by {Ru}EINHANDER on Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:10 pm
Eric, right off the bat, it makes no difference to me if you are a Martian or not. Eric, I've always liked you.. no matter what color you are or not. Let me assure you that the statement above, while in essence is a racial slur, it is not intended as an attack on anyone here. These are not "PC" forums but it is also not, and I repeat NOT a racist slanderous attack against anyone here. While it's not necessarily something that anyone with political aspariations would condone, it is something that's said here. Neither of you live here in Tennessee, so let me explain how it works here. For the "it's racist" thought or comment to even be made, well it's understood how it could be viewed by someone not from here given how many areas of the country (even in TN) would see it that way, especially how the media gets into a feeding frenzy about stuff similar.
The other part of "I heard that joke here multiple times" can be finished off with some of the very same black guys that I work with on a daily basis making the same slurs. This is what was told to me by my black *friends* at work, "We're gonna change your last name to (one of theirs.. implying I would be their slave)." Then the other's piped in, "Did you get the meeting request today? (I say what meeting request are you guys talking about.. hearing the tone in their voice they are about to lay a good one on me.) Yeah, it's the meeting where we hand out new jobs to you white folk." (we all get a laugh out of it, but I said that if it were anyone else I might take offence to that. we all laugh again.) "Yeah, we think you're new job should be our cleaning boy." This is absolutely true but while it did sorta aggravate me, I know the guys and just over looked the comments becuase I know that they never intended to attack or hurt me. Sure, I could have run into HR and made a big stink.. but that's not any different for me as it would be for them.
Now.. while you may not belive me.. I don't think you have ever known me to lie about anything in these forums. Eric, if in fact you are black, if the initial statement above offended you, then I will apologize as you are not from here. People here really do talk like that amoungst themselves. This was what was said to me at work. We constantly rag each other and try to get a rise sometimes. Again, the only part of the 'joke/slur' above that was mentioned at work was the rose garden, not the nigger rigged part.
Now, secondly, I grew up poor. I lived in Kentucky on racially mixed streets where racial tensions were always present. One of my best friends was a kid named Adam Cavit from Rockford, Illinios. He was black and I never looked at him any differently than anyone else. I work with my fellow black workers here and trust some of them more so than any of the whites I work with here. The maintenance guys would always have Cooper come back (a black guy) that would call them lazy ass honkies and he'd be called a sorry nigger) but again.. from someone that doesn't live here, you don't view it the same way. Bubba knows so much more about the other things that I will not mention how blacks have been some of our closest family members etc. So.. I don't wanna here any other "PC" comments about these forums are racist etc. Slayer or Eric, how many other times have you heard any other racial comments about other races here? Just as often about anyone else as the 'nigger' comment above. While, in hindsight if it offened one of our friends here in the context it was presented, then I personally apologize for what it's worth. I do not want anyone to *honestly* feel that if you are black or whatever.. that you would not be welcomed here for any reason.. even if something offends you in a posting. It makes me aggravated that I feel compelled to write something above to explain it because, especially to you Eric, I would never want you to think anything differently of myself or my relative. Yes, we do have racist relatives in my family, but that doesn't mean everyone is or even that all of TN is.
Again, there's so much more that goes on in this state that taken out of context in a posting wouldn't make much sense to you. Now, Slayer, I'm gonna say what's on my mind but I know it's a mistake before I post it. As long as you've known me and Bubba.. if you honestly meant what you wrote, that's really fuck'n narrow minded to think it was something more to the posting other than what it was. It was a tacky but mildly humorous racial slur. We, in this state, do not take offense so easily when among friends. Sure.. I wouldn't run down to Memphis and yell out racial slurs. Just like I wouldn't have gone to another web site where I didn't feel that I knew people here enough to laugh a little and pass on the joke. Hey, I didn't like the jokes at work about the white meeting etc.. but I know the people that said it were not doing anything other than just trying to poke at me. All three of those black guys are in their 40's or older.. and just like Cooper.. they tease and get teased but they've never used the word 'nigger' and I've never used that word with them. There have been jokes passed about Mexicans and Cubains etc.. but I guess it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Just like you said, it's not worth the debate and I agreed with you. It wasn't intended to hit or hurt but if it did, I will take the responsibility for it. Eric, again, if you are in fact black I don't look at you any differently than the day I first met you as Greenskull. I would like to think that you still feel welcomed here and even if you choose not to return, I would still consider you as much as a friend in the years I have known you as just text on my screen. The primary reason I attempted to explain my feelings is that sometimes I don't mind being misunderstood.. other times it gets under my skin to be labeled an ignorant stupid hick. Slayer, I love you as a brother, but I'm flying up there tonight to kill you and raise your children as my own. My son needs sisters anyway. Now I'm not about to kiss anyone's butt and these are not "Politically Correct" forums.. but they are not racist either.
Let them hate.. so long as they FEAR!