# In BBQ, why mod a hint at a racist joke but not an actual racial slur? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 26, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970 "2021-05-26T17:49:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/264 "2021-06-02T22:54:15Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > You get to decide for yourself what offends you, but the mods get to decide what is or is not hateful and/or racist enough to merit sanctions. I agree with the people who said ‘wypipo’ is the only one they found offensive. That’s the only one I have seen used seriously in an insulting way. But I think it makes more sense and is more consistent to ban all racist terms than to leave it up to what individual mods find personally offensive. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/265 "2021-06-02T23:01:00Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > About the linked article? That’s a very different situation- that’s like saying because we find comedians who roast people funny we think insulting people is A-Ok. That was a very specific situation. That’s probably true. But then don’t use the idea of punching up to justify it. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/266 "2021-06-02T23:07:14Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > That is your opinion, not mine. Just look back at the replies, I don’t see a consensus even in this topic. I would prefer not to be cited as evidence on this point. I’ve since learned - in this very thread - that ‘cracker’ is not generically for ‘white people’, but rather to a specific subset of white folks (poor, southern ones.) I’m not in that group, so the fact I haven’t felt offended by the word is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/267 "2021-06-02T23:07:30Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > That is your opinion, not mine. Just look back at the replies, I don’t see a consensus even in this topic. That’s the point: it’s not an opinion. The fact is that standard definitions, i.e., “dictionary definitions” aren’t the opinions of a bunch of lexicographers: they’re common usage. Therefore, the majority of Americans do use the term that way. > [@Max\_S](#): > > That is definition 5a. Definition 5b - the prevailing usage in my experience - reads 5b. does not negate 5.a. You are not incorrect in saying that there’s a usage of the word that is not, among a small segment of the population, considered racist. That’s not the point. The point is that it’s important to recognize that 5.a. is how most people are going to interpret the term. Nor is 5b the primary definition among all Floridians: > **["Cracker Trail' dropped as name for elementary school](https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/04/18/cracker-trail-dropped-as-name-for-elementary-school/)** > > Some people in Highlands County are offended by the use of the word "cracker" and lobbied to prevent Cracker Trail from becoming the name of the county's newest elementary school. Heeding... Nobody is saying your particular experience with the word “cracker” is invalid, but I’m sure you understand that it’d be foolish to think your definition is the standard one that most people use and recognize. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/268 "2021-06-02T23:09:38Z")
I think that’s the disconnect- I don’t think most are using punching up to justify it, but to contextualize it. If you see two injured people in distress, punching down is the gushing bleeder and punching up is the paper cut. Which one needs our attention first and which one is the bigger issue? Im not sure you’re likely to buy the argument, but at least you’ll have the right argument. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/269 "2021-06-02T23:17:10Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Ok- so again, my apologies for misunderstanding. Glad I posted a response rather than walking away annoyed. Unfortunately too many people don’t believe as you do, as I have certainly been subjected to that attitude. Yes, thanks for asking. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/270 "2021-06-02T23:33:54Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > If you see two injured people in distress, punching down is the gushing bleeder and punching up is the paper cut. I see it more like a fight between two unequal opponents. It’s worse to punch someone weaker than you, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to punch someone stronger, or that the strong person should be told to accept the abuse. And that’s ignoring the fact that the person who looks strong may not be in reality. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/271 "2021-06-02T23:44:31Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > I think the word _cracker_ carries the same meaning in both sentences. At this point, I think your argument is so divorced from reality that I don’t see a way to continue the conversation productively. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/272 "2021-06-02T23:53:01Z")
That’s not how the phrase is used when speaking conceptually. You’re usage may work for you, but it’s rather idiosyncratic. Anyway, I’m not invested in convincing you, but perhaps you have a little better understanding of the intent of the term. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/273 "2021-06-03T02:14:42Z")
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**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970/274 "2021-06-03T02:22:47Z")
**Moderator Action** This thread is all over the place, to the point where it’s difficult to follow. In this thread, we have (1) a discussion about moderator actions (2) a discussion of racism in the BBQ Pit (3) a discussion of racism on the board in general (4) a general discussion of all sorts of racial issues (5) a discussion of racial terms If you want to have a discussion about racism in ATMB that’s fine, but the topic needs to be a lot more focused. Keep the discussion about specific rules and moderator actions. If you want to discuss moderator actions, start a new thread for that as this one has gone completely off the rails. If you want to discuss racism in the BBQ Pit, again, start a new thread, but keep it focused on that particular topic. If you want to discuss racism in other forums outside of the BBQ Pit, also start a new thread, and everyone focus on only that. Some discussion of what is and isn’t an offensive term is appropriate for ATMB as that relates to the rules and moderation, but let’s keep those discussions relevant to the topic of the thread. If you want to have a more generalized discussion about racism and offensive terms, that’s not an ATMB topic. Feel free to start a thread in a more appropriate forum. A general discussion of racial issues is also not an ATMB topic. I don’t want to stifle the conversation, but this thread is too broad and is branching out in too many different directions. We need some focus. This is closed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bbq-why-mod-a-hint-at-a-racist-joke-but-not-an-actual-racial-slur/942970.md?page=13)