The word "gringo" is offensive. Please stop using it

[RobbieG 94]

Any slur that singles out a person solely based on the color of their skin or race is offensive in its concept.

"Gringo" used to refer to American whites is a slur and no different than using the "N" word or other offensive terms for other races that I will not repeat here.

Moderators wouldn't allow the "N" word or the other words I refuse to repeat here. Will you please not allow the equally offensive "gringo" that is a term used to identify a person soley on their race and origin? Respectfully, please.

[MyLittlePony 340]

Im a Gringo what wrong with that?

[RobbieG 94]

Read above. Any slur/name used to identify someone by their race or color of their skin is wrong.

I can see a debate about whether whites/Americans can use the word, but that's not my point.

If the N word and others is wrong, so is any word that identifies someone soley by their race.

[Jo Së 200]

Gringo is definitely not a slur, is a term, mainly used in Spanish-speaking countries to refer to an English-speaking foreigner, especially an American person or, in Brazil, to refer to any foreigner. The term is, in and of itself, not derogatory. When people use the word gringo they do not use it in a negative way.

The N-word is a hateful racial slur, and gringo means, well, white person, or American, or foreigner, depending where you are at, but it’s NOT a pejorative term, is about as pejorative as “Yankee” or “Americano” or any other non pejorative label.

[TBoneTX 45,304]

to the rationale immediately above.

[LibCampFireClub 635]

Being offended is subjective and not a matter of debate. If someone says they are offended, then all that's left is to learn whether they have an agenda, or whether it's a real or manufactured feeling. If someone is a criminal, is it okay to call them what they are or even add additional superlatives to their criminal conviction and offense? You bet. Fortunately more and more people in America are disposing their dictionaries of the politically correct in favor in the newly revised version of common sense. Have fun with it. If someone uses a term that you find personally offensive then why not express a real or feigned request that they refrain? If they persist despite your request, then go ahead and use one right back at them. Or, we can all just let the un-elected and invisible PC police manage it.

[RobbieG 94]

Thank you for sharing your opinions.

The term is most certainly used as part of hate-speech and anger many times but agree not always.

The "N" word isn't always used as hate speech and anger always either, but is not allowed here. "Gringo" shouldn't be allowed here either regardless of the intent.

My point is that allowing terms/slurs that refer to someone's color is wrong. It is a slippery slope from there to other forms of hate speech. If you allow one, then you open the door for others.

[sadavis5 46]

Where my husband's from, "gringo" just means american (from USA). African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, and Mexican Americans are all gringos to him.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

I have never heard my husband, or myself for that matter, use the term gringo/gringa in an offensive/derogatory manner. I am sure people do use it that way sometimes, but I don't think the majority do. It is a term for an English-speaking foreigner. Gringo is not based on the color of someone's skin, unless you are insinuating that a gringo is only a term for an American because all Americans are white. It is not a racial slur.

Edited November 12, 2014 by KayDeeCee

[Flames9_RN 358]

In the 3 yrs I was in Nicaragua..Gringo was fine..so was chele.......Havent heard it as much in Ecuador......Didnt bother me if they called me Gringo

[clairegie 265]

I'm married to an American with Mexican background and I have never heard him use gringo as a slur. The way I understood it from his explanation is:

Gringo just means US citizen

cra*ker is the opposite of the N word. << actual slurs

[MyLittlePony 340]

gringo is used all the time.

[coniefl 28]

Just because a word is used all the time doesn't mean it's not offensive.....if you look back at American history the N word was used all the time also until the people that it offended recognized it as offensive. I'm not sure if the people in history that used the N word used it to be derogatory to begin with, but it did certainly become that.

Comparing the word cra*ker to thé Word gringo does mot apply, They are slangs used by two différent cultures and are in différent languages. Cra*Ker used in English and Gr*ngo in Spanish.

If gr*ngo means a white American person then it's racist because it singles out a specific group of people, whites. Even if it was used to refer to all Americans, not just whites, it would still be offensive. Doesn't all the other offensive slang words refer to a specific group of people? Isnt that what make the words offensive to begin with?

[TBoneTX 45,304]

It's been made clear, by those who know, that the term is descriptive only. Assumptions and presumptions to the contrary are speculative and baseless. Thread is closed to further commentary.