Posted on 06/28/2013 6:00:09 AM PDT by RummyChick
At the merciful close of key prosecution witness Rachel Jeantel‘s testimony in the trial of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin, defense attorney Don West asked Ms. Jeantel to describe the “culture” that she said uses the word “cracker” to describe white people. “The area I was raised in?” Jeantel asked, to which West replied “Yes.”
As it turns out, in the area in which Rachel Jeantel was raised, the word “cracker” isn’t a racial slur at all, but rather, a proud nod to the region’s history, and one’s own ancestry.
A whole mess of white people like to get worked up about the word “cracker,” some in the mistaken belief that this will somehow result in permission to use the n-word. Here’s a secret for you: you don’t need permission. This is America, go ahead and say it, and in the process, you’ll find out if “cracker” and the n-word are really the same thing.
Some of that worked-upedness has occurred over Rachel Jeantel’s revelation that Trayvon Martin referred to his eventual killer, George Zimmerman, as a “creepy-ass cracker,” which the Zimmerman defense has tried to capitalize on as a sign of racial animus on Mr. Martin’s part. Jeantel denied that there was anything racial about the comment, which many found strange. The term is, indeed, a somewhat derogatory term for white people. However, in Florida, the word “cracker” is anything but.
Many years ago, during a visit to Orlando’s Gatorland, one of the trainers regaled the group of tourists I was with by explaining the origins of the word “cracker” as a description of Floridians of pre-Civil War ancestry. He explained that Florida cowboys used whips to herd cattle, and to scare away gators, and were called “crackers” because of the sound of their incessant whip-cracking. He also explained that although the term is derogatory in much of the country, in Florida, it’s a source of pride.
In fact, the Wikipedia entry for “Cracker (pejorative)” even notes the distinction:
Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a sometimes pejorative expression for white people, especially poor rural whites in the Southern United States. In reference to a native of Florida or Georgia, however, it is sometimes used in a neutral or positive context and is sometimes used self-descriptively with pride.
Now, it is entirely possible that Rachel Jeantel was referring to the common, derogatory use of the word, perhaps even likely, but its also possible that she and/or Trayvon Martin were referring to the non-pejorative use of the word, especially given Jeantel’s insistence that the word isn’t racial, and is region-specific. Don West, who looks like he ought to know the difference, never bothered to ask. It’s possible he just assumed the derogatory meaning, but you’d have to ask him why he would do that, why he would assume that two Florida residents could not have been using a Florida-specific colloquialism.
You are correct, that this is how the term is used by those who are familiar with their history. Let me assure you that Rachel only recognizes the history that has occurred since Nobama took office.
In the UK (UK FReepers please feel free to elucidate) “cracker” might mean the same as “cracking good” (excellent). On one Brit TV show (Manor House) a young man described a young woman who struck his fancy as “cracking good.”
We Americans associated “crack” with excellence also (e.g. a “crack team” meaning an excellent team or a “crack shot” describing a superior marksman).
And of course there is one of our favorite snacks, “Cracker Jack” which means an outstanding foodstuff.
So when that New Black Panther guy said Blacks should kill some Cracker Babies, he meant “proud” babies?
Remember, it isn’t a big deal when THEY do it.
Well played sir, well played indeed.
You know exactly what it meant and that girl on the witness stand never had a clue about the history of the word, and probably would have a hard time spelling it.
That was my point. I knew the origin of the Cracker term from the first time I ever went to Florida back nearly 50 years ago. Back then where I was familiar, most everything between Orlando, which was a sleepy little farm town with a few new outfits servicing the 'space industry', and the Atlantic coast, was orange groves or cattle ranches. Lots of Crackers lived there. It was before the Mouse ate Central Florida.
Damn right you ruffled my feathers. To piss off a conservative, tell a lie.
Your point was to accuse me of saying something I didn’t say. If you bothered to read even one of my posts, you would know your accusation is way off base. I have repeatedly pointed out the difference between “Florida cracker” and “creepy ass cracker.” I don’t know where you got the idea that I said they were same, but you sure as hell didn’t get it from any of my posts.
If you didn’t want a truthful answer to your question, then you shouldn’t have asked it. I’m not the only one who answered your question with the truth.
Looks like I ruffled your feathers too. To piss off a liberal, tell the truth.
Hmmm...Well, ain’t that the deal. Make it crazy, when the truth, already is enough. Dang.
Looks like I accomplished that mission. ;~))
I don't know what you are pissed off about. I'm sure not.
I simply pointed out that even though I'm a hated Yankee, I know what a Cracker is in the historical sense, and I also pointed out that in the 'popular culture' of the 'minority community' from which Travon and his girlfriend emanated, that definition is totally lost on them. They have no clue that there were ever cowboys in Florida or that they used whips that cracked!
A banker from New York who never saw a cow in his life unless it was done medium well at Ruth Cris' is also a Cracker to them. It's all about the color of the skin to them. Nothing more and nothing less.
What don't you get and why are you pissed?
What I don’t get is why you lied about what I said, and why you don’t understand why conservatives don’t like being lied to or about.
So when giving someone a compliant, is it routine to begin that compliment with the term “creepy ass”?
whatever
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