Racial definition of cracker

Dictionary grammar blog school scrabble thesaurus translator quiz more resources more from collins. A cracker might be performing cracking for malicious activities, profit, for certain nonprofit intentions or causes, or just for a challenge. According to the 1911 edition of the encyclopedia britannica. Cracker has also been used as a proud or jocular selfdescription. Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a sometimes pejorative expression for white people, especially poor rural whites in the southern united states. This is where the expression crack a joke originated. It is racist because it is a term used specifically to describe usually in a derogative manner someone from the white race. It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida or georgia. Targeted towards whites from the south, especially ones who are poor and rural, the term cracker is widely recognized as a racial slur. You would think that residents of a supposedly progressive and racially conscious house would jump to remove a racial. Til that the cracker barrel restaurant chain practiced. Lets examine miz crackers drag name and whether its a. Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually disparaging term for poor whites, mainly used in the southern united states, but in recent decades in usage throughout north america. Test 3 sociology race and ethinicity flashcards quizlet.

Shorthand for emotionally charged stereo types, some racial ethnic labels are especially powerful. A thin crisp wafer or biscuit, usually made of unsweetened dough. Nor are cracker, dago, guinea, honky, kike, kraut, limey, mick, spic, or any of the other scornful words people use to belittle other groups. One theory is that it refers to the cracked corn that was a major part of the diet of poor southern whites. Cracker definition of cracker by the free dictionary. A white man or woman clutches their purse or checks their wallet as a black or latino man approaches or passes them. Its a racial slur nowadays because word meanings and usages change and evolve over time.

Racial slurs, often called racial epithets, are words or phrases that refer to members of racial and ethnic groups in a derogatory manner. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn. The epithet cracker has been applied in a derogatory way, like redneck, to rural, nonelite white southerners, more specifically to those of south georgia and north florida. In discussions concerning the history and use of various racedirected and sexdirected slurs, lemon 20 explains that the slur nigger is a dark, degrading hateful insult for african americans, foreman 20 explains that the slur cracker is a demeaning, bigoted term a sharp racial insult that resonates with white southerners. The term cracker can certainly be a racist insult since racism is literally defined as prejudice against people of other races or believing a particular race is superior to another. It is a farmers who raised only cracked products, such as wheat and corn. As someone with a large online social justice platform, a day does not go by without someone sending me a screenshot of the definition of racism, followed up with a paragraph. A cracker is a thin, crisp biscuit which is often eaten with cheese. Dear white people, your dictionary definition of racism. Crackerjack definition of crackerjack by merriamwebster. Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually pejorative term for a white person, mainly used in the southern united states, but in recent decades it has entered common usage throughout north america. With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. The term cracker originated in england, it was used to describe a person was a braggart or who told jokes.

Equal employment opportunity commission eeoc challenging sexual and racial harassment and retaliation at cracker barrel restaurants in bloomington. Cracker barrels equal opportunity statement claims that cracker barrel will not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment or retaliation affecting its employees or applicants due to. Defined as those who are obsessed with japanese culture, including but not limited to. Some crackers break into a network system deliberately to point out the flaws. Unfortunately in todays society anyone who voices this opinion is automatically branded the racist.

A cracker is an individual who performs cracking, or the process of breaking into a computer or a network system. The word cracker is commonly understood as a racist slur for whites. Ultimately, euphemizing cracker with the sluronceremoved formula works to constitute it as a racial slur equivalent in force to nigger, a term widely perceived as. It was used to refer to poor whites, particularly those inhabiting the frontier regions of maryland, virginia and georgia. Crackers definition of crackers by the free dictionary. Meaning instrument for crushing or cracking is from 1630s. Folk etymology claims the term originated either from their cracking, or pounding, of corn rather than taking it to mill, or from their use of whips to drive cattle. Cracker means something entirely different in florida. At the merciful close of key prosecution witness rachel jeantels testimony in the trial of george zimmerman for the murder of trayvon martin. Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging is it. The verb use evolved from the expression to crack a boast, which came from the sense of crack meaning to make. Til that the cracker barrel restaurant chain practiced segregation until 2004, when the u.

Cnn had a remarkable discussion panel this weekend, thanks to the presence of george zimmerman and paula deen in the news, in which. Martins supposed use of the term cracker doesnt make him a racist any more than zimmermans resentment of punks necessarily makes him a murderous racial profiler. This is clearly evident in the defense tactic many people use when defending racism. A term that derives from slavery, when white slave owners would crack the whip on africans. Many georgians were proud to call themselves georgia crackers who took the name from their ancestors who drove their cattle cracking whips south to florida grasslands. Thus, if a black person says calls a white person cracker, it assumes the black speaker has superiority over an inferior white person. Why white people saying the nword isnt the same as black people saying cracker november 22, 2016 by shae collins a person tries to talk to another. In, this context, they mark opposition to or at least distinctin from hegemonic middleclass. Cracker barrel sued for discriminationagain mother jones. Cracker is an elongation of crack, an adjective meaning expert or superior that dates from the 18th century.

Harvey rowed back to arrange with the cook and disko, who owned the stores, and on his return the cocoatins and cracker bags were counted out by the frenchmans wheel. Where does the term cracker come from, and how disparaging. In the latest episode of the online program, ramsey dives into the history of the terms cracker, redneck and white trash to show that these words were. Although originally a classist term, meaning the same as poor white trash, it has evolved through usage to be a derogatory term for someone considered a white person. Cracker is always disparaging and offensive when used to refer to a poor white person in the south.

The incident occurred at a cracker barrel in suburban atlanta a woman claims troy dale west jr. Since then, its meaning has become more generalized and it is often used by blacks to describe whites, especially racist whites. Trayvon martins use of the term cracker doesnt make him a racist. Back in the 1700s, cracker was a derogatory term used by american whites to describe poor southerners of their own race.

Eeoc settles major suit for 51 employees in bloomington, mattoon and matteson. Prior to that, crack was a noun meaning something superior and a verb meaning to boast. Slurs and all other forms of racial defamation dehumanize targeted groups and justify racial oppression by suggesting that targeted populations are unworthy of equality clark 1995, p. Another theory is that the term refers to whips that crackers used to drive slaves or cattle. One theory holds that the term comes from the common diet of poor whites. Sense of computer cracker, crack, cracking, were promoted in the 1980s as an alternative to hacker, by programmers concerned about negative public associations of hack, hacking creative computer coding. Cracker definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Weve all heard the terms cracker, white trash and redneck in reference to poor white people living in america. When used by black people, cracker can refer to a southern white racist, not necessarily poor or rural. What does the racial term cracker mean and how did the. Why white people saying the nword isnt the same as black. These stories are not about the nword and cracker the atlantic. How did the slang term cracker come about to mean white.

View in context youll find a bowl o crackers an milk on your bureau, an i dont want to hear a sound from you till breakfast time. Where did the term come from though, and is it actually as offensive as other racial s. Cracker barrel is something of an injoke among some racist circles, which claim, incorrectly, that the restaurants name derives from a slang term for white people. It was used to refer to poor whites, particularly those. As in the statement above, ugly can work in a similar way. Cracker was a derogatory term applied to these poor farmers from before the american revolution. Cracker, the old standby of anglo insults was first noted in the mid 18th century, making it older than the united states itself. Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a racial slur used against white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. Coal cracker is from 1853 of persons, 1857 of machinery that breaks up mined coal. It is becoming a racist term because people think it is, but it actually came from what mule drivers in florida called themselves in the past.