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‘Cracker’ Means Something Entirely Different In Florida: A Source Of ‘Pride’
mediaite ^ | 6/27 | tommy christopher

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.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: obama; zimmerman
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To: RummyChick

Classic SNL Skit - ‘Word Association” with Richard Pryor

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f02d0b8cca/word-association-from-nino


61 posted on 06/28/2013 6:25:28 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Timber Rattler
here is the talking point: CK ‏@GoodGirlRoxy 26m The difference is when I hear the word "cracker" I don't visualize a white person being enslaved, tortured and oppressed for centuries.

----------------

But I think the little thug would have called a Jew a Cracka, too and they have been oppressed longer than black slaves in chains in the US
62 posted on 06/28/2013 6:26:51 AM PDT by RummyChick
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To: RummyChick
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.

And Rachel is so well read she consulted several historical treatises before arriving at her conclusion. /s
(she's effectively illiterate.)

This article should be placed under 'Humor'.

63 posted on 06/28/2013 6:26:53 AM PDT by Vinnie
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To: RummyChick

As a Florida resident, I am well aware of the non-pejorative use of the term.

However, the Non-pejorative does not include the prefix “Creepy Ass”.


64 posted on 06/28/2013 6:28:53 AM PDT by left that other site (You Shall Know the Truth, and the Truth Shall Set You Free...John 8:32)
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To: RummyChick
Oops, it looks like a woman might have been following Martin

Derek Fallon ‏@Derekfallon 2m @SarahJSymonds "cracker" in Ireland is a good looking woman
65 posted on 06/28/2013 6:29:07 AM PDT by RummyChick
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To: RummyChick

Dick Gregory, a black comedian and one-time Presidential candidate, once said, “The word nigger means shiftless and lazy. So there are black niggers and white niggers.”


66 posted on 06/28/2013 6:29:17 AM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, Democrats believe every day is April 15th.)
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To: SamKeck

“Does Paula Deen know about this?”

I bet she knows hr latest bood is on top of Amazon.


67 posted on 06/28/2013 6:31:12 AM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
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To: RummyChick

wait..oh maybe it isn’t a source of Pride
http://globalgrind.com/news/creepy-ass-cracker-t-better-baldwin-blog


68 posted on 06/28/2013 6:31:26 AM PDT by RummyChick
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To: RummyChick

Right. And Martin was just showing how much respect and pride he had in Zimmerman by calling him a cracker. Virtually all the black commentators on tv yesterday said cracker is a racist slur against whites. On the other hand, the white lib-er-al commentators were twisting themselves into pretzels trying to say it isn’t. Piers Morgan even tried to tell a black lib-er-al guest yesterday that cracker wasn’t racist after she said it was.


69 posted on 06/28/2013 6:32:23 AM PDT by chessplayer
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To: RummyChick
Before Trayvon called Zimmerman a creepy ass cracker, he called him a "nigga".

Is that a source of pride for Floridians? If so, why is Paula Deen being persecuted?

70 posted on 06/28/2013 6:32:38 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds.ca)
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To: RummyChick

from the article..LOLOLOL

” It also supports the theory that Blacks do not have the power to be racist. “


71 posted on 06/28/2013 6:33:00 AM PDT by RummyChick
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To: RummyChick
"...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."

When the word "cracker" is preceeded by the modifier "creepy-ass", one can safely assume that the pejorative meaning is intended.

72 posted on 06/28/2013 6:33:12 AM PDT by Wonder Warthog
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To: RummyChick

Why did Paris Lewis exhort his followers to “kill cracker babies” if he thinks they’re good?


73 posted on 06/28/2013 6:34:23 AM PDT by Silentgypsy (You don't like the way I drive? Stay off the sidewalk.)
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To: Proud_texan

My mother used to describe herself as a Florida cracker.


74 posted on 06/28/2013 6:37:31 AM PDT by pbmaltzman
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
So if I said that the N-word means something entirely different to me and is a source of pride, does that mean I get to use it?

Maybe you should ask Paula Dean about that ;-\

75 posted on 06/28/2013 6:37:34 AM PDT by YankeeReb
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To: RummyChick

In Jenteal’s community of racists it used commonly.


76 posted on 06/28/2013 6:37:48 AM PDT by School of Rational Thought
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To: RummyChick
Funny how Zimmerman is 1/8 black but is considered white. You only have to be 1/16 Cherokee or Pomo to be part of their "repective" nations and be eligible for tribal monies.

At what point is someone know longer black in this country and no longer the victim of white oppression...?

77 posted on 06/28/2013 6:37:50 AM PDT by freebilly
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To: RummyChick

I have heard of the cracker history; however, I think Rachel meant it as a slur.


78 posted on 06/28/2013 6:38:10 AM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: C. Edmund Wright
Heck, I thought Zimmerman was a beaner anyway, and not even a crackah.

White-Hispanic is the proper term. You see, the MSM gave him his own special racial category.

79 posted on 06/28/2013 6:39:09 AM PDT by YankeeReb
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To: RummyChick

Cracker means -whip cracker-.

It is a reference to slave owners. It is a racial slur.


80 posted on 06/28/2013 6:39:11 AM PDT by chris37 (Heartless.)
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