Is "Injun" offensive to you?

[Kentucky Kache]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

"...do you think it's offensive to call the Indian Head Penny an "Injun" when posting..."

Not sure that the penny would be offended, however the term itself is predicial, if not racist. Its no different that using the term; "I jewed him down" or "I was gyped"...both are meant to offend and to be anti-semetic and / or racist.

Now being a white anglo-saxon prostestant (WASP) as many white Americans are classified, many would fall into the name calling and may understand the slights, but have never experienced them.

However, if a person is of American Native origin or other ethnicity, its like being slapped in the face.

To me, there is a level of tolerance that is acceptable in today's society...and if you call me or the other guy a name thinking its acceptable, you may find out otherwise...

Recently, I had a contractor walk into my office for a project conference and the first words out of his mouth were; "I'm dealing with this jew-boy...". He was fired on the spot. End of conversation.

I'm offended. You called me a WASP.

 

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[PBK]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

Conducting a quick research of the term "Injun" returned to me time and again what I posted above: "... that the term was derogatory from it's inception." and couldnt find ONE note that stated what PBK wrote, which is that the term: "...is simply a phonetic spelling of a colloquial or dialectical pronunciation of the word Indian."

I didn't realize that I had failed to respond to Jim's comment. With many apologies, I do so now.

Injun
Injun colloq. and dial. U.S. form of INDIAN. XVII (Ingin, Engiane, later Indjon).
From: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | Date: 1996 | Author: T. F. Hoad |© 1996, Oxford University Press .

I hope that this citation will suffice to support my assertion about the word's origin and usage.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

"...do you think it's offensive to call the Indian Head Penny an "Injun" when posting..."

Not sure that the penny would be offended, however the term itself is predicial, if not racist. Its no different that using the term; "I jewed him down" or "I was gyped"...both are meant to offend and to be anti-semetic and / or racist.

Now being a white anglo-saxon prostestant (WASP) as many white Americans are classified, many would fall into the name calling and may understand the slights, but have never experienced them.

However, if a person is of American Native origin or other ethnicity, its like being slapped in the face.

To me, there is a level of tolerance that is acceptable in today's society...and if you call me or the other guy a name thinking its acceptable, you may find out otherwise...

Recently, I had a contractor walk into my office for a project conference and the first words out of his mouth were; "I'm dealing with this jew-boy...". He was fired on the spot. End of conversation.

What do you mean you were "gyped" ?
I am telling dang it no one to tell ,libs are out of their office ,honkys have a holiday,wasps at BEE convention,mexies are all ...crap dont know any.....hillbillies are moonshining,dang it just leaves us injuns,

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

Conducting a quick research of the term "Injun" returned to me time and again what I posted above: "... that the term was derogatory from it's inception." and couldnt find ONE note that stated what PBK wrote, which is that the term: "...is simply a phonetic spelling of a colloquial or dialectical pronunciation of the word Indian."

I didn't realize that I had failed to respond to Jim's comment. With many apologies, I do so now.

Injun
Injun colloq. and dial. U.S. form of INDIAN. XVII (Ingin, Engiane, later Indjon).
From: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | Date: 1996 | Author: T. F. Hoad |© 1996, Oxford University Press .

I hope that this citation will suffice to support my assertion about the word's origin and usage.

Dang PBK!

You coulda' let it go so that I would'nt look TOO stupid! LMAO

 

[PBK]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

 

[jopher]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

I'm Cherokee, and it doesn't bother me a bit! Now when I dig a zinc cent and call it a White Boy, I'll expect the same courtesy!

Thinkin along the same order....just to level the playing field...
Wheaties could now be Whiteys !!

 

[Codes]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

Not at all.

 

[jimbob450]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

Hey Montana, A penny for your thoughts. Jimbob

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

Hey Montana, A penny for your thoughts. Jimbob

Deal... an Indian Head Cent?

When I started this topic it was because I kept on reading: "I found an injun" all over T-Net. I understand it's slang... but living in a city full of Native Americans it hit me that it might be an offensive term... her where I live it is.

So I asked...

I appreciated all the responses and am wondering about the 24 percent who actually voted that they were offended. My question now is, are they offended because they are Native American, or because they learned it was a derogatory word through some other medium... like parents, school, teachers, friends... ect.

I hope that was at least worth a Zincoln Cent.

 

[bja3908]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

My father was 100% AM Indian and my mom was half Swedes and half German. I never cared if I was called a Injun but I was called a Nazi once and that hurt. I just want to be judged by what I do and who I am, not who my ancestors were. I am proud to be a Indian but more proud to be an American. If you want to offend a Indian call him a blanket a**.
My Indian name
Seldom seen Bob.

 

[oneeye]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

No, but I am not the most politically correct person will find

 

[Tank69]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

no it isnt an I am 1

 

[cheese]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

Doesn't bother me. I've often wondered the same thing. No matter what you say, it will offend someone, and some folks are looking for reasons to be offended. You can try with all your might, and you're going to offend someone anyway. I don't worry about it. If I know there is someone who truly is hurt by something I can control, I will avoid it. Otherwise, on with life.

 

[jeff of pa]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

the way I look at it You Call a Coin a Injun
How Can you offend that Coin ?

when you get into talking about people
it all depends on the person at the receiving end.
whether they like the person who is saying it or not.

just like another word that gets overused in rap
and on the streets between friends but is
illegal to say in certain circles because of hate crimes
laws.

 

[JonesFromIrmo]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

As Native American it doesn't offend me...unless it was meant to be offensive. Everything is said in context, no?

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

HI sorry to be soo late, but it is entirely in the intent---> Ex/

Ivan, ya ole SOB!

Wthout qualifiers, it can be EITHER a compliment or an extreme insult.

I am partly Mohican (long coold winter) and predominently Irish. I often refer to myself as an Injun, or Mick, or hard headed Irisher. heeheheh

Names only bother you if you let them. But I do think that this politically correct thingie is getting to be completely stupid.

Ivan I'll let you guess which is the intent heehheheh

Don Jose de La Mancha

p.s Ivan is a very good friend of mine, so it is a compliment.

 

[ocjeff]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

its only a WORD!

 

[RGINN]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

SOB is offensive to me cause y'all didn't know my mom. 'Injun' probably comes from sayin 'Indian' as 'Indun'. Vine Deloria Jr. had somethin to say about natives pronouncin 'indian' like log 'cabin'. I got an AIM card, in relation to the line of work I used to be in. I got the native American Heritage too, but I ain't got the card cause I don't want to be a ward of the Government. Indian is a misnomer anyway. You are a Cherokee, or a Kiowa, or Choctaw, whatever nation you may be. People ask me what I am, and I say "I'm an Ameri-cun". Ain't what they call ya, but what you answer to.

 

[Arid-Zone-A-seeker]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

I realize that some posts I will comment on will be old but here goes.
I am part native American, I am not politically correct nor will i ever be. The word has been in use for a long time, as other words now not "right"
If you go to the rez here {Apache} you will be called a white man, and you will be offended or not as the case might be. It will depend on how you will hear and feel the words used.

 

[Gooner]

Re: Is "Injun" offensive to you?

Squaw, in the region where I live, used to mean wife, but now it used to mean something worse.
Neat how we can change the past. West of here a short ways was "Squaw Creek," but some native American ladies in more recent years became "offended" because squaw means whore, a recent development in the ancient meaning, and the creek was re-named. Not to "Wife Creek" either, because 200 years from now the word wife will have meant whore in the past like squaw did, even though they didn't. This is silly. Injun. Talequah, Cherokee, and Tsa-La-Gi all came from the same word.