"Tired of the Wet Backs?"

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MrPickins

Diamond Member
May 24, 2003
9,125
792
126
Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
While I agree with you Mosh. I grew up in Texas, and have heard this phrase to refer to Hispanics quite often and always with a degree of prejudice.
To think that no one bothered to consider that the use of the term at all in any manner, especially where there is a fairly large Hispanic population, would offend someone is naive.

QFT.

I grew up in a south TX town with 50% hispanic population. Calling someone a beautiful ray of sunshine there is likely to earn you an ass whoopin'.

FWIW, I'm white.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
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Originally posted by: Tiamat
lol, i never heard of that racial slur. WHOOPS!

Ever see the "porch monkey" scene in Clerks II? Hilarious :laugh:
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91
Originally posted by: MotionMan
In looking at the ad, I do not think that Hispanics should get offended. However, given the current state of the PC world, the author should have known that he was going to catch hell for the ad.

There is plenty of stupid to go around on this one.

MotionMan

Who are you to say that they shouldn't be offended? Are you the Racial Slur Sheriff?

 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91
Originally posted by: MrPickins
Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
While I agree with you Mosh. I grew up in Texas, and have heard this phrase to refer to Hispanics quite often and always with a degree of prejudice.
To think that no one bothered to consider that the use of the term at all in any manner, especially where there is a fairly large Hispanic population, would offend someone is naive.

QFT.

I grew up in a south TX town with 50% hispanic population. Calling someone a beautiful ray of sunshine there is likely to earn you an ass whoopin'.

FWIW, I'm white.

I agree. It's astounding how many people in this thread are ignorant to this display of ignorance.
 

tfinch2

Lifer
Feb 3, 2004
22,114
1
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Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: MrPickins
Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
While I agree with you Mosh. I grew up in Texas, and have heard this phrase to refer to Hispanics quite often and always with a degree of prejudice.
To think that no one bothered to consider that the use of the term at all in any manner, especially where there is a fairly large Hispanic population, would offend someone is naive.

QFT.

I grew up in a south TX town with 50% hispanic population. Calling someone a beautiful ray of sunshine there is likely to earn you an ass whoopin'.

FWIW, I'm white.

I agree. It's astounding how many people in this thread are ignorant to this display of ignorance.

I am Hispanic and I think it's funny.
 

TheNinja

Lifer
Jan 22, 2003
12,207
1
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Maybe he was just bragging that his convertibles don't leak whereas some might leak in the rain and give you a wet back?
 

MrPickins

Diamond Member
May 24, 2003
9,125
792
126
Originally posted by: LoKe
It was obviously intentional, or it would have been "Tired of Wet Backs?", without "the".

"Tired of having a wet back?" would also have been much more appropriate, IMO.
 

HammerCurl

Senior member
Apr 3, 2007
651
0
0
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Train wreck thread full of morons who think it's OK because:

1) They are acting dumb and claiming to not see the use of Wet Backs is clearly used in the context related to South American immigrants.
2) It's 'OK' to rag on Hispanics.
3) People are closed minded bigots most of the time.

If the car ad was worded properly it should have been, 'Tired of a wet back???'. Using 'The' clearly addresses a group, not an individual or an individual experience, which having a wet back in a car can only ever be.

Twenty blinkered dipshits will disagree with me and nit pick my post after this, but it won't change a thing. It was a deliberate use of a political hot potato to sell cars. Pretty fucking sad.

I was worried when I made my post about the word "the" that I'd be attacked for nitpicking about insignificant words, like Bill Clinton questioning what the definition of the word "is" is. I'm glad that someone else has enough familiarity with the English language to recognize that the word was out of place. It always amazes me how many people choose to be blind and ignorant in threads about racism. It's as if people refuse to accept that racism still exists.

I like you guys.

*Edit, That does read like sarcasm but its not.
 

TheAdvocate

Platinum Member
Mar 7, 2005
2,561
7
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Originally posted by: LoKe
It was obviously intentional, or it would have been "Tired of Wet Backs?", without "the".

Ding Ding! WINNAR.

I love tight, concise logic like this.

BTW Pickins, I grew up in a very racially insensitive area, and I learned umm "my" definition of it at an early age (gotta lern dem youngins!). Doesn't surprise me that it has two meanings that are both insulting.

I remember having my first negative reaction to that type of generalization, even if I had no idea how to articulate how it bugged me. As a kid, I had plenty of people I didn't like, but the reasons were all very particular to the individuals. Which comedian said something like: racism, etc "makes no sense, cause there are so many perfectly good reasons to hate people"? Carlin maybe?


 
Aug 23, 2000
15,509
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Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend
Originally posted by: Ktulu
Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend
Originally posted by: Ktulu
Originally posted by: buck
Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend
This is fucking ridiculous.

Edit: The 'public outcry,' not the headline.

Almost forgot it's ok to offend Hispanics on AT.

How is this offensive to hispanics? If anything, it's offensive to backs.

I guess you wouldn't understand if you're not Hispanic.

People have used 'wet backs' in many sentences since before 'wetbacks' was even considered offensive. If I said, 'My children have wet backs." Would that be offensive? Grow some thicker skin.

Depends on if you are refering to their backs being wet or if they are grown up and have people mowing their yards.
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91
Originally posted by: tfinch2
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: MrPickins
Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
While I agree with you Mosh. I grew up in Texas, and have heard this phrase to refer to Hispanics quite often and always with a degree of prejudice.
To think that no one bothered to consider that the use of the term at all in any manner, especially where there is a fairly large Hispanic population, would offend someone is naive.

QFT.

I grew up in a south TX town with 50% hispanic population. Calling someone a beautiful ray of sunshine there is likely to earn you an ass whoopin'.

FWIW, I'm white.

I agree. It's astounding how many people in this thread are ignorant to this display of ignorance.

I am Hispanic and I think it's funny.

:cookie: for you.

For every one Hispanic that doesn't find it offensive, their may be 20 that would beat the shit out of you if someone called them a beautiful ray of sunshine.

At the risk of getting flamed to hell for this, some people here are hiding behind the "America is too PC" shield to in attempt deny others from calling "foul" when a genuine concern is raised.

And to go one step further, I'd say that many Caucasian Americans are so pissed off with the state of political correctness and racial "imbalance" in this country that they have no tolerance for any kind of seemingly "whining" by minority groups -- no matter how offense or distasteful their claims may be.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: tfinch2
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: MrPickins
Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
While I agree with you Mosh. I grew up in Texas, and have heard this phrase to refer to Hispanics quite often and always with a degree of prejudice.
To think that no one bothered to consider that the use of the term at all in any manner, especially where there is a fairly large Hispanic population, would offend someone is naive.

QFT.

I grew up in a south TX town with 50% hispanic population. Calling someone a beautiful ray of sunshine there is likely to earn you an ass whoopin'.

FWIW, I'm white.

I agree. It's astounding how many people in this thread are ignorant to this display of ignorance.

I am Hispanic and I think it's funny.

:cookie: for you.

For every one Hispanic that doesn't find it offensive, their may be 20 that would beat the shit out of you if someone called them a beautiful ray of sunshine.

At the risk of getting flamed to hell for this, some people here are hiding behind the "America is too PC" shield to in attempt deny others from calling "foul" when a genuine concern is raised.

And to go one step further, I'd say that many Caucasian Americans are so pissed off with the state of political correctness and racial "imbalance" in this country that they have no tolerance for any kind of seemingly "whining" by minority groups -- no matter how offense or distasteful their claims may be.

Well said.
 

MotionMan

Lifer
Jan 11, 2006
17,124
12
81
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: MotionMan
In looking at the ad, I do not think that Hispanics should get offended. However, given the current state of the PC world, the author should have known that he was going to catch hell for the ad.

There is plenty of stupid to go around on this one.

MotionMan

Who are you to say that they shouldn't be offended? Are you the Racial Slur Sheriff?

I am not alone in my opinion:

Originally posted by: tfinch2

I am Hispanic and I think it's funny.


Blacks call each other n***r, Jews love Mel Brooks movies that make fun of Jews. I would not doubt that Hispanics call each other "wetbacks".

All this PC getting offended by everything has run its course with me. All the minorities have used up their "Getting Offended Quota" as far as I am concerned. They need to stop looking for racism where it is not and concentrate on where it actually is.

That being said, however, as I stated before, given the current state of the PC world, the author should have known that he was going to catch hell for the ad (and probably did mean the double meaning).

MotionMan

EDIT: NFS4 was talking about me.
 

tfinch2

Lifer
Feb 3, 2004
22,114
1
0
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: tfinch2
Originally posted by: NFS4
Originally posted by: MrPickins
Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
While I agree with you Mosh. I grew up in Texas, and have heard this phrase to refer to Hispanics quite often and always with a degree of prejudice.
To think that no one bothered to consider that the use of the term at all in any manner, especially where there is a fairly large Hispanic population, would offend someone is naive.

QFT.

I grew up in a south TX town with 50% hispanic population. Calling someone a beautiful ray of sunshine there is likely to earn you an ass whoopin'.

FWIW, I'm white.

I agree. It's astounding how many people in this thread are ignorant to this display of ignorance.

I am Hispanic and I think it's funny.

:cookie: for you.

For every one Hispanic that doesn't find it offensive, their may be 20 that would beat the shit out of you if someone called them a beautiful ray of sunshine.

At the risk of getting flamed to hell for this, some people here are hiding behind the "America is too PC" shield to in attempt deny others from calling "foul" when a genuine concern is raised.

And to go one step further, I'd say that many Caucasian Americans are so pissed off with the state of political correctness and racial "imbalance" in this country that they have no tolerance for any kind of seemingly "whining" by minority groups -- no matter how offense or distasteful their claims may be.

A term is as offensive as you make it. Yeah it's something the guy shouldn't have said, but for people to be so furious over it is stupid.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Originally posted by: NFS4

:cookie: for you.

For every one Hispanic that doesn't find it offensive, their may be 20 that would beat the shit out of you if someone called them a beautiful ray of sunshine.

At the risk of getting flamed to hell for this, some people here are hiding behind the "America is too PC" shield to in attempt deny others from calling "foul" when a genuine concern is raised.

And to go one step further, I'd say that many Caucasian Americans are so pissed off with the state of political correctness and racial "imbalance" in this country that they have no tolerance for any kind of seemingly "whining" by minority groups -- no matter how offense or distasteful their claims may be.

I agree with everything you've said, and I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.

I know there are cases when claims of racism are unfounded. But we shouldn't just dismiss all claims of racism as thin-skinnedness (I made that word up). If someone is a racist, they deserve to be called out for it.
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91
Originally posted by: MotionMan
Blacks call each other n***r, Jews love Mel Brooks movies that make fun of Jews. I would not doubt that Hispanics call each other "wetbacks".

All this PC getting offended by everything has run its course with me. All the minorities have used up their "Getting Offended Quota" as far as I am concerned. They need to stop looking for racism where it is not and concentrate on where it actually is.

That being said, however, as I stated before, given the current state of the PC world, the author should have known that he was going to catch hell for the ad (and probably did mean the double meaning).

MotionMan

Hmmmm, I guess my commentary a few posts up was spot on.

My work here is done.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Originally posted by: MotionMan
All this PC getting offended by everything has run its course with me. All the minorities have used up their "Getting Offended Quota" as far as I am concerned. They need to stop looking for racism where it is not and concentrate on where it actually is.

That being said, however, as I stated before, given the current state of the PC world, the author should have known that he was going to catch hell for the ad (and probably did mean the double meaning).

MotionMan

EDIT: NFS4 was talking about me.

The two bolded sections of your post are incongruous.
 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
81
Originally posted by: MotionMan

Originally posted by: tfinch2

I am Hispanic and I think it's funny.


Blacks call each other n***r, Jews love Mel Brooks movies that make fun of Jews. I would not doubt that Hispanics call each other "wetbacks".

tfinch2, you are but one man and do not speak for the sensibilities of all your race.

MM, it's all in the tone and context those words are used. Blacks dropping N-bombs on each other in the course of casual conversation are typically being social rather than judgmental. Of course it's seen as racist coming from a white to a black simply because of its history, from the mouths of whites it was judgmental.
 

MotionMan

Lifer
Jan 11, 2006
17,124
12
81
Originally posted by: NFS4
At the risk of getting flamed to hell for this, some people here are hiding behind the "America is too PC" shield to in attempt deny others from calling "foul" when a genuine concern is raised.

There are way too many minorities crying wolf for the rest of us to care anymore.

MotionMan