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.
But, of course, over the centuries it has lost its original meaning and is now a pejorative against white people.
This is going to be one sick trial.
Kozak, I’m with you. “Cracker” - I’m loving it. Who knew?
In the Zimmerman/Trayvon trial it doesn’t matter what Floridian whites think “Cracker” means.
It matters what ghetto racists mean when they use it.
(At least that what the liberal media would have us believe)
horses’ backs, not horses backs’. Sheesh. When can we get an edit button?!
This moronic so stupid..I tried to listen to her yesterday and could not make heads or tails out of what they idiot said..I think that is what they want so no one can see how stupid the liar is..She is a racist pig..
And I'm sure this history-loving liberal defends the Confederate Flag on the same basis. /sarc
at your next family gathering you can call your family creepy ass crackers and feel a source of Pride
I never new Miami was considered Georgia or North Florida. That's news to me /sarcasm.
From a post that I just made...
Hi. The term "cracker," came from the state of FL when FL produced the second most cattle in the country. The term is closely associated with "redneck," because the cattlemen cracked their whips to herd the cattle, and had rednecks from staying out in the FL sun.
Almost every black person who is a native Floridian knows what they mean, and that the terms are derogatory.
That dog don't hunt.
5.56mm
This is unadulterated horse shit.
The only possible connection with "Cracker" as a symbol of pride might have been with the "Georgia Crackers" baseball team who regularly played in a stadium near the Ponce De Leon Sears Store.
But all that is long gone. And the black denizens of Atlanta, now having roots in locations throughout the urban north and other non-south places haven't an earthly clue about it.
The stadium, the Sears Store (I was inducted there in 1968), and the Team are generations removed now. You'd have to been born here and be my age to remember it.
The word is a pejorative, just like the N***** word (duplicitously okay for black utterers of the word). This writer is talking out of his butt.
I would rather be a crack-er than a crack-ho...............
Miami is considered South NYC..............
What? Say the N-word and the white crackers who run television, Target, Wal-Mart, etc will fire you and pull your products from the shelves....
A) More excuses from the American Pravda to excuse the would-be killer, and prosecute the man who defended himself.
B)_ "Worked-upedness"? Can we actually master the English language before we write editorials, as opposed to the incoherent mess this man penned?
In the words of the late Andy Griffith.......Gooooooood cracker!..............
Private Joker - You don't very much do you!
He needs to ‘get with the program.’
This moron can’t possibly believe that calling a white person a cracker, especially if the name caller is black, is anything but a repugnant slur?
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