# Isn't "raghead" an ethnic slur? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 10, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812 "2014-12-10T02:01:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [December 10, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/21 "2014-12-10T21:56:14Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Putting “black” in doesn’t make it a slur; it makes it racial. The “pig-licken” part is what makes it a slur. > > Regards, > Shodan I believe it made it a slur on Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/22 "2014-12-11T02:15:04Z")
I’d agree that while it’s a slur, it’s not really a racial slur. But then, I’d consider “oreo” and “house Negro” to be racial slurs. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/23 "2014-12-11T13:46:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I believe it made it a slur on Republicans. And the word “black” made it a racial slur. And I thought racial slurs were forbidden. All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/24 "2014-12-11T14:58:46Z")
As an “oreo”, I don’t see it as racial, just insulting to republicans. But that is on a stand-alone basis; I’m not wading into the thread for context. Context and/or poster history (which I’m clueless about for the vast majority of posters) could make it a racial slur. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/25 "2014-12-11T16:02:42Z")
Would you call it a racial slur if I referred to Obama as a “black pig-licker?” Or if I referred to the rioters in Ferguson as “black animals”? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/26 "2014-12-11T16:09:01Z")
WTF is pig-licking? ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/27 "2014-12-11T16:32:02Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Would you call it a racial slur if I referred to Obama as a “black pig-licker?” Or if I referred to the rioters in Ferguson as “black animals”? > > Regards, > Shodan I have no idea what a “pig-licker” would be referring to, but the _original_ term that you are avoiding/altering is “Repiglickin”, which is obviously a slur alright…on _Republicans_. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/28 "2014-12-11T16:42:30Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Interestingly enough, “raghead” in the Pit gets a Warning. “Black Repiglickin” [in MPSIMS](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17964914&postcount=9)gets a gentle “dial it back, pls”. Go figure. > > Regards, > Shodan I’m not seeing that as a racial slur. “Repiglickin”, like “Repuglican”, is meant to be a slur against Republicans, and that poster was just saying that Clarence Thomas is a poppy-pants for being a Republican. And since he’s black, he’s black poopy-pants. And we all know that black Republicans are rather rare, so pointing out his race isn’t all that big a deal, IMHO. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/29 "2014-12-11T17:06:13Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > WTF is pig-licking? I don’t know, but now I’m in the mood for a full rack of ribs. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/30 "2014-12-11T17:13:07Z")
Are you saying there’s a time when you’re not? -\_- ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/31 "2014-12-11T17:21:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I have no idea what a “pig-licker” would be referring to, but the _original_ term that you are avoiding/altering is “Repiglickin”, which is obviously a slur alright…on _Republicans_. All Republicans? Regards, Shodan ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/32 "2014-12-11T17:24:37Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > All Republicans? > > Regards, > Shodan Why are you asking me? Go ask the person who said it originally whether all Republicans were included in the statement. I just pointed out what was obvious. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/33 "2014-12-11T17:41:58Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I took the "black Repiglickin’ " to be a racial slur. The implication is that there’s something wrong with a black person who chooses to support the Republicans. I’m not following you here. Where is the racial slur? The slur is 'Repiglickin"; the “black” is superfluous description. My assumption when reading the phrase was that a different person might be described as a “white Repiglickin” or a “fat Repiglickin”. Mind you, the descriptor serves no useful purpose IMO, but it also isn’t an intrigal part of the slur being used. I’m down with refuting it’s use as unnecessary, potentially inflammatory, etc. If a story described “a white bigot” would your perception of this person be informed by the fact that they are white or because they chose to publicly display their bigotry? ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/34 "2014-12-11T19:35:26Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > And the word “black” made it a racial slur. And I thought racial slurs were forbidden. > > All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. > > Regards, > Shodan Is your position that if someone in GD referred to Max Blumenthal or Gideon Levy as “self-hating Jews” that they should be given warnings for using racial slurs? ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/35 "2014-12-11T20:04:13Z")
Man, I wanted to agree with Shodan there; any chance to shore up my nonpartisan credentials is welcome. But the point being made is that there’s a logical disconnect between being a black person and being a Republican. Now, I think that’s a stupid and offensive point, possibly even rising to the level of racist. But it’s not a racial slur. The “Repiglicken” insult is almost too stupid for words, and it compounds the stupidity of the argument about the disconnect. But put together, you don’t have a racial slur. You have a dumb political slur coupled with a dumb argument about politics. He’s not being called names because he’s black; he’s being called names because he’s supposedly acting against self-interest. If this sort of essentialist argument were banned, I can’t say I’d lose any sleep over it. But it’s fundamentally different from calling someone a raghead. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/36 "2014-12-11T21:21:02Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > WTF is pig-licking? Step 1: Get a pig. Step 2: Lick it. ---
**Author:** ![OwnRules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@OwnRules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OwnRules)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/37 "2014-12-11T22:01:50Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Is your position that if someone in GD referred to Max Blumenthal or Gideon Levy as “self-hating Jews” that they should be given warnings for using racial slurs? No, I’d heartily disagree – nothing they say or write has them renouncing their heritage. That said, they strongly disagree with current Israel and their policies/Gov. That would make them _Jewish_ advocates for a reform of _Israeli_ policies. Nothing “racial” about their political stands. In fact, the contrary would make a better argument = asking for fairness and equality between the two sides in the conflict. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/38 "2014-12-12T00:15:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I believe it made it a slur on Republicans. By that reasoning “raghead” is a slur on anyone living in the desert, of which there are many different groups, not all of the same ethnicity. Pretty much anyone living there winds up dressing that particular way, just because it helps beat the heat, stave off sunstroke, etc, not because they worship a particular way or have a certain skin color. ---
**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:** [December 12, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/39 "2014-12-12T00:54:44Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > By that reasoning “raghead” is a slur on anyone living in the desert, of which there are many different groups, not all of the same ethnicity. Pretty much anyone living there winds up dressing that particular way, just because it helps beat the heat, stave off sunstroke, etc, not because they worship a particular way or have a certain skin color. While the slur was complicated, I think untangling it is important: it was an attack on someone who, while black, votes Republican, based on a belief that that **voting** is automatically a foolish thing for a black person to do. That’s essentialist politics, identity politics of a scurrilous nature, in my opinion, but it’s not directly analogous to calling someone subhuman because of the culture they inhabit or the ethnicity they represent. ---
**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:** [December 12, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812/40 "2014-12-12T03:29:40Z")
> [@OwnRules](#): > > No, I’d heartily disagree – nothing they say or write has them renouncing their heritage. That said, they strongly disagree with current Israel and their policies/Gov. > > That would make them _Jewish_ advocates for a reform of _Israeli_ policies. Nothing “racial” about their political stands. In fact, the contrary would make a better argument = asking for fairness and equality between the two sides in the conflict. So then is your position that referring to them as “self-hating Jews” is actual an ethnic slur? I personally while I find the phrase quite dumb like the accusation of “black repiglickin” I’d argue it’s hardly the equivalent of calling them “kikes”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isnt-raghead-an-ethnic-slur/706812.md?page=3)