# The SDMB needs to have a banned words list **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 20, 2023, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494 "2023-01-20T04:55:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/121 "2023-01-27T16:01:51Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Absolutely every person on the planet can do this (and probably does) in one way or another. Have you never heard the term, “matter of degree”. And in our society, that degree is determined by the perceived race of a person. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/122 "2023-01-27T19:26:42Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Some people are able to live lives in a bubble that automatically shields them from learning certain unpleasant things. Sure, but that term “uppity Negro” or whatever has not been in common use for decades. I suspect many of the younger generation have never heard it- and that’s a Good Thing. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’m pretty damn privileged. If you were born in the USA or any of a handful of other nations, you are privileged. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/123 "2023-01-27T19:40:19Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If you were born in the USA or any of a handful of other nations, you are privileged. I’m not sure Black people in the US would necessarily agree. I would guess it is all relative. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/124 "2023-01-27T19:41:43Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I’m not sure Black people in the US would necessarily agree. As opposed to black people born in Nigeria or Somalia? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/125 "2023-01-27T20:06:29Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > As opposed to black people born in Nigeria or Somalia? You said: > @DrDeth If you were born in the USA or any of a handful of other nations, you are privileged. If you are going to hold me to it list the privileged nations Black people are lucky to be born in. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/126 "2023-01-27T20:10:17Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > If you are going to hold me to it list the privileged nations. Come on, you cannot be this obtuse. There are all different kinds of privilege that we may have _relative_ to other people - deriving from race, gender, economic status, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/127 "2023-01-27T20:11:45Z")
I’m not feeling so great about calling out Whack-a-Mole to the extent that has been done. I just came across a GD post of his from 5 years ago [Colorado baker sued again - #55 by Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-baker-sued-again/819732/55) where he explains the history of Jim Crow and the Green Book to someone. This is a man who knows Black American history. He’s totally on the side of good here. That he missed out on recognizing a racist word should give us pause for thought. Even the best of us can fuck up once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/128 "2023-01-27T20:11:50Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Come on, you cannot be this obtuse. I’m not. @DrDeth said it. Not me. He made no claim to what is _relatively_ better. And while the US is probably “better” than living somewhere like Somalia I am not sure that is making a worthwhile point. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/129 "2023-01-27T20:15:30Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I’m not. @DrDeth said it. Not me. Ah, I apologize. I missed the context there. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/130 "2023-01-27T20:18:20Z")
And we shan’t mention the long history of ‘You’re better off a slave in America than free in Africa!’ used by racists to excuse things like slavery and Jim Crow. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2023, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/131 "2023-01-27T20:45:15Z")
A quick Google search on uppity + Obama. About 13 results (0.25 seconds) [ ### What are we going to do about uppity black women? - In My Humble … [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › what-are-we-going-to… ]([What are we going to do about uppity black women?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-going-to-do-about-uppity-black-women/603780)) The question is, what the hell is there to cheer for when Miss _Obama_ and Ms. Biden show up?” … They understand it’s a little bit of _uppity_-ism.”. [ ### And so the “code words” begin. - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope … [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › and-so-the-code-word… ]([And so the "code words" begin.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-so-the-code-words-begin/462066)) Georgia Congressman refers to _Obama_ as “_uppity_. … Referring to a black guy as _uppity_ is not exactly code, it is blatantly racist. It gets even better. [ ### Obama be shuckin’ ‘n’ jivin’, dontchyaknow! - The BBQ Pit [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › obama-be-shuckin-n-j… ]([Obama be shuckin' 'n' jivin', dontchyaknow!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784)) Oct 25, 2012 — President _Obama’s_ shuck and jive shtick with these Benghazi lies must end. What a fucking ignorant, hateful piece of shit. [ ### What exactly is ‘elitism’? (Not a rhetorical question.) - Great Debates … [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › what-exactly-is-elitis… ]([What exactly is 'elitism'? (Not a rhetorical question.)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-elitism-not-a-rhetorical-question/448269?page=3)) In _Obama’s_ case, “elitist” is a code word for “_uppity_.” Ex-fucking-actly. And the Clinton team is well aware of this. They know full well that … [ ### Truth Or UL: 1950’s Naval Captain Gets Comeuppance On … [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › truth-or-ul-1950s-nav… ]([Truth Or UL: 1950's Naval Captain Gets Comeuppance On Demanding, Uppity Socialite](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-or-ul-1950s-naval-captain-gets-comeuppance-on-demanding-uppity-socialite/728277)) Aug 19, 2015 — Truth Or UL: 1950’s Naval Captain Gets Comeuppance On Demanding, _Uppity_ Socialite … And 3 years later Barack _Obama_ was born. [ ### People who make such poorly thought-out arguments that … [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › people-who-make-suc… ]([People who make such poorly thought-out arguments that they do their "side" a disservice](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-make-such-poorly-thought-out-arguments-that-they-do-their-side-a-disservice/596117)) Sep 13, 2011 — … republicans by saying something like, “Oh, you don’t care for _Obama’s_ economic policy? It’s because he’s an _uppity_ nger, isn’t it? [ ### Perception gap quiz - In My Humble Opinion (IMHO) [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › perception-gap-quiz ]([Perception gap quiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perception-gap-quiz/943501?page=3)) Jun 3, 2021 — … like “Barack _Obama_ is a flawed person,” or some other icon of the left, … to asking “Do you think the darkies are getting too _uppity_? [ ### The Biden Administration - Politics & Elections [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › the-biden-administrati… ]([The Biden Administration - the first 1,500 days [NOT an Afghanistan discussion]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057)) Nov 8, 2020 — I think one of the first things he needs to do is hang _Obama’s_ portrait … Joe doesn’t hit the _Uppity_ Negro Muslim hot button or the _Uppity_ … [ ### The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › the-trump-administrat… ]([The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070?page=423)) Jul 22, 2017 — :smack: Dear Mr. _Obama_: You Are Still the President My bold. … Especially those _uppity_ Dreamers! Put that restitution money back in the … [ ### Butt-Hurt Trump Takes to Twitter Again (Part 1) - The BBQ Pit [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › butt-hurt-trump-takes… ]([Butt-Hurt Trump Takes to Twitter Again (Part 1)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/butt-hurt-trump-takes-to-twitter-again-part-1/772428?page=341)) May 20, 2019 — I’m sure he refers to white people as _uppity_ all the time. … be a redneck if you had conniption fits when _Obama_ got elected president”. [ ### Finn Again’s Wake - The BBQ Pit [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › finn-agains-wake ]([Finn Again's Wake](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finn-agains-wake/532923?page=43)) Apr 15, 2010 — -Eric Lynn, _Obama’s_ liaison to the Jewish community who helped sell … his politics and we know that any _uppity_ kyke bastard who doesn’t … [ ### Harding was a Klansman - Straight Dope Message Board [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › harding-was-a-klansm… ]([Harding was a Klansman](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harding-was-a-klansman/423276)) Oct 19, 2007 — Wasn’t the problem that traffic lights are coloured, and they didn’t want coloured people getting _uppity_ by thinking … Or Barack _Obama_.). [ ### Lyndon LaRouche? Scientology? - Great Debates [https://boards.straightdope.com](https://boards.straightdope.com) › lyndon-larouche-scie… ]([Lyndon LaRouche? Scientology?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyndon-larouche-scientology/345307)) Feb 20, 2006 — … under U.S. control after Noriega starting getting _uppity_ and Hong … when they wound up with Alan Keyes to run against Barak _Obama_. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/132 "2023-01-29T19:41:24Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Come on, you cannot be this obtuse. There are all different kinds of privilege that we may have _relative_ to other people - deriving from race, gender, economic status, etc. Of course there are. But being born in a First world nation is one of them. Being Rich is another… and more of course, including race, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/133 "2023-01-29T19:50:15Z")
I always associated “uppity” as a word used mostly in the southern part of the country, and not just as a racial connection. Seems to be on a par with “jumped-up”, as in “jumped-up white trash”, referring to someone acting above their station in life. It’s certainly a flashpoint word when in a racial connotation. I also disagree with a word list. Many of us remember the censoring of the BBQ Pit, which did NOT go over well, and the relief when it was done away with. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/134 "2023-01-29T22:20:53Z")
This exchange goes to show why intersectional theory is so important. It can obviate needless arguments caused by misunderstandings of complexity. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/135 "2023-07-25T20:04:38Z")
Seems like one person’s interpretation and use of language is biased by their own background and personal history, which may nor may not be consistent with another’s history. Just because one person finds word usage to be egregious, doesn’t necessarily make it so in a general sense. Moderators should be careful to not imbue their own personal biases into their moderation. A simple dialogue through the message option or a comment that “some people” may take offense should suffice. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/136 "2023-07-25T20:28:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I always associated “uppity” as a word used mostly in the southern part of the country, and not just as a racial connection. The vast majority of the time I hear it these days is putting words in people’s mouths. I am surprised that one of the quotes given above was actually someone using the term in earnest. It’s a strawman, of course. Take a loaded phrase and pretend that the person in question unashamedly used the blatantly racist phrase, and then knock them down for being so brazenly racist for saying something they never said. It varies by phrase of course. Using the “n”-word doesn’t occur very much on these boards as a pejorative but then again neither does its use as a strawman. But the term “illegals” unfortunately still has some currency in the past few years, both as people uttering it as a pejorative and people using it as a strawman. And people _defend_ this use in order to argue against a list of “banned words”. They say “well, if certain words are banned, I can’t even pretend that people said them when they didn’t!” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/137 "2023-07-26T07:19:09Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > both as people uttering it as a pejorative and people using it as a strawman. This confuses me, is it used regularly or is it used as a strawman? I don’t understand how it can be both. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/138 "2023-07-26T10:42:10Z")
Occasionally people do use the words unironically. But more often, a _different_ person will have a beef with a Black person, and someone will imply that it is due to racism by saying something like “Well I guess they don’t want him to be ‘u\*\*\*\*\*\*’”, even though that particular person never said that. Now, a lot of the time the situation _does_ seem motivated by racism, but using contemptible phrases\* is worse than not using them, so putting words in their mouth is still making them out to be worse than they are. \*And the attitudes you portray by using them such as implying that certain people do not deserve success or are sub human. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/139 "2023-07-26T11:12:47Z")
The whole idea of “bad” words seems strange to me. What’s wrong with people invalidating their own arguments by self-identifying as a racist/misogynistic/whatever asshole? Do you know how much time that would save? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494/140 "2023-07-26T15:38:25Z")
To @The_Librarian’s point, I think there are two reasons. One, posters and readers are going to see that language used, even if challenged, and feel they are under attack. Second, since you can’t directly attack back when someone uses racist/misogynistic/whatever language. Or at least you can’t call them a bigot/racist/whatever in return without running afoul of the mods. So people end up in the Pit, or endlessly trying to refute the aforementioned asshole while others will White Knight the asshole in the name of free speech or JAQ. Not that I’m saying that banned words is a _better_ answer, and I’m glad that overall, the mods do a pretty good job of applying the “don’t be a jerk” rule for repeat assholes. Just that there will always people who defend them, and those that feel they should have gotten the boot earlier. See our recent “Ban Amnesty” thread for examples of both. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-needs-to-have-a-banned-words-list/978494.md?page=8)