McCain in 2000: "I hate the gooks. I will hate them as long as I live."

[kaydee457 13]

That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard... I mean... you don't think that Spain or Spanish-speaking countries have people of differing ethnicities? Do you think the sort of rationalisation in your argument applies to spanish speakers of different ethnicities?

I doubt its even an issue - and yes, there is a difference between a linguistic misunderstanding and a word thats concocted and used with a specifically negative or pejorative intent in mind.

I love this back peddling; when convenient. So different rules should apply to different people?

So let me get this straight. If someone black calls someone else black a #######. That is ok. But if someone like myself who has only been here for 2 years hears this and uses the same word to address the same person; I should be branded a racist, right?

Yes, that is the way it works in ethnic groups. It isn't anything new...you hear an Italian calling his friend a Wop, but it's not acceptable from someone who isn't Italian. That's just the way it is. Seems crazy, but think about it. It's ok if YOU make a remark about a family member/friend that from an outside observer sounds awful, but what happens if you hear someone else make the same comment about your family member/friend. It is not ok.

source

Sometimes a term is still considered as a pejorative word by some but not by others. In other cases, some groups have attempted to reclaim formerly offensive words applied against them, with limited success. Such terms as *** (#######), "kike", redneck, cracker, white trash, Redskin, #######, #######, fairy, faggot, tranny, geek, nerd, chav, or cripple are considered pejorative if used by a non-member of the particular group in question. British English also incorporates many British regional slurs.

[SteveLaura 0]

I don't think anyone is debating the level of trauma John received due to his capture. I don't think many would feel it inappropriate if he referred to those interrogators as 'bastards'. However, using a racial slur whilst running for President and attempting to justify it is wrong, if not stupid. Piggy-backing on El Presidente's previous comments, if McCain's daughters had been murdered by black men, would he be justified in saying, "I hate the n*****s. I will hate them as long as I live" and then turn around and say, "I was talking only about those particularly men."? Come on.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Steve,

Exactly.

[garya505 2]

McCain has guts. I like that.

[garya505 2]

I don't think anyone is debating the level of trauma John received due to his capture. I don't think many would feel it inappropriate if he referred to those interrogators as 'bastards'. However, using a racial slur whilst running for President and attempting to justify it is wrong, if not stupid. Piggy-backing on El Presidente's previous comments, if McCain's daughters had been murdered by black men, would he be justified in saying, "I hate the n*****s. I will hate them as long as I live" and then turn around and say, "I was talking only about those particularly men."? Come on.

So, you think McCain is racist and hates all asians, correct?

[SteveLaura 0]

McCain has guts. I like that.

Although I feel it's a stupid thing to say when you're running for President, it'll be interesting to see how it affects his campaign. I'm sure there are some, maybe many, people who feel as you do and see this as some anti-PC stand.

I don't think anyone is debating the level of trauma John received due to his capture. I don't think many would feel it inappropriate if he referred to those interrogators as 'bastards'. However, using a racial slur whilst running for President and attempting to justify it is wrong, if not stupid. Piggy-backing on El Presidente's previous comments, if McCain's daughters had been murdered by black men, would he be justified in saying, "I hate the n*****s. I will hate them as long as I live" and then turn around and say, "I was talking only about those particularly men."? Come on.

So, you think McCain is racist and hates all asians, correct?

I have no idea how he feels towards all Asians. I do know, however, that he has used a racist slur. How he justifies that is up to him - and his campaign managers, no doubt.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

McCain has guts. I like that.

No doubt about that - but this sort of thing has to raise concerns about his judgement.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

I don't think anyone is debating the level of trauma John received due to his capture. I don't think many would feel it inappropriate if he referred to those interrogators as 'bastards'. However, using a racial slur whilst running for President and attempting to justify it is wrong, if not stupid. Piggy-backing on El Presidente's previous comments, if McCain's daughters had been murdered by black men, would he be justified in saying, "I hate the n*****s. I will hate them as long as I live" and then turn around and say, "I was talking only about those particularly men."? Come on.

So, you think McCain is racist and hates all asians, correct?

Gary, you have quite a creative reading of people's posts.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

So he has guts because he says to minorities what disenfranchised and gutless whiteboys wish they had the balls to say?

[garya505 2]

McCain has guts. I like that.

No doubt about that - but this sort of thing has to raise concerns about his judgement.

Yep, I'm sure the Hillanator will never say anything like that!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard... I mean... you don't think that Spain or Spanish-speaking countries have people of differing ethnicities? Do you think the sort of rationalisation in your argument applies to spanish speakers of different ethnicities?

I doubt its even an issue - and yes, there is a difference between a linguistic misunderstanding and a word thats concocted and used with a specifically negative or pejorative intent in mind.

I love this back peddling; when convenient. So different rules should apply to different people?

So let me get this straight. If someone black calls someone else black a #######. That is ok. But if someone like myself who has only been here for 2 years hears this and uses the same word to address the same person; I should be branded a racist, right?

I'm not sure I understand how I'm backpeddling - but I don't think that spanish word example you raised really addresses whatever point you were making.

Different country, different language - different contextual meaning. As we know certain English words sound very similar to offensive words in other languages, and vice versa. The difference surely is in the intent and the intended meaning. Then again... linguistic misunderstandings between speakers of different languages are nothing new are they...?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

McCain has guts. I like that.

No doubt about that - but this sort of thing has to raise concerns about his judgement.

Yep, I'm sure the Hillanator will never say anything like that!

I'm not sure I get the distinction here - If she did say something similar - it would be the same point wouldn't it? Bad judgement...

[garya505 2]

So he has guts because he says to minorities what disenfranchised and gutless whiteboys wish they had the balls to say?

I don't know. I'm a whiteboy, but not disenfranchised and gutless, and I was never tortured by any North Vietnamese guards so I don't have too much bad to say about them.

[Sister Fracas 5]

Sometimes a term is still considered as a pejorative word by some but not by others. In other cases, some groups have attempted to reclaim formerly offensive words applied against them, with limited success. Such terms as *** (#######), "kike", redneck, cracker, white trash, Redskin, #######, #######, fairy, faggot, tranny, geek, nerd, chav, or cripple are considered pejorative if used by a non-member of the particular group in question. British English also incorporates many British regional slurs.

yes, so.... if you are running for president of the United States, you don't use terms which may be considered offensive by any group of people. Seems simple enough.

[garya505 2]

I don't think anyone is debating the level of trauma John received due to his capture. I don't think many would feel it inappropriate if he referred to those interrogators as 'bastards'. However, using a racial slur whilst running for President and attempting to justify it is wrong, if not stupid. Piggy-backing on El Presidente's previous comments, if McCain's daughters had been murdered by black men, would he be justified in saying, "I hate the n*****s. I will hate them as long as I live" and then turn around and say, "I was talking only about those particularly men."? Come on.

So, you think McCain is racist and hates all asians, correct?

Gary, you have quite a creative reading of people's posts.

Not really. The perception of the word someone uses has to do with what you think their intent is. That's why when a black guy calls another black guy a n*** it's no big deal, but when a white guy calls a black guy a n*** it's offensive because the assumption is that the white guy is racist (unless he's your brother-in-law then maybe he's not) . So what was McCain's intended meaning? It's not too much of a stretch to imagine that it's just that he hates the men who tortured him. Does anyone really think he would refer to any other asian person as a g***? Does anyone really think he's racist against asians?