Was the Gators' use of 'cracker' actually reverse racism?

(South Florida) Sun Sentinel ^ | January 5, 2012 | (South Florida) Sun Sentinel Editorial Board

[ConservativeStatement]

Call University of Florida football players a bunch of classless trash talkers if you want. Call them dirty if you want. But racist? For using the term "cracker"? That seems a stretch.

[Liberty Valance]

A classic!

[cripplecreek]

Yep. I’m a Michigander, Wolverine, Freesoiler etc and its the same sort of deal.

[ConservativeStatement]

And Nora Dunn refused to perform with Andrew Dice Clay.

[Gettin Betta]

I notice the word “reverse” is not in the Sun-Sentinel headline. Must have been added by the poster....my question is why?

Wouldnt “reverse racism” be going out of your way to accomodate people of other races??

[Venturer]

The word Cracker, dosn’t bother me.

Those who use it as a racial slur, wish they were one.

They sure aren’t happy with what they are.

[ßuddaßudd]

Jimmy Crack Corn, And I Dont Care . . .

[dblshot]

It's only the same thing if they don't know anything about the Triple A Atlanta Crackers and Negro League Atlanta Black Crackers baseball teams named as such for the whip cracking muleskinners who loaded and offloaded trains in Terminus/Marthisville/Atlanta at the siuthern end of the Appalachians. Not to mention the Scots crackers who were called such from their expression “Let's have a wee crac” Meaning a bull session with jokes cracked. And fittingly for this story, there is a hardy breed of small horses called Florida Crackers. Call me a cracker anytime, I grew up watching the Crackers play in Ponce de Leon Park in Atlanta.

[Gettin Betta]

"I notice the word “reverse” is not in the Sun-Sentinel headline. Must have been added by the poster....my question is why?" I take that back. After reading the comments in the Sun-Sentinel apparently the original headline used the word “reverse” They must have edited it. Apology to the poster.

[Brookhaven]

I was taught, in a Georgia public school, that the term "cracker" simply referred to someone from Georgia.

The minor league baseball team in Atlata (prior to the Braves moving there in 1964) was call the Atlanta Crackers.

The negro league baseball team in Atlanta was also called the Atlanta Crackers.

This is a reproduction of a 1939 Atlanta Crakcers baseball jersey:

In fact, you can buy Atlanta Crackers uniforms (both the minor league and negro league versions) all over the internet.

Cracker is about as much a slur as calling someone from NY a yankee. Yea, when someone from the south says yankee, they mean it negativly, but few people born up north would take it as an insult.

When people up north say cracker, they mean it as an insult, but few people form the south take it that way.

[JimRed]

There's a poll attached to the commentary.

Saltine, Ritz or Triscuit?

[chesley]

It’s racist only if a black person, or a Yankee, is using it.

[OrangeHoof]

[RightOnTheBorder]

Of course it is racist. While the author doesn’t have the guts to point out the offender by name we know he is black or else the good lib would not be defending him. Singling people out for derision because of skin color is by definition racist so this a-hole is a bigot.

I wonder how long this type of behavior would be tolerated if all the “crackers” in Florida decided to boycot a game or two.

[JimRed]

...“Let's have a wee crac” Meaning a bull session with jokes cracked.

The Irish, too. Craic is an enjoyable time, usually involving alcohol and tall tales, and some singing.

[SaraJohnson]

The best way to counter diversity racism, is to take away the racial scapegoat they use in their divide and conquer hate doctrines. That would be the crackers.

It’s also important to say that the main targets of the diversity racism and discrimination are white men - a minority in this country. The leftist racists are targeting a minority for hate (violence) and discrimination.

[a fool in paradise]

Black people cannot be racist. That is the Stalinist-Democrat meme.

They do not have the power position of authority to be racist. Even when they are President and coaches and shizts.

[Boogieman]

Just because you call yourselves “crackers” doesn’t mean it can’t be a racist slur. Black people call themselves the “n-word” all the time, but that doesn’t mean that I can call them that and get away with it.

[dblshot]

I wear mine to Astro’s games. That is when the humidy isn’t too bad. wool and humidity don’t go well. I’d just about kill for a green and gold Crackers warm up jacket. Kind the same colors as the Oakland A’s.

[dblshot]

The Irish, too. Craic is an enjoyable time, usually involving alcohol and tall tales, and some singing.
Irish, alcohol, tall tales, singing - who'd have guessed laddie?

[dfwgator]

Remember in the original MASH movie, the ringer of a football player the 4077th had on their team was named “Spearchucker” Jones.