Rep. Westmoreland (GA) - Obama "uppity"

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Balt

Lifer
Mar 12, 2000
12,673
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Originally posted by: sammyunltd
Uppity is in the dictionary. There is just no racist connotation. This is a pure invention from the DP and the Obama Campaign.

Sorry, no. What you mean is that there is no racist denotation because it isn't in the dictionary. There is definitely a racist connotation because I knew the word was a faux pas when it's said about black people a long time before this incident ever came up. Just because you don't know about it doesn't mean it is "pure invention".

I've lived in the South my entire life, I'm much younger than Westmoreland, and I know exactly what that connotation is. People who are claiming he had no idea are just embarrassing themselves.

Did he consciously mean to say it? Probably not. Did he subconsciously associate the word with a black person? Probably. If he were talking about a white person he probably would have called them "aloof" or "a snob".

Haven't you people ever seen Blazing Saddles? Directly from the movie: "That uppity ni**er went and hit me on the head with a shovel. I'd sure appreciate it if you'd hang him by the neck til he was dead."

Anyway, regardless of all that the guy is just one dumb Congressman out of the many that exist on both sides of the aisle. It's not really a newsworthy story that he's a dope.
 

yuppiejr

Golden Member
Jul 31, 2002
1,317
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Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: sammyunltd
Uppity is in the dictionary. There is just no racist connotation. This is a pure invention from the DP and the Obama Campaign.

I suppose the Holocaust never happened, either?

Did you hurt your back with that stretch?
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
59,208
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Originally posted by: yuppiejr
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: sammyunltd
Uppity is in the dictionary. There is just no racist connotation. This is a pure invention from the DP and the Obama Campaign.

I suppose the Holocaust never happened, either?

Did you hurt your back with that stretch?

Not at all. Not much of a stretch to completely deny the history of a word just because you don't know about it or to deny a historical event took place because you don't believe it.
Would you prefer it if I'd said "We never landed on the moon either, huh?"
Either way, it misses the point, Poindexter, I wasn't actually suggesting he doesn't believe in the Holocaust, I'm glad you're familiar with hyperbole.
 

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
16,606
4,699
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Originally posted by: sammyunltd
Uppity is in the dictionary. There is just no racist connotation.


See, that's what you get for reading books rather than burning them.
 

KK

Lifer
Jan 2, 2001
15,903
4
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Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Originally posted by: KK
Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Originally posted by: KK
Like I said before, the only non-black people that knew it was racist are racists themselves.
Because we didn't live a sheltered life and had the misfortune of hearing it used by Racists in a derogatory way to describe blacks who didn't know their place? WTF kind of pretzel logic is that?

I guess I don't hang out around the same kind of folks you do.I guess I am sheltered.
I'm thinking more along the lines of you being a liar.

Think what you want, I doubt anything I say will change your mind, nor do I really care if you do. What I'd like to know is, why you think I'm lying in that before this thread, I've never heard that term used with any racial meaning?
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
59,208
13,801
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Originally posted by: KK
Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Originally posted by: KK
Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Originally posted by: KK
Like I said before, the only non-black people that knew it was racist are racists themselves.
Because we didn't live a sheltered life and had the misfortune of hearing it used by Racists in a derogatory way to describe blacks who didn't know their place? WTF kind of pretzel logic is that?

I guess I don't hang out around the same kind of folks you do.I guess I am sheltered.
I'm thinking more along the lines of you being a liar.

Think what you want, I doubt anything I say will change your mind, nor do I really care if you do. What I'd like to know is, why you think I'm lying in that before this thread, I've never heard that term used with any racial meaning?

Maybe he's not particularly happy with you having indirectly called him a racist.
 

jonks

Lifer
Feb 7, 2005
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I took an imaginary poll. Turns out that 87% of people who "didn't know" uppity is historically linked as a reference to blacks who were perceived as acting above their station also believe that:

a) ID is a valid alternative scientific theory to evolution and should be taught in biology,
b) a person's patriotism is directly proportional to the number of flag pins, flags, and country music albums they own,
c) Iraq attacked us on 9/11, and
d) you can catch "the gay".

This poll has a margin of error of +/- .666%

Exhibit A
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
36,673
28,826
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Originally posted by: jonks
I took an imaginary poll. Turns out that 87% of people who "didn't know" uppity is historically linked as a reference to blacks who were perceived as acting above their station also believe that:

a) ID is a valid alternative scientific theory to evolution and should be taught in biology,
b) a person's patriotism is directly proportional to the number of flag pins, flags, and country music albums they own,
c) Iraq attacked us on 9/11, and
d) you can catch "the gay".

This poll has a margin of error of +/- .666%

Exhibit A
Touche :thumbsup:

 

Zorba

Lifer
Oct 22, 1999
15,235
10,810
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My wife and I grew up in Oklahoma (born in the early '80s) and neither of us have ever heard that it was a racist term before. The only context I can recall hearing it in is when someone is a snob. I've also heard people using it to describe snobby parts of town, like "The restaurants in Hyde Park are just too uppity for me."

Working manual labor jobs through HS and college I worked with a bunch of racists, but don't ever remember uppity being used this way. Maybe the context is just lost on my generation.

EDIT: BTW: I am sensitive to its history, just never heard of it in that context before.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
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Originally posted by: yuppiejr
Originally posted by: CallMeJoe
Representative Lynn Westmoreland (R - Ga):

Just from what little I?ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they?re a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they?re uppity

CNN link

How can someone from Georgia claim not to know the term "uppity" has racial overtones and keep a straight face? I hope Senator McCain mans up and puts this neo-Klan moron in his place. There's no place for this crap in 21st century America!

(Or am I hopelessly naive?)

edit: fixed missing " in title

Interesting, I honestly had no clue "uppity" had racial overtones until I read this thread - I always thought it was a term for someone who came across as having a superiority complex, etc...

You had me to this point, ready to explain to you that the word has multiple uses, some racial and some not, but the racist use is one.

But then you give yourself away. If you really just didn't know, you would accept the fact it has a racist use, but instead you attack the issue, calling it "PC bullshit".

Sounds like more PC bullshit to me from people who are looking for any and all excuses to keep racial sensitivity front and center in this election and not focused on issues.

You don't sound too concerned about the racist 'codewoards' being used, however much history there is with the word. Too much trouble to google 'uppity blacks (or the n word)?
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
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LOL, you guys are just simply too much.

Wait! I used "simply" so now I used a term describing simple people!!!! Hurry up and lynch me!!!!

Oh, that's right. It doesn't work that way. I know it seems like trolling, but come on. You guys are trying to play the racist card where there was none at all. As Carter said "such a good black BOY!"

As far as I know even Obama's campaign views this as a non-problem. Or is his grandma just being a "typical white person".
 
Sep 12, 2004
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Originally posted by: outriding
I cannot believe the amount of people who have not seen Blazing Saddles...

Uppity N***** hit me with a shovel

IMDB
More likely those arguing that "uppity" is racist HAVE seen Blazing Saddles, as I mentioned long ago in this thread. The problem is that if you rely on an old comedy as a history lesson then you probably don't have any sense of real history in the first pace.
 

First

Lifer
Jun 3, 2002
10,518
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Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Originally posted by: outriding
I cannot believe the amount of people who have not seen Blazing Saddles...

Uppity N***** hit me with a shovel

IMDB
More likely those arguing that "uppity" is racist HAVE seen Blazing Saddles, as I mentioned long ago in this thread. The problem is that if you rely on an old comedy as a history lesson then you probably don't have any sense of real history in the first pace.

Whether that movie is someone's only knowledge of the racist association the term uppity has, is entirely irrelevant; what matters is whether uppity has a racist connotation or not, and since it does it is entirely clear Westmoreland doesn't have a fucking clue. Which was obvious a good 2-3 years ago at minimum.
 

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,161
7
0
Can uppity ever be used in a context that is NOT racist??

You guys complain about how Republicans trample on the constitution, but then you run around acting as the thought police.
 

First

Lifer
Jun 3, 2002
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And while uppity is certainly a word used in somewhat common circumstances, you'd have to be beyond stupid to not know about it's history in Georgia or be sensitized to it at the very least if you're from said state. And since Westmoreland both didn't apologize for using the term and has never been the sharpest tool in the shed, this is a pretty open and shut case of poor critical thinking skills and/or bigotry. Open and shut among the intelligent, that is.
 
Sep 12, 2004
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Originally posted by: Evan Lieb
Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Originally posted by: outriding
I cannot believe the amount of people who have not seen Blazing Saddles...

Uppity N***** hit me with a shovel

IMDB
More likely those arguing that "uppity" is racist HAVE seen Blazing Saddles, as I mentioned long ago in this thread. The problem is that if you rely on an old comedy as a history lesson then you probably don't have any sense of real history in the first pace.

Whether that movie is someone's only knowledge of the racist association the term uppity has, is entirely irrelevant; what matters is whether uppity has a racist connotation or not, and since it does it is entirely clear Westmoreland doesn't have a fucking clue. Which was obvious a good 2-3 years ago at minimum.
So whether or not they got their information from a Hollywood comedy doesn't matter? Wow!

Has anyone even bothered to look at the etymology of "uppity?"

http://www.etymonline.com/inde...uppity&searchmode=term

1880, from up; originally used by blacks of other blacks felt to be too self-assertive (first recorded use is in "Uncle Remus"). The parallel British variant uppish (1678) originally meant "lavish;" the sense of "conceited, arrogant" being first recorded 1734.
 

First

Lifer
Jun 3, 2002
10,518
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Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
So whether or not they got their information from a Hollywood comedy doesn't matter? Wow!

Uh, does this really need to be explained to you? Hollywood comedies will occasionally contain details that are factually accurate in reality; like how drinking alcohol may lower inhibition. Not a hard concept to grasp.

Has anyone even bothered to look at the etymology of "uppity?"

http://www.etymonline.com/inde...uppity&searchmode=term

1880, from up; originally used by blacks of other blacks felt to be too self-assertive (first recorded use is in "Uncle Remus"). The parallel British variant uppish (1678) originally meant "lavish;" the sense of "conceited, arrogant" being first recorded 1734.

That doesn't help your argument. And the connotation of words change over time, further rendering your reference mostly inapplicable.
 
Sep 12, 2004
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Originally posted by: Evan Lieb
Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
So whether or not they got their information from a Hollywood comedy doesn't matter? Wow!

Uh, does this really need to be explained to you? Hollywood comedies will occasionally contain details that are factually accurate in reality; like how drinking alcohol may lower inhibition. Not a hard concept to grasp.

Has anyone even bothered to look at the etymology of "uppity?"

http://www.etymonline.com/inde...uppity&searchmode=term

1880, from up; originally used by blacks of other blacks felt to be too self-assertive (first recorded use is in "Uncle Remus"). The parallel British variant uppish (1678) originally meant "lavish;" the sense of "conceited, arrogant" being first recorded 1734.

That doesn't help your argument. And the connotation of words change over time, further rendering your reference mostly inapplicable.
Well you can continue to spew a claim or actually back it up with proof. I've shown proof. You haven't provided anything other than copious amounts of huffing and puffing.
 

First

Lifer
Jun 3, 2002
10,518
271
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Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Originally posted by: Evan Lieb
Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
So whether or not they got their information from a Hollywood comedy doesn't matter? Wow!

Uh, does this really need to be explained to you? Hollywood comedies will occasionally contain details that are factually accurate in reality; like how drinking alcohol may lower inhibition. Not a hard concept to grasp.

Has anyone even bothered to look at the etymology of "uppity?"

http://www.etymonline.com/inde...uppity&searchmode=term

1880, from up; originally used by blacks of other blacks felt to be too self-assertive (first recorded use is in "Uncle Remus"). The parallel British variant uppish (1678) originally meant "lavish;" the sense of "conceited, arrogant" being first recorded 1734.

That doesn't help your argument. And the connotation of words change over time, further rendering your reference mostly inapplicable.
Well you can continue to spew a claim or actually back it up with proof. I've shown proof. You haven't provided anything other than copious amounts of huffing and puffing.

Haha, I see, you actually don't get what's going on here. The ethmology reference you used above disproves your own BS about the root of uppity; your etymology quote cites the story of Uncle Remus as the first recorded use of the word, a story that is well known as racist and has had to be rewritten in "an effort to elevate the subversive elements over the racist ones" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Remus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Chandler_Harris). Uppity (among other words such as "uncle", "*****", etc.) being one of many racist terms used to describe blacks in Uncle Remus.

Not only did this clearly fly over your head, but best you can come up with as a reply on your horrid point about Hollywood comedies and how they can't possibly be accurate (which is pretty comedic in of itself, though), is to ignore said point entirely. You're too easy dude.
 

Double Trouble

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
9,270
103
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Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: yllus
Originally posted by: loki8481
poor choice of words, but the definition fits.

up·pi·ty (p-t)
adj. Informal
Taking liberties or assuming airs beyond one's station; presumptuous

Forgive a Canadian for perhaps not understanding, but isn't the entire point of "the American Dream" to aspire to be above one's station? Is it uncouth for one who starts off in the middle class to aspire to be, say, the President of the United States?

It's the term elitist that gets me. I WANT the president of my country to be elite. I want him or her to be extremely intelligent and incredibly successful in every aspect of life. <snip>

I know what you're saying, but the term "elitist" does not mean he's "elite" in terms of his abilities/money/success/education etc, it generally is used to mean someone who thinks he's better than others and knows better than they do what needs to be done to/for them. I don't want that kind of elitist in the government, but I do want someone intelligent.

As for the OP: an unfortunate use of words, but comparing it to "the N word" is silly. The "n word" has no non-racist meaning. Uppity is a perfectly acceptable word that unfortunately also has strong racist overtones. I'd generally avoid using it, but the fact is that it's a legitimate word that does not have to be racist.

And yes, based on the definition, both Obama and McCain are uppity.
 

outriding

Diamond Member
Feb 20, 2002
3,387
2,553
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Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Can uppity ever be used in a context that is NOT racist??

You guys complain about how Republicans trample on the constitution, but then you run around acting as the thought police.

What is your first thought when I say...
I saw a guy smoking i love you on the street corner.

Most people in the US would think I am talking about a guy giving oral sex to another guy.

But in England I just saw a guy smoking a cigarette.

Just like realestate it is all about location location location and that word in that part of the world is racists.
 

outriding

Diamond Member
Feb 20, 2002
3,387
2,553
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Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Originally posted by: outriding
I cannot believe the amount of people who have not seen Blazing Saddles...

Uppity N***** hit me with a shovel

IMDB
More likely those arguing that "uppity" is racist HAVE seen Blazing Saddles, as I mentioned long ago in this thread. The problem is that if you rely on an old comedy as a history lesson then you probably don't have any sense of real history in the first pace.

I would not call that old comedy, it is just 30 years old and a movie that Westmoreland probably saw in the theater.

Now if all the the racists undertones in the US goes away (eg KKK and etc) then I would find it ok word to use, but until then it is a word with racist tone to it.
 
Sep 12, 2004
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Originally posted by: Evan Lieb
Haha, I see, you actually don't get what's going on here. The ethmology reference you used above disproves your own BS about the root of uppity; your etymology quote cites the story of Uncle Remus as the first recorded use of the word, a story that is well known as racist and has had to be rewritten in "an effort to elevate the subversive elements over the racist ones" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Remus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Chandler_Harris). Uppity (among other words such as "uncle", "*****", etc.) being one of many racist terms used to describe blacks in Uncle Remus.

Not only did this clearly fly over your head, but best you can come up with as a reply on your horrid point about Hollywood comedies and how they can't possibly be accurate (which is pretty comedic in of itself, though), is to ignore said point entirely. You're too easy dude.
The term "uppity," as the etymology defines it, comes from blacks themselves. Do you not get that part or do you ignore it because it doesn't fit into your narrative of screaming "RACIST!"

Let me put it this way. Would you consider it racist if a black person refers to a white guy a redneck? Do you consider it racist if a black guy refers to another as an "Uncle Tom?" I seriously doubt you would. This "uppity" issue is more about knee-jerk reactions than anything else. Not surprisingly it's being trotted around by the group of usual suspects that have way too much sensitivity and far too little sense. And those same suspects even make excuses when someone on their side uses a term like "black BOY" which demonstrates how partisan in nature this entire issue really is.

So continue down your warpath of partisan hackery if you like and blow this all out of proportion. Apparently you're too stupid to see how transparently moronic you are about so I doubt anything I say will sink into your thick head anyway.