Skippy's very disappointed

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025525554

Oh my.

hootinholler (23,923 posts)    Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:44 PM

White trash. Trailer Trash. People of Wall mart.

Seems to me that these terms roll too easily of the tongue around here. I've seen both used by many posters here and I'm just waiting for "people of wall mart" to appear and complete the bigoted trifecta.
 
I seriously doubt anyone using these terms have experienced actual poverty. When you attempt to insult no class people like Sarah Palin with these terms, you are actually insulting the poor by insinuation.
 
I got news for you, these are people. People deserve better. Would anyone here stand for the use of say "Urban Trash" or "Mexican Trash" or ...
 
Maybe I just expect better from an alleged Progressive forum.

JustAnotherGen (12,246 posts)    Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:47 PM

1. Keep waiting for that to end

It's not going to. Sadly - it won't.

I also suspect we have folks at DU that DO live in trailers and what their income allows - allows for Walmart.
 
I would hope those words don't alienate them.

Personally - White Trash creates a visceral reaction in me. Those are words used against my mother because of who she married - and here's where my post goes awry. . .
 
The people that would use it against her to her face were often people who were beneath her. Funny how that works you know?

MineralMan (66,929 posts)    Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:48 PM

2. I agree.

Both of those terms attack poor white people, along with others. Many good, Democratic voters are poor and white, and many live in mobile homes. We shouldn't be attacking that group in this way.
 
I'm sure the attacks aren't meant to be broad in that way, but they are, simply by using the words.
 
As for the People of Walmart, that website is just about as ugly as it gets. I'm sure that man Democratic voters also shop at Walmart, for whatever reason.

MissB (10,674 posts)    Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:49 PM

3. Good point.

I don't think people think about it. I came from a middle class family with all the trappings that brought back in the 70s. Despite having a set of grandparents live in a single wide mobile home, I still grew up thinking poorly of folks that lived in mobile home/trailer parks. (Edited to add: it's a funny point of view for me to have because I had so many incredibly poor cousins, including four that lived in a literal junk yard!)
 
That bias got checked (memorably) when I encountered a very respected coworker that lived in one with his young family. I didn't realize that he lived in one and made an unfortunate comment. It was a good life lesson for me, and is like to think I've learned it well enough.
 
Your post is a good reminder for folks. I'm sure not everyone will take it well.

Throd (4,903 posts)    Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:49 PM

4. It's situational. You can slander poor people if they're white and vote the wrong way.

Bonus points if they're overweight.

decemberbliss (2 posts)    Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:51 PM

6. And just for the record

not all people who shop at Walmart are Republicans! Why do people assume that Democrats live in some elite universe and that only low-income, ignorant people would ever deign to shop at Walmart?

NYC_SKP (61,247 posts)    Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:50 PM

5. Yes, they do. I'm seeing a lot of regional bias, racism, sexism, lately.

Always have seen it but in years past it was less likely to be tolerated.

It's very disappointing.

Double standards and broadbrushing are not progressive values.

^^^Skippy.

[Carl]

Skippy is just noticing that racism and intolerance has its home on the left?
He should be more alert.

[Dori]

NYC_SKP (61,247 posts)    Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:50 PM

5. Yes, they do. I'm seeing a lot of regional bias, racism, sexism, lately.

Always have seen it but in years past it was less likely to be tolerated.

It's very disappointing.

Double standards and broadbrushing are not progressive values.

Wonders what skippy thinks of "Rednecks" and "Teabaggers". 

[USA4ME]

NYC_SKP

Double standards and broadbrushing are not progressive values.

And yet...

NYC_SKP

I'm seeing a lot of regional bias, racism, sexism, lately.

Oh, so it's *not* but you're seeing a lot of it.

Yeah. OK. 

Bet if I looked hard enough I'd find you doing it too, skippy.

Skippy's got a lot of growing up to do, as do all the primitives.

.

[thundley4]

As for the People of Walmart, that website is just about as ugly as it gets. I'm sure that man Democratic voters also shop at Walmart, for whatever reason.

Yeah, probably 99% of the people featured on peopleofwalmart.com voted for Obama, and use their EBT cards at the checkout.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Yeah, probably 99% of the people featured on peopleofwalmart.com voted for Obama, and use their EBT cards at the checkout.

Yeah, I think you hit out of the park there...to the extent the ones featured there vote at all.