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I think the white people are offended by re-appropriation of a slur that is so outdated its comical. Does anybody even swim across the Rio Grand anymore?
is it weird that I am severely offended by this rides name? Maybe I should start my own ride, call it trailer trash tuesday or chinky mondays. What do you think?
a racial slur is a racial slur is a racial slur. I hate to make assumtions bbut for even a mexican to be using this tells me that they don't have insight at all to know what it was like to struggle to persever in this country. Especially having been vcalled this awful word through out my childhood. I apologize for my spelling and gramatical errors. Sometimes emotions get the better of me.
You're not going to reach them through this site; show up to their ride and voice your opinion about the ride's name in a thoughtful, non-confrontational manner.
BMFW responding to a comment by sancho1
11.20.09 - 8:22 pm
my mom snuck across the mexican border through texas. she was called a wetback by my gringo friends when i was a kid. That was lame, hurt my feelings but i couldn't really say anyting, it was true, she did sneak across the border.
I agree with sancho. this is not cool. Some serious ignorance leads to using thins term for fun.
Roadblock had already spoken regarding this trash.... all we have to do is email roadblock and let him know these ignorant kids are posting this garbage again on his site... I'm mexican and I'm offended. I don't care if ur mom crossed the boarder and now you feel entitled to the word. Ur still putting down ur mom with the word that would hurt her feelings if u said it to her face. Que viva la raza.
why is this such a troublesum topic. ive heard about this ride and how it got kicked from the forums. i dont understand why you guys get so pissed over the name of a ride when its a dam mexican who started it? who cares is it really bothering you cats that much? i just dont understand. someones trying to do a ride and you guys get pissed all because of what its called.....kinda weak sauce id go ona ride called wetback wensdays, i love mexicans they my peeps haha
see even your getting angry no need to call me a noob when i ask a simple question. isnt that what a forum is about chat talk about topics and when i ask a dam question i get called a noob ive read everything i know. just dont see what it has to do with the "rules"
If I wrote it NOOB then i would be angry.....noob is a true statement weather or not you see some negative connotation to it is your business.
To answer your question, there was a thread which I linked on my post that had a healthy debate. At the end Road Block made the decision it was not the think we promote here.
Quote from RB:
this is not a road to go down. MR is for the public and regardless of whether its a joke or not, the word is offensive to many people. it's not a good look.
You of course are welcome to promote your ride if you find another name for it, and if you choose not to change the name there are other websites available to promote the ride.
Foldie responding to a comment by rub_my_crank
11.21.09 - 11:08 am
I'll delete the rode in a few. I understand the humor, the devaluation of the power of the term and all that.. But A lot of people don't see it that way and we're going to err on the side of offending the least amount of people.
Roadblock responding to a comment by PURO_PATY818
11.21.09 - 12:23 pm
if there was a group called N.W.A. and that stood for Nigga's with Attitude. And they were good. I might listen to it. J/K i did and do listen to them. They were my introduction to hip hop. Its interesting that the controversy surrounding their name has mostly dissipated. Shit even the Alcoholics changed their name but NWA never did.
"Queer" used to be a horrible hateful slur.
People used to yell "queer" when they were beating the fuck out of somebody for being gay.
In the 80's the word queer was taken back by aids activists.
"we're here, we're queer, get used to it."
At the time nobody in the mainstream was really willing to "defend" gays.
The queer rights movement was organized and without resistance from well-well intended supporters. Or from discreet gays those who'd prefer that that movement kept a low profile. Act Up and the queer rights movement was able to re-appropriate that word.
Roadblock has solid reasons for not wanting a ride here with that name.
He is concerned about the perceptions of the many outsiders and newcomers that visit this site on a regular basis.
That however is different than dismissing these folks out of hand for wanting to do something "edgy" with their name.
NWA was the first rap i ever heard. Of course it appealed to the sensibilities of a teenaged boy with the desire to understand and express pure id.
But it was Public Enemy who really blew my mind. By playing off the stereo type of the "angry black man": chuck d. and the "minstral": flava flav they produced a powerful concoction of humor, anger, and political force.
Slurs and stereotypes and insults are just words. And in my humble opinion those things lose their power when they are taken away from oppressors and are co-opted and owned by the people they are meant to subjugate.
A perfect example for me is people that use lovingly nicknames that make an endearment out of what others would use as an insult.
If you grow up with your loved ones calling you "gordo" or "fatty" that word has no power if somebody tries to use that as an insult.
On the other hand.
"White people" are rarely offended by terms such as "cracker", "honkey", "gringo", "redneck", or "guero". Why is this? Its not that the words are any worse than any other slur. But more to do with power relationships.
These questions are really complicated. And I think to the degree that they become extremely controversial they are a bit of a distraction. That why I am all in favor of us fucking our way out of this mess. The more the perception of race and ethnicity gets muddled the less relevant all this supposedly offensive words will have.
I like the name "Wetback Wednesday's" because I think that word as some sort of insult is outlandish. And I look forward to the day when we feel more and more comfortable about making fun of the ignorance of our ancestors/ oppressors.
As for the people here of latino decent and/or recent immigrants, I respect your right to find the word offensive and take exception to its use.
For you well meaning gueros out there that want to liberate people of color by telling them how they can refer to themselves. I think you are little full of your self and you need to chillax.
I believe the former thread covered all this ground.
The error, in my mind, is to think there is anything worthwhile in calling a ride: "Wetback Wednesdays"
All the supposed liberating features of using the name is foolish thinking.
I still have yet to hear from anyone who articulate this stuff, when and how a word is liberated.
N.W.A did not liberate the term !@#$?. As Ive said before: what hapened to the usage of Coon? It is not a popular term. It died out in many respects.
Should we liberate it? Should we have a Coon ride?
As I said before too...
I would like all the white kids, who are so progressive, to make Wetback Wednesday t-shirts and sport them around Los Angeles. Next, we'll have N-word ride t-shirts, and so and on.
Now, the point I want to really make is this: if the above points and though they are sort of easy to throw out are still problematic... we should keep them away from MR.
If people think there is something special about a Mexican putting on this ride, over a white kid... that is bogus.
md2 responding to a comment by trickmilla
11.21.09 - 12:58 pm