Is "uppity"

[Stolen Rutters]

To me, no.

I hadn't even known its racially-charged definition before.

That makes sense. I have only experienced it used in the definition "not inclined to be deferential". Blacks haven't been expected to be deferential to whites for quite a long time. We're far past those days, thank goodness.

I only remember a couple open racists use uppity in that manner, ever in my life, and even then, it was long ago. Since then, I doubt I have ever noticed a racial intent in the word outside of these media reports.

 

[Abaddon]

It obviously has a historical link, but in all my life i didn't realise it until now!

 

[Patroklos]

"Uppity" is a general word in the Southern vocabulary, and for that reason it is used in reference to anything and everything appropriate to the definition by everyone including current racists, but more importantly by racists of the past depicted in movies that are the only window into the South ignorant Northerners/Westerners have ever seen.

It is awesome to see posters here inflict such self pawnage, defacto admitting that they are ignorant movie educated couch potatoes.

 

[Mark1031]

"Uppity" is a general word in the Southern vocabulary, and for that reason it is used in reference to anything and everything appropriate to the definition.

So I'm sure the congressman is on the record using that word on many occasions. If so fine. If not my previous analysis applies.

 

[Patroklos]

No, you analysis is based on nothing and is flawed regardless. You are the type that pounced on that dude using "niggardly," people remember that and rightly laugh at any ridiculous accusation of racism.

Hell, the defection of certain posters in this thread by agreeing with Moboss make the failure of the usual race card carriers clear.

 

[I'm Cleo!]

The American right wing loves little more than whining about being victims.* So some Republican goes out there and calls Obama "uppity," a word with a well-known racist pedigree (it doesn't matter how the Congressman meant it), and somebody's going to point out the well-known racist pedigree. Then the long-suffering, put-upon, historically-discriminated-against Southern white can break out the fainting couch and throw a hissy fit about how just unfair it is that people would think calling the first serious black Presidential candidate "uppity" is anything untoward. It's just so unfair, you know? Those liberal elites are just so mean to them! Leave the Republicans alone!

Cleo

*In a brilliant bit of rhetorical and political jiujitsu, the right wing coopted the language of victimization from the Civil Rights movement -- you know, actual victims -- and turned it around for their own purposes. So they attack "the left" for always playing the victim card, while endlessly whining about how they're victims themselves. They're good at this.

 

[Patroklos]

No one claiming it has a racist pedigree has yet to provide anything proving such. Just because it was used by a character in "Roots" doesn't make it so.

 

[skadistic]

a word with a well-known racist pedigree

No such pedigree.

 

[.Shane.]

There are a lot of racially-sensitive "code words" that are well ingrained in the language and culture of the US. To act like there aren't is either ignorance or naivete.

That said, the great thing about culture is that its not static. At some point, be it the recent past or 100 years in the future, things change, meanings change, and the words/phrases lose their power and new words/phrases emerge.

"Uppity" is one of those words. But, as I said, it depends on culture and context. When used by an Englishmen who's never lived in the US or had any kind of exposure to the cultural context where it carries weight, its, obviously, innocuous.

However, in another a different context, it can have a totally different meaning that is racist.

In this case, I'm not familiar with the quote or context, so I'm not gonna offer an opinion. My point is that people like to pretend these types of terms don't exist or have no meaning, but they do.

 

[skadistic]

Maybe uppity is a "code word" in the north and west were anything southern is labeled as racist.

 

[Bugfatty300]

"uppity," a word with a well-known racist pedigree

Apparently it isn't as well known as some think. Many here, including me never thought of the word as being racially loaded. If anything I've heard the word used to degrade women more than anything else.

And I'll refute that the word has any such pedigree. Being a used by media stereotypes exclusively as a racist word doesn't count.

 

[.Shane.]

@Bugfatty...

how old are you?

In my post (a couple posts up) I noted that meaning can change over time. I would wager that for the younger generation(s) that many of these terms are losing their value and will become archaic.

 

[skadistic]

@Bugfatty...

how old are you?

In my post (a couple posts up) I noted that meaning can change over time. I would wager that for the younger generation(s) that many of these terms are losing their value and will become archaic.

The meaning is the same from Bugfatty to me to my mother. It has never been a racist word in the south. The meaning only changes when you go north and west where anything southern is racist.

 

[Bugfatty300]

@Bugfatty...

how old are you?

In my post (a couple posts up) I noted that meaning can change over time. I would wager that for the younger generation(s) that many of these terms are losing their value and will become archaic.

22

Though if it is a "recent" change in definition and meaning (even in the last 30 years) then that just goes to show that no such "racist history" exists.

 

[.Shane.]

The meaning is the same from Bugfatty to me to my mother. It has never been a racist word in the south. The meaning only changes when you go north and west where anything southern is racist.

blah blah blah... seriously, if you want to engage in this conversation w/ me you have to get beyond these grotesque caricatures.

If you think the "south" from your home in Maryland is the same as in the hills of Applachia, the suburbs of Dallas or the bayous of LA your crazy.

Ditto the "west". Hell, people love to stereotype California, but I can tell you it has at least 6 distinct regions. Don't dare tell someone from Orange County they're no different than someone from SF.

Though if it is a "recent" change in definition and meaning (even in the last 30 years) then that just goes to show that no such "racist history" exists.

My point is that for a lot of younger people, who have grown up in an era where a lot of older racial tensions have been eased, improved, or over-come things can change.

I'm not saying that is the case here. As I said, I haven't followed this particular incident that closely, nor do I really care to.

 

[Bugfatty300]

My point is that for a lot of younger people, who have grown up in an era where a lot of older racial tensions have been eased, improved, or over-come things can change.

I'm not saying that is the case here. As I said, I haven't followed this particular incident that closely, nor do I really care to.

Sorry I didn't read your post entirely.

But I'll say from my experience, older people who still carry the racist views of their past do not use "code words" and will come out and say what they're thinking to anyone (as long as they're audience is white) and be as nice as they can to any non-whites. Same goes for younger generation racists.

It seems unlikely that Westmoreland (what ever his believes) would have used a "well known racist term" on camera which he knows will be broadcast to the nation.

 

[skadistic]

blah blah blah... seriously, if you want to engage in this conversation w/ me you have to get beyond these grotesque caricatures.

If you think the "south" from your home in Maryland is the same as in the hills of Applachia, the suburbs of Dallas or the bayous of LA your crazy.

Ditto the "west". Hell, people love to stereotype California, but I can tell you it has at least 6 distinct regions. Don't dare tell someone from Orange County they're no different than someone from SF.

Blah blah blah? How very respectful and adult of you. If you want to engage in this conversation w/ me you'll have to grow up past the mental age of valley girl.

I guess I've only ever lived in my house in Maryland and that I've never been any where else. Be still my heart. Living in a southern state with southern culture and a family from the south I obviously don't know anything about the south. I'm so glad I have enlightened people like you to explain to me what the words I use mean and how much I understand what my regional lexicon and culture is all about. Where would I lowly southerner who is a of course a stupid racist redneck because I use the term uppity be with out some one thousands of miles away telling me about my culture and the what the words I use mean.

I'm still baffled as to why people like who think they know so much about southern culture yet still get it wrong. Maybe if you weren't so uppity you'd get it. And since I'm an actual southerner using that word its not being used in your north/west racist way.

 

[I'm Cleo!]

22

Though if it is a "recent" change in definition and meaning (even in the last 30 years) then that just goes to show that no such "racist history" exists.

"Uppity" used to refer to blacks who didn't know their place, especially in the South during the Civil Rights movement. Not everyone is exposed to that usage, certainly not today (and good for that!). But it does have that racist pedigree. Every news report that has covered the "story" has acknowledged the word's alternative meaning; in fact, why would this even be a "story" if it weren't? The media would have had to crafted a conspiracy, reported in lockstep, to fabricate an all-new interpretation of a word and push the story. That's Lyndon LaRouche-level conspiracy theorizing, there.

I have no idea whether Westmoreland meant "uppity" as "black person who doesn't know his place" or "elitist," but a rational human being can't deny the word's history. It definitely has that pedigree.

Cleo

 

[Patroklos]

"Uppity" used to refer to blacks who didn't know their place, especially in the South during the Civil Rights movement.

The problem with your analysis is that at no point did it only refer to blacks more than anyone else fitting the standard definition in their mind.

But it does have that racist pedigree. Every news report that has covered the "story" has acknowledged the word's alternative meaning; in fact, why would this even be a "story" if it weren't?

Why was "niggardly" a story? Because people like you saw "Roots" once and are now experts on Southern syntax and vocabulary.

This is exaclty how the farce that "boy" or “son” is a racist term came about, even though this is a colloquial condicending term used nationwide.

I bet Southerners used . .. .. .. .. .. .. ., dickhead, ******, child, and a thousand other things in reference to blacks with racist intent (as well as anyone else they didn't like) and for you to maintain any intellectual honesty you must now acknowledge the racist pedigee of each of those words. Is there any non flattering word that can be used in reference to a black person that isn't racist?

 

[skadistic]

"Uppity" used to refer to blacks who didn't know their place, especially in the South during the Civil Rights movement.

Cleo

Uppity referred to any one who didn't know their place black or white just like it does to day.