SoCal Language Sensitivity

Therrin

NOTE: this thread is informational and not intended to be racist.

The other day I got called up to the large Camp & Conference Center up in the mountains in Southern California, where I used to work as a high ropes course and rock climbing instructor, to do a hazardous dismantle on a large pine.
A 35' leader had broken off and hinged over with the end slamming and smashing a guest's Rav4 suv. The remainder of it was still attatched partially to the trunk and the rest of it was suspended out over one of the large cabin buildings. I had been allotted an Adventure Rope/Rock Course program employee as a temp groundie for the job.

While up in the tree, I had asked to have a biner tied to the rope so I could pull up some equipment, and the girl says, "oh my gosh, we aren't allowed to use the word "biner" anymore, we have to say the whole word "carabiner".

I was pretty puzzled, and asked what the heck she was talking about.
Apparently, they had made a new rule not long ago consisting of what she told me, under the grounds of "racial sensitivity". They had had some problems in the past with some of the mexican groups who had come up to the place.

(mexicans are widely (slightly derrogatorily) reffered to in California and other states as "beaners". I don't know if it's because many of them tend to wear beanies as head-gear, or if it's from a cross-the-border thing with them working in the fields. "Biner" and "beaner" sound the exact same)
Either way, we tended to use alot of phrases that had caused confusion at some point when they people in the groups heard phrases like:

"bring that biner over here"
"uhoh, this beaner is really messed up"
"don't mess with the biners, you could get killed"
"make sure you've got enough biners when you get up there"
"we just got some new biners"
"make sure you don't step on any ropes or biners"
"when someone yells "ROCK!!" make sure not to look up, as you could be hit by a falling object, whether it's a rock, a biner, or whatever"
"this biner's ready for retirement"
etc etc etc

So I guess some of them heard that stuff and thought the staff members were talking about them, got all offended and complained about it, and now everyone at the camp has to use the full word "carabiner" in order not to offend anyone.

Pretty strange eh?

Steve Tipton

I thought Mexicans were called "beaners" because they eat a lot of re fried beans?
We Aussies are some times called "pie eaters" because of our meat pies. doesn't offend me.

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Eric Frei

What the hell do they want to be called, I'm sure calling them Mexican's even offends them!

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Jeff Darby

People need to get to get over this crap!..I'm white...So what..There's good and bad in all races.
The City next to me is called Blacktown,Once it was called Black'stown but was policticaly corrected to keep our indigineous folk happy, Now we have a lot of Sudanese folks who recently moved to the area drawn by I would say the name "Blactown"...IMO..Now there complaining about the name...Go Figgar!...Get Over It!
All The Best to all, I dont care what creed,race or colour you are.If your good folk that's all that matters.

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Jamie Myers

I agree all race s have nicknames for other races political correctness gone mad i Have worked in Black boy lane but i bet it s not called that anymore. i think the situation in england is prob the worst in the world but you guys aren t far behind, makes my blood boil

treeseer

Especially if they come from Guatemala! How can you assume their country of origin? Wonker!

It's hard for us who are in the majority understand discrimination. If we have to be extra considerate, it's a small price to pay for harmony.

Eric Frei

Around here, anything south of the border is a Mexican!

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treeseer

Bingo. how would you like to be called a Chinaman, because you are west of the Pacific Ocean? Or an islander, because you live on a big island out that way? Anyone who called you that would be pretty ignorant, right? Get a mirror.

You put meat in pies? That sounds nasty. Do you put fruit between buns with ketchup?

Jeff Darby

Bottom line is It's gone to far!Let's say for an white Australian to be called a dirty kangaroo,or a white convict from the colonial days and according to the powers that be it's not the same as being called black....I say bullcrap you cant say boo but they can call you what they like....Get over it!..if your white your white...and if your black your black...jeez.Some folk are thin skinned!

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Therrin

If someone called me a chinaman or an islander for those reasons, I'd shrug it off. Just like I shrug off "yank" and "cracker".

But then, I'm not particularly sensitive about what people call me because it doesn't matter an inlking in the overall scheme of things.

What is it that people call the Irish anyway?

Eric Frei

Treeseer, I been called a lot worse.

Fruit between buns though ... ever heard of star fruit?

Think about it, the penny may drop.

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treeseer

yes and roitly sayo!another obscure aussie reference. over here, star fruit is carambola a tasty snack sliced and used as a garnish.???

Irish are micks, or potato eaters, there are others.

You and I have been majoritarians in our societies all our lives. We have no clue what others feel.

playfordtree

Ease up Turbo!

Let me give you a little geography lesson, China is bordered by the East China Sea, the Korean Bay, the Yellow Sea and the South China Sea.

China is nowhere near the Pacific Ocean.
(sounds like you wouldnt know your ass from your elbow)

In fact we are more west of Mexico than we are of China, so you may as well call me a Mexican.

Obviously your brain is suffering from a lack of complex B group vitamins.

My suggestion,

eat some meat ya bloody vegan.

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treeseer

bloody vegan ararar

Heck, "Beaner" is a compliment, because it refers to a sustainable lifestyle, unlike carnivorousness.

But singed flesh does have its advantages--much better than tofu to afterwards.

o and your correction falls flat; "Let me give you a little geography lesson, China is bordered by the East China Sea, the Korean Bay, the Yellow Sea and the South China Sea."

is all well and good, but I wrote that China is west of the Pacific, which it still bloody well is. Before lecturing on Geography again, pass Reading Comprehension 101, okay?

just playin with ya playford...

hartley

Surely people have to realise that "biner" used in that context is just short for "carabiner"!

Plitical correctness does have its place but in situations like this youve gotta get a grip!

Eric Frei

When in Queensland anything south of the border that is referred to as Mexican is pretty much NSW, SA, VIC, ACT and Tasmanians.

The colloquialism was locally adopted from the high influx of these southerners (mimicked from USA similarities) ... especially during winter where their climate would freeze the nuts off a brass monkey.

They continue to come, at the rate of 50K to 70k per year. This has propelled our region to the fastest growing in Australia and stretched resources plus infrastructure. I too came the same way, back in 1990, however the colloquialism appeared in general vocabulary around the 1995 region when some official reports of the migration were being acknowledged.

Whilst there has been no definative demographics of "Mexicans" as an observer and resident I can say that there's some issues.

The high influx of .....

1/ Old retired people
2/ Young and unemployed or low skilled
3/ Problem people running away from relationships or failing businesses/jobs

Lets face it. If you have a good job or business paying well why leave? Why come here for a restart if you already have it good?

So, the place has slowly become a pressure cooker. People have come, pushed up housing costs, rental prices and brought some "attitudes" with them. Over the past 10 years in particular I have noticed/experienced the frustrated, road rage, give a stuff only about me attitude. Many have noticed it ... as the problem people came for a change they didn't change their ways.

I take you to this thread.

SE Queensland is full, go back home migrants!

MEXICANS ... GO HOME!

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treeseer

Just imagine how the aboriginals felt when Tasman and Cook and the other limeys hit those shores. There went the neighborhood...

Eric Frei

Probably felt much like the native Indians of USA.

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newguy18

Most of these issues wouls solve them selves if people would learn how to laugh at themselves,I don't take insults too personally and brush them off besides i see Ekka did a fine job of stirring the pot already.treeseer we know you don't like meat so for every animal you don't eat i'll eat 3.

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old schooler

Eric Frei

Cant ave ya puddin' of ya dornt eat ya meat!

I hope we never go as far as the USA down the political correctness route.

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dannyboysfc

I think that this thread was originally intended to adress the issue of political correctness, not the racisim issue people.

If someone is offended by the use of the word biner then I'll make a concious effort not to use it around them even though it may seem rediculous to me.

BTW most of my coworkers are Mexican, and most of them dont even know that they are reffered to as beaners. They think it is silly when I explain it to them.

Therrin

Actually I mentioned that it wasn't intended to *be* racist, but topics of Race/Ethnic origin, as well as their correspondance to political correctness is all good.

I think on the overall, some people need to just let go of themselves a little.

treeseer

Eric, what % of Arbor Age readers do you think would not get the connection to the Pink Floyd song? See http://www.tcia.org/PDFs/TCI_Mag_March_07.pdf , page 54. The editor thought the reference was too obscure, but let it go. O, and also when the next arbor Age comes out will you tell me how the Giant piece layout--pics etc-- looks to you? It will be weeks before I see it. Pandering to All that Sensitivity makes life bland and boring. It has bred a "victim consciousness", where folks whine about how they are done wrong and nothing is their fault.

danny it is over/sensitivity to racial/cultural differences that is the subject, but I agree with your approach.

Eric Frei

I got called a cane toad recently, but who takes notice of cockroaches anyway!

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playfordtree

(glad to see you took it in the good humour it was intended)

Let's play then.

Are you sure you haven't been smoking some of those vegetables instead of eating them


Regarding Reading Comprehension 101, your post said,
Quote"how would you like to be called a Chinaman, because you are west of the Pacific Ocean" End Quote

Your reply to my Geography post said,
Quote", but I wrote that China is west of the Pacific, which it still bloody well is." End Quote

Nice try.

With word manipulation skills like that you should give up the tree game and become a politician.

If we use your logic than Belgium is also west of the Pacific, i guess that means Quercus is also Chinese.

Keep smiling, and keep playing Guy.
We love this sort of thing here in Australia, we call it "Sh*t Stirring".
It's a national pastime for us.




P.s. I agree with everyone else "racism sux", but it can be difficult to break cycles of behaviour that have been passed onto us by our forefathers.

p.p.s. I cured myself of predjudice years ago.
These days i just hate everbody.

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Euthanizing South Australian Trees
since 2007

Therrin

Technically, EVERYONE's a chinaman.... because if you go far enough, everything is west of china. (including china itself)

It's okay guys... don't burn out a mental-bulb over this one.... just let it come to you.




Smoking vegetables eh? You know, they say eggplant has nicotine in it. But why is it you never see people standing around outside buildings, eating eggplant?


And Ekka....
*Ken pencils in "cane toad" to your list of growing personally descriptive epithets*

Let's see, that goes right between "blue collar redneck", and "knob" wouldn't you say?

newguy18

Therrin I only know one person in my family who likes eggplant[my mom].I might just fall into the redneck catagorey myself,but according to your logic were all chinese.someones gonna see the smoking vegetables and try that you know.

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old schooler

playfordtree

Pufff...Pufff....Pufff

Hey man, i've just chuffed my way through 3lb of broccoli

AND IT'S DOING NOTHING FOR ME!!

wait until i see that fruit & veg dealer, he told me it was good sh*t!

Oh well...

back to beer.

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Therrin

You guys are weird.


Fun. To be sure.


But still very wierd.

playfordtree

Have you ever met anyone that works in the tree industry that isn't a little crazy.


When your poor, your considered crazy.
When your rich, your considered eccentric.

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Euthanizing South Australian Trees
since 2007