# Liberals: Is "teabagger" an insult? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620 "2011-08-13T22:56:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/41 "2011-08-15T02:28:28Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > I think it’s a non-vulgar insult. It’s _not_ “They routinely perform a certain lewd act.”. Rather, it’s “They’re so out of touch that they didn’t know that teabagging refers to a lewd act, and kept calling themselves teabaggers over and over while their detractors laughed at them.”. Umm, no. In fact, from what I can see they have never called themselves “teabaggers”. They did refer to the act of “tea bag” yes, but not 'teabaggers". At least not in any numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/42 "2011-08-15T04:16:20Z")
Like them or not - and I don’t - the Tea Party is a valid political group. I presume\* they have been made aware of the dual nature of the term “tea bagger” and have asked to be referred to differently. It would be rude and churlish not to do so in the same way some conservatives habitually refer to the “Democrat party”. If they ask to be called “The Tea Party” or “Tea Partiers”, fine. Just like if my co-worker asks me to call him Jonathan rather than Jon, it would be rude of me not to do so. Now if my co-worker Jonathan asked me to call him Ralph the Wonder Llama of Ceylon, I’d probably say no. Similarly, if the Tea Party asked to be called “The Best Political Party on the Planet, Inc.”, we’d probably still call them the Tea Party. But I’m not going to be insulting just for the sake of it. It was funny when it was pointed out, we all had a good laugh and that was it. - I don’t actually know that, but I can’t imagine they haven’t said something by now. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/43 "2011-08-15T05:21:15Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Yes, it’s an insult. I snickered the first four or five times I heard it. Then it got old. No, I don’t use it. As annoying as I find Tea Party rhetoric, I prefer civil discourse. > > And unicorns. Unicorns are awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/44 "2011-08-15T10:09:07Z")
I’m willing to bet that the use of the descriptive “Teabagger” wouldn’t be used nearly so much if they hadn’t actually used the word (incorrectly) themselves, first. That’s what makes it so amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/45 "2011-08-15T10:35:04Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Umm, no. In fact, from what I can see they have never called themselves “teabaggers”. They did refer to the act of “tea bag” yes, but not 'teabaggers". At least not in any numbers. That’s rather pointless hairsplitting, don’t you think? It’s a akin to saying, “Whoah, there, I may teach for a living, but I’ve never called myself a _teacher_, and I take exception when people call me one.”. I’ll rephrase things for you: Rather, it’s “They’re so out of touch that they didn’t know that to “tea bag” someone is a lewd act, and kept talking about “tea bagging” their political opponents over and over while their detractors laughed at them.”. Does that make a difference? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/46 "2011-08-15T11:55:48Z")
Oh yeh, it’s an insult. How could anyone possibly resist? Look, if you’re in a baseball league, and your opponent just so happened to call themselves the Cleveland Steamers… well, that’s just an insult gift wrapped with a turd ribbon for you right there. ---
**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:** [August 15, 2011, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/47 "2011-08-15T12:17:37Z")
It’s a mild insult, mostly poking with a not-so-sharp stick. It’s amusing, in part, because they used the word first (or some close enough variation that everybody immediately went there), without realizing the sexual connotation. My opponents did something that made themselves look foolish, so part of me enjoyed it. So it’s meant to poke fun, not totally slam. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/48 "2011-08-15T15:20:29Z")
I voted yes–if I were not intending to be derisive (which I hardly ever am when referring to them), I would say “Tea Partier.” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/49 "2011-08-15T15:29:17Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > Like them or not - and I don’t - the Tea Party is a valid political group. I presume\* they have been made aware of the dual nature of the term “tea bagger” and have asked to be referred to differently. I’m reminded of The Daily Show’s comment about the Michele Bachmann Newsweek cover. Making Bachmann look crazy by publishing a weird picture of her is rude and puerile\*. Making her look crazy by publishing the things she’s actually said is fair game. Likewise, calling the Tea Party folk “Teabaggers” or calling Bush “Shrub” is fun but unconstructive. There’s plenty of actual substantive material to work with without resorting to namecalling. \*Although, in all honesty, I’ve never seen a picture of her I’ve considered attractive. It really is the eyes - they’re always open just a little too wide to look normal. But I digress. ---
**Author:** ![HawksPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@HawksPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HawksPath)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/50 "2011-08-15T19:02:33Z")
I think of it as an insulting way to refer to those who follow the “Tea Party” leaders, but to me the sexual insinuation of the term is detached from the insult. I see it more as short hand for crazed, supporter of populist anti-government who would tear it all down to nothing. I don’t actually tend to use the term myself though. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/51 "2011-08-15T21:44:01Z")
“Tea-bagger” is an insult, as is “Tea Party supporter” (or “member”, but they don’t have a formal membership roll, do they?). From my perspective, saying that someone is in some way associated with the Tea Party is an “insult”, in the broader sense of the term, because what they stand for is so reprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/52 "2011-08-15T23:03:20Z")
I have to amend the wording of my vote. I vote that “Yes, it is a Term of Derision”. But I don’t use it, for precisely that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Bosstrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstrain)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/53 "2011-08-15T23:40:10Z")
As my online gamer profile states: ``` "I am Train, destroyer of teabaggers..." oh, am I reading that right?.......sorry......"...destroyer of T-baggers!" ``` (I could not help myself, deepest apologies) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620/54 "2011-08-16T19:32:27Z")
Voted “Yes”, mostly because it doesn’t really matter what word I use, I usually mean it derisively if I’m talking about Tea Party idiots. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-is-teabagger-an-insult/592620.md?page=2)