Apologies and Correction For Racial Slur

No malicious intent.

Hey folks,

Anyone who knows me, KNOWS that I am FAR from Racist. Not only do I talk the talk, but I walk the walk. I have taken on organizations and individuals in the past, I have written about Race Relations here many times. I truly believe that if we are to ever have TRUE Equality here in this Country and around the World, we have to start treating EVERYONE Equally. The Good, Bad, and yes, even the Ugly.

I have always called out Racism and those engaged in it whenever it raises it's ugly head. There is still Racism in this Country, and YES, it comes from all sides and in various ways. Whites on Black, Black on White, Mexican on White, White on Mexican, Mexican on Black, ETC. Are the most common. But we also have Racism against Jews {Yes, they ARE a Race of people as well as a Religion} Whenever there is a story about Racism and or Race Relations, I'm quick to discuss it.

So back on March 31, 2009, I posted an Article about how the Gay and Lesbian Communities are starting to feel, well, SCREWED, but Obama. Now he is once again making all these promises to them because he needs the Votes, but they are not buying it this time around. But I was talking about a letter Obama sent promising all this stuff. However, I pointed out his own words saying he is against Gay Marriage and I talked about Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who appeared on "Fox News Sunday," talking about "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?"

Gates says both he and President Barack Obama have "a lot on our plates right now." As Gates puts it, "let's push that one down the road a little bit."

Remember this was 2009. So that was the intent of the Article. Yet, in the Headline, I used a word that appears to be a Racial Slur. I have since changed it, but I wanted to apologize again for the use and let you folks know, YOU may be using it as well.

What do you say when you get shorted? When you do not get the full product you paid for, correct Change, or don't get something you worked hard for? Yeah. That word. Gypped- screwed, gyp, jipped, shorted, ripped off, lied to, swindled, cheated, gipped, hosed, ETC. So the Headline read OPNTalk - "Gays and Lesbians Starting To Feel Gypped By Obama"

So just yesterday morning, I recieved this.

Beznik said...
Seriously fags. I only use that word because I am a Romani, the proper word for Gypsy and you just used a super racist word. You know Obama disappointed us too he said insurance companies are gypping us. Like a fourth of one percent of America groaned. I bet Obama or any serious candidate would never say we got Jewed.

So I looked into this a bit more. According to About.com - Five Terms You Might Not Know Are Racist

"Gypped" is arguably the most commonly used racist term in existence today. If someone buys a used car that turns out to be lemon, for instance, he’s likely to complain, “I got gypped.” So, why is the term offensive? Because it equates the Gypsy, or Roma peoples, with being thieves, cheats and con artists. When someone says that they “got gypped,” they are essentially saying that they were conned.

Explained Jake Bowers, editor of Travellers Times, to British newspaper the Telegraph: “Gypped is an offensive word, it’s derived from Gypsy and it’s being used in the same context as a person might once have said they ‘jewed’ somebody if they did an underhand business transaction.” But don’t take Bowers’ word for it. If you’re still debating whether or not to use the verb “gypped,” consider that Philip Durkin, principal etymologist at the Oxford English Dictionary told the Telegraph that there’s “scholarly consensus” that the word originated as a “racial slur.”

So I look up a few more terms I use from time to time to check and see if I'm a Racist {Smile} and what did I find? In this Politically Correct Society, you can not speak. Period. You may be called out for using an offensive word. Here are just a few I learned are Racist.

ABC (UK and AUS) Childish term for African bum-cleaner, can also be Aboriginal bum-cleaner by Australians. Obviously meant as an insult to any non-white person but in children's playground slang it can refer to anyone.[2] American born Chinese

Ann, Yes ANN, the NAME (North America) A white woman to a black person—or a black woman who acts too much like a white one. While Miss Ann, also just plain Ann, is a derisive reference to the white woman, by extension it is applied to any black woman who puts on airs and tries to act like Miss Ann.

Banana (North America; UK) An Asian person living in a Western country (e.g., an Asian American) who is yellow on the outside, white on the inside. Used primarily by Asians to indicate someone who has lost touch with his or her cultural identity.

Brownie (U.S.) a. a person of mixed white and black ancestry; a mulatto. b. (U.S.) a young, brown-skinned person 1940s–1950s.

Charlie Yes the NAME 1) (African-American, 1960s-1970s) A mildly derogatory term used to refer to white people as a reified collective oppressor group, similar to The Man or The System.

2) (Vietnam War military slang) Non-pejorative slang term used by American troops as a shorthand term for Vietnamese guerrillas. Derived from the verbal shorthand for "Victor Charlie", the NATO phonetic alphabet for VC, the abbreviation for Viet Cong. Other references to the Viet Cong included "Mr. Charles" as a rueful admission of the skill at asymmetric warfare

Coconut (US) A person of Hispanic descent who's accused of acting white.(New Zealand) A Pacific Islander. Named after the coconut, the nut from the coconut palm. (UK) A black person who exhibits behavior associated with caucasians; (US) a black person trying to be 'white'. (South Africa) A black person who acts white

Eskimo A native North American from the northernmost inhabitable areas. In some areas it is considered pejorative,

Frog (Canada, UK and US) A French person. Prior to 19th century, referred to the Dutch (as they were stereotyped as being marsh-dwellers). When France became Britain's main enemy, replacing the Dutch, the epithet transferred to them, due to the French recipe for eating frogs' legs (see comparable French term Rosbif). Also used in Canada to refer to both the French and French Canadians, and occasionally incorrectly as more broadly to people from Quebec who are not, in fact, necessarily French or French speaking

Jock, jocky, jockie (UK) A Scottish person, dialect form of personal name John. Occasionally used by the English as an insult. but also in respectful reference to elite Scottish, particularly Highland troops, e.g. the 9th (Scottish) Division. Same vein as the English insult for the French, as Frogs. (US) an athlete, sometimes used pejoratively, as in "dumb jock" (a reference to an athlete with minimal academic skills, a stereotypical belief being s/he was promoted in school simply due to enhance a particular school athletic program) or "pampered jock" (a reference to an athlete getting preferential treatment due to his/her athletic prowess and notoriety, where such treatment – such as reduced punishment for criminal conduct – would not be provided to a non-athlete similarly situated).

Magic Middle A derogatory term meaning, "White on the outside, black on the inside," in reference to upwardly mobile blacks who affect so-called "white" dress and mannerisms, and are successful in "mainstream" careers. Essentially the opposite of Oreo, the term derives its name from another cookie, Keebler's Magic Middles, which are fudge creme surrounded by white shortbread. Compare Oreo.

It goes on and on and on. So really, if someone wanted to make an issue out of it, they could most likely call you on just about ANYTHING you say. "I had some Oreos and Milk with my kid today." "YOU RACIST. You just said that Blacks who wannabe White were hanging out with Whites. You can't say that. You RACIST." {Sigh}

However, in this case, I can see how it is compared to "Jewed," and for that reason, I apologized again to Beznik, and any other Romanis out there. I changed it to "Screwed" which now that I think about it, works SO much better when talking about Obama to the Gay and Lesbian Community.

Careful out there folks. Careful what you say. That Banana may get you into trouble. Be right back.
Peter

Sources:
OPNTalk - "Gays and Lesbians Starting To Feel Screwed By Obama"
About.com - Five Terms You Might Not Know Are Racist
Wikipedia - List of ethnic slurs