MetaChat - Tired of the Wet Backs?

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03 October 2007

Tired of the Wet Backs?

post by: puke & cry at: 18:47 | 13 comments

Georgetown. The Mississippi of the greater Austin area.

posted by birdherder 03 October | 18:52

I thought this was going to be about bath towels. I don't know why my fiancé apparently can't dry himself off completely.

posted by desjardins 03 October | 19:04

OK, how can no one there have known that's an ethnic slur?

posted by kellydamnit 03 October | 19:43

OK, can anyone tell me what is offensive about that?

posted by rhapsodie 03 October | 22:16

rhapsodie -- "wetback" is an ethnic slur against Mexicans [those that are in the US illegally and often times legally]. The slur comes from supposing that the person swam across the Rio Grande River to enter the US and would have a wet back.

The car dealership is in Williamson County, Texas which is quite conservative and quite white.

posted by birdherder 03 October | 23:06

OK, can anyone tell me what is offensive about that?

Wow. Yeah, I sure can. "wetback" is used as a racial slur against primarily Mexicans (and hispanics in general) referring to the fact that they have to swim across the Rio Grande in order to get to the US. It's not the most patently offensive term to refer to Mexicans, but there's no way to use it kindly either.

posted by ufez 03 October | 23:07

OK, can anyone tell me what is offensive about that?
posted by rhapsodie 03 October | 22:16

Your unfamiliarity with the term is actually pretty encouraging.

Maybe the expression is dying out?

posted by jason's_planet 03 October | 23:38

Your unfamiliarity with the term is actually pretty encouraging.

Maybe the expression is dying out?

Sadly, no.

posted by bmarkey 03 October | 23:50

Maybe the expression is dying out?

Or maybe I grew up in a tiny Alaskan town and never really had to deal with racial prejudice other than that against Native Alaskans.

Thanks for the explanations!

posted by rhapsodie 03 October | 23:56

Wow.

A competing dealership should send out an ad advertising their cars with tinted sunroofs, with the heading:

"Tired of the Red Necks?"

posted by taz 04 October | 00:09

Or maybe I grew up in a tiny Alaskan town and never really had to deal with racial prejudice other than that against Native Alaskans.

What term was used to describe them?

posted by chuckdarwin 04 October | 04:00

I'm guessing Peppermint Patties.

posted by chewatadistance 04 October | 10:41

Good one, taz.

posted by Atom Eyes 04 October | 11:32

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