This just in: a bunch of white guys from Wisconsin didn't realize racial slurs are offensive to non-white people. Having recently learned that racial slurs are in fact offensive, said white people are in turn offended that people take offense to racial slurs. These words weren't offensive to them or their exclusively white friends when they grew up in the (insert decade prior to 80's) so they don't understand why anyone would be offended by them now.

I swear to god, sometimes this forum is like an Onion article.

Originally Posted by: earthquake 

This just in: a bunch of white guys from Wisconsin didn't realize racial slurs are offensive to non-white people. Having recently learned that racial slurs are in fact offensive, said white people are in turn offended that people take offense to racial slurs. These words weren't offensive to them or their exclusively white friends when they grew up in the (insert decade prior to 80's) so they don't understand why anyone would be offended by them now.

I swear to god, sometimes this forum is like an Onion article.

Originally Posted by: earthquake 

Whoa. What?? I'm not sure who this is aimed at. In fact, it feels uncalled for based on the posts I read. As for Onion, I'm not sure what that is so complimentary or?? I think Onion does fake articles. Never read it so not sure

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 

Just to be clear, that's not what I was saying at all.

I know racial slurs (and other words) can be offensive... and I'm cool with stop using them (mainly because I've never started) but I'm saying until one is exposed to them (or exposed to them in the negative way) one doesn't know the word is a racial slur.

Like I heard the terms redskins and monkey for decades, without ever hearing that they were racial slurs... as I wasn't exposed to them used in that context... and the context that I'm used to those words being used was not in a racial way.

Originally Posted by: beast 

Onion is fake extremely satire articles, basically click bait to shock people and get people to spread it either as "truth" not realizing it's purely satire, or spread it as knowingly satire.

In this context, it's to spread it as "truth" not realizing how wrong they are...

Originally Posted by: beast 

Ah Cheesey, I can always count on you for a good old fashioned crazy uncle rant. It's like having thanksgiving all year long, except without the cranberry sauce.

Originally Posted by: earthquake 

Yup.and I can always count on you as the crazy know it all child that loves to THINK they are better then everyone, and smarter then everyone and loves to judge everyone else while ignoring their own obvious faults. Showing that they are the true racists, like spouting off about “white guys”. Like that’s NOT racist talk?
That crap offends ME.

Originally Posted by: Cheesey 

Just to be clear, that's not what I was saying at all.

I know racial slurs (and other words) can be offensive... and I'm cool with stop using them (mainly because I've never started) but I'm saying until one is exposed to them (or exposed to them in the negative way) one doesn't know the word is a racial slur.

Like I heard the terms redskins and monkey for decades, without ever hearing that they were racial slurs... as I wasn't exposed to them used in that context... and the context that I'm used to those words being used was not in a racial way.

Originally Posted by: beast 

Sometimes, the way people jump on others -- it feels like there is a book on offensive terms that we're all expected to have read. And then read it again every two weeks to catch the updates.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 

I dunno, it just starting to feel more and more that we're not allowed to learn from a mistake, but rather be condemned and lose everything. Devin apologized and if it doesn't happen again, good. If it happens again, then there should be consequences.

We should just have Webster change the definition of these offensive terms. Then no one has to be offended by words. If it were only that simple.

I'm not sure how that remotely applies to this forum.

Nobody expects you to know or understand every racist word phrase, but I don't think it's unreasonable for people to recognize the common ones like nigger, chink, gook, wetback, etc. Personally, I struggle to see how someone goes through life using a word like chink without realizing that it's a racist slur. I mean even if you've not heard these words in your day to day life, surely you've seen film, TV shows, read books, etc that use them?

Now, whether they used it with malicious intent is another thing, and I don't think Funchess did - so I don't have a problem with him as he immediately apologized and even from the context it was clear that he wasn't trying to put people down.

Originally Posted by: earthquake 

Unfortunately, words have meaning and power, but yes if only it were that simple.

Originally Posted by: earthquake 

Last November, students testified at a meeting of the Campus Planning Committee that the continued presence of the rock was a daily reminder of the injustices, past and present, that students of color face on campus.

The rock is a rare, large example of a pre-Cambrian era glacial erratic, likely over two billion years old. It had been designated as a monument on campus in honor of Thomas Chamberlin, a noted geologist who also served as president of the University of Wisconsin from 1887 to 1892.
The plaque honoring Chamberlin has been removed from the rock. The rock will no longer be referred to by this name but rather known simply as a glacial erratic. A new plaque honoring Chamberlin will be placed on Chamberlin Hall.
The rock has been moved to university-owned land southeast of Madison near Lake Kegonsa. The area is within a glacial till landscape.
“Moving the rock to this remote site prevents further harm to our community while preserving the rock’s educational and research value for current and future scholars,”