convince people that you’re not prejudiced against Pakistanis then you’re better off not talking about how people don’t like to be associated with Pakistanis due to their “love of Jihad”.
It’s a little like saying “I’m not anti-Semitic but I can understand why people don’t like being associated with Jews because they’re so famous for being greedy.”
I have stated a fact brother. 90% of the Indian muslims wouldn’t like to be mistaken as being Pakistani because of Pakistan’s use of terrorism as state policy.
Please take any political disputes to Great Debates. We’re only talking about the language and the board rules here.
If I ever claim to be offended at being called “Cracker”, I’m just lying for effect. 
Perfect. Can I request the thread be closed now?
There is a difference between not having a formal rule, and suggesting that people “just put up” with a slur. Let them know it’s a problem, in case they’re just ignorant. If they keep doing it, fire back! Tell them they’re a bigot; point it out to the board.
It’s not about your baggage. It’s about the people you’re referring to.
Right. I don’t know why some people always have to argue the relative offensiveness of terms. It shouldn’t really matter, and there can be no right or fair answer anyway, because it depends on cultural experiences which differ.
If you use a term for someone that they perceive as a slur, and they tell you this… you stop using it, or you demonstrate that you don’t give a fuck about their feelings. If you want to give that impression, go for it, but don’t be surprised if you are widely perceived as an asshole.
Once you institute rules, though, about how some slurs, some words, are flat out, and uttering them is categorically a violation–not so for other words–then you have established a hierarchy of oppression (or of protection, if you prefer). Far better to have no words off limits, but censure for people who persist in using any of them in hateful ways.
It’s not your thread, so I doubt it.
What about cracker ass cracker?
Best you inform the dictionaries then. for example Merriam-Webster:
Or dictionary.com:
These definitions are the exact reason why the word racism can be used to define prejudice against certain religions and people from certain nations. You may not like that these definitions exist, but they do and as such your concept of racism is, as shown, incorrect.
In “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” Bridget’s mother said the Japanese are “a cruel race.” That kind of usage was much more common in the past I believe and had been applied to all kinds of human groups, including national and subnational groups.
What’s wrong with Lord of the Flies? I think I missed something in six pages of back and forward.
- God, Chris Rock is funny.
- Has he done anything new lately?
- I’m hungry for crackers.
::::hijack:::: did you ever notice that the most non-discriminatory way to refer to a person’s skin color is to mention the color of their ass? It’s a much more neutral descriptor than simply mentioning their skin color, even in being offensive to some by using a 3 letter word.
I would say it is much more likely that they didn’t care than they didn’t know.