Gringisms:

[Nono]

Quote by: MattW You still have yet to explain why you cannot find a les offensive term than 'gringo'.

rummie isn't concerned with avoiding offence. Anyway, it's up to us gringos whether we're offended or not. I'm not. I merely note the aggressive edge in rummie's use of the term.

Quote by: rmnunez "American" is a good alternative, but it also refers to Mexicans (and about 30 other nationalities on the American continent)

You see? We're going around in circles. When rummie says this, it's the linguistic equivalent of stating that the Earth is flat. It simply ain't so. Poor man keeps confusing Spanish with English. It really is sad...

[Nono]

Quote by: MattW If I was talking to Canadians, I'd happily use 'Canadian', as they violently object to being labelled 'Americans'.

Just a post between parentheses, as it were: When I say that I don't let people take me for an American, it's because I probably sound like one to them and I want them to know who they're dealing with. But a lot of Canadians act very silly in this respect and get all offended, as if people are supposed to have that fine an ear. Canada is a very North American country -- sort of an alternative version of North America -- but it's an identity issue for Canadians, and they tend to go overboard on it.

Similarly, I'm often not entirely certain whether someone is Australian or a New Zealander, and I'm always careful not to assume the former since Kiwis are kinda sensitive about that, for the same reasons as Canadians I'm sure.

[Mr.Vicchio]

I looke dthis up rmunez, and while the term itself is dereived from the word greek, it's used to describe American and British english speakers in south america. If I were in brazil, or this was South American based forum the term would be.. just a word.

But it's also used as a slur, like the N-bomb. I personally find your use of the word in the context you do, despite your justification at the top, to be the equivilent. Maybe on an a spanish speaking board, the word would be nothing more then a word, but this is an english board, and you are blatently tossing it out because you think no one is gonna call you out.

It's offensive, it's used as a slam, I popped it out on the minutemen thread becasue of this:

I think those minutemen won't even last that long if confronting hardened drug gang members. It is troubling as I'd expect a lot more attention on the border if gringoes get slaughtered left and right

Yes, you are in fact using the term in a dispariging way. And I for one, find it disgusting that a "moderator" can be a racist on this board.

[rmnunez]

Those involved in the various border patrolling projects don't deserve a kinder label than "gringo", and likely a good deal more offensive ones, if half of what is reported on these deranged fanatics is true.

[Matt W]

Fine. What about everyone else, or are you just happy to stereotype?

[Mr.Vicchio]

Quote by: rmnunez Those involved in the various border patrolling projects don't deserve a kinder label than "gringo", and likely a good deal more offensive ones, if half of what is reported on these deranged fanatics is true.

So you admit tht you were using a racial stereotype in a durragatory manner!

Great! rmunez, Racist bigot super moderator.

Does that mean if I feel a certain group based on hear say and opponets claims that I can call them anything I want? Does this mean the N-bomb is now free game? How about chink? How about spic?

You only read the opposition side, about 40% of the volunteers are minorities, yeah hispancs included. I bet they would love to have you waltz up and call them gringoes. What, they aren't hispanic enough for your taste?

You are a bigot man, hands down.

[Rave7pt0]

You know, I am a gringo who grew up in Mexico (graduated high school there, actually), so maybe I can shed some light here...

Gringo is technically a derogatory term for white people from the USA. It's mostly used as such by people in LA though... in Mexico it is acceptable to call someone by a physical attribute. It's perfectly polite to say "Hey short guy!" or "Yo, Fatty!" -- in the same way, it's acceptable to call a gringo a "gringo," at least in Mexico City, where I lived. The problem was how it was used... I could be a pinche gringo, which was unacceptable (racist, mean), but I could also be just a gringo... white. I am more or less white, so there's no problem.

My point is that if nunez uses it in the second context, then it's not meant as offensive... plus he's a gringo himself. So I don't really see the problem. I don't mind being a gringo, if you don't.

[harumscarum]

This is moronic. I grew up in Texas and I was around plenty of Mexicans and Gringo was NEVER used as a compliment. I don't care how many long winded posts you have to defend saying this but here in America it is derogatory. I am sure you know this but enjoy being a bigot.

[Rave7pt0]

Are you talking to me?

If you are... I don't get it. I said it was used my Mexican imigrants in the derogatory sense, but no one else really uses it that way. I also said I am white. I am a white, American person. How am I bigot by calling myself a gringo?

[Nono]

As I said, I don't mind rummie using "gringo" to describe me -- I am one.
What grates is his dogged persistence, nay his sheer obsession: He seems incapable of writing a paragraph without the word. It's a term that's pejorative; he knows this; and he uses it constantly. That means what it means.

When I was a kid we were always going around saying "Hey fuckface!" and what-not to each other. Nobody minded. However, that sort of thing just wouldn't fit with the measured tones expected on this board, that's all.

[Rave7pt0]

Just bear in mind that it's only really a pejorative in the US,when used by mexicans or mexican americans.