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Post by Zee on Mar 1, 2015 22:47:05 GMT
I guess I tend to believe her because of a slip I made once. I was at work and we (nurses) were discussing a patient we hadn't seen in a very long time. I mentioned I hadn't seen Harold "in a coon's age". My bff, who is black, did an about-face and said "a WHAT?"
when it was explained to me that "coon"is an old-timey racial slur along the lines of "jungle bunny", I turned beet red and just about died. To me, that saying simply meant I hadn't seen someone in ages. An old saying, like "more than one way to skin a cat", etc. I still don't know why a coon, animal or human, has a longer age than others, but I had NO idea it was racially insensitive! I was taken aside and told. Trying to then apologize was very uncomfortable, but at least it was my friend and she knows me well enough to know I'd never say a thing like that intentionally.
And I feel like that girl may have heard the word at some time in the past, but didn't equate it with any race and it just popped out as a funny word. I guess I'm just not willing to condemn her without knowing what was going on inside her head.
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Judy26
Pearl Clutcher
MOTFY Bitchy Nursemaid
Posts: 2,974 
Location: NW PA
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Post by Judy26 on Mar 1, 2015 22:51:00 GMT
I am right there with you. Many older slurs have not followed into recent generations. The poor girl probably doesn't know what hit her. I feel sorry for her.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:46:36 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2015 22:51:38 GMT
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Post by Zee on Mar 1, 2015 22:53:18 GMT
That's good to know voltagain but I'm never going to use that one ever again, no matter how innocent its origins may be!
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Post by lucyg on Mar 1, 2015 22:54:20 GMT
I've heard "in a coon's age" all my life and never thought it was meant to be racist, even though I'm also familiar with the coon reference. Now I'll have to look it up and see what it really means. If it really is racially charged, does that mean we can never use the term "coon" as short for raccoon, not directed toward humans at all? ETA thanks, volt. You saved me the trouble. But you know, I never use the term myself. I didn't think it was racist, but it still felt uncomfortable. So I guess I'll just carry on as I have.  |
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Post by Zee on Mar 1, 2015 22:59:23 GMT
Well I'm sure it's obvious if you're talking about a raccoon in your yard vs a human being, Lucy.
My point was that it could be easy to be called out for making an error of which you weren't aware. I felt awful that anyone might think I used an offensive term on purpose.
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back to *pea*ality
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys ~refugee pea #59
Posts: 3,149
Jun 25, 2014 19:51:11 GMT
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Post by back to *pea*ality on Mar 1, 2015 23:01:19 GMT
I wouldn't have connected that old expression as a racial slur. Perhaps a generational thing.
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twinsmomfla99
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by twinsmomfla99 on Mar 1, 2015 23:09:01 GMT
I've heard "in a coon's age" all my life and never thought it was meant to be racist, even though I'm also familiar with the coon reference. Now I'll have to look it up and see what it really means. If it really is racially charged, does that mean we can never use the term "coon" as short for raccoon, not directed toward humans at all? ETA thanks, volt. You saved me the trouble. But you know, I never use the term myself. I didn't think it was racist, but it still felt uncomfortable. So I guess I'll just carry on as I have. Here in WV, we have a state park named Coonskin State Park. Just last year, one of our state legislators or some official introduced a bill or proposal to change the name because it might be offensive to African Americans. Cooler heads prevailed and the park will retain the name that was originally inspired by an area within the park known as Coonskin Holler. Seriously? You live in West Virginia where fans of the Mountaineers regularly show up at games and tailgates wearing coonskin caps and you jump to the conclusion the name is racist? When the image of the coonskin-cap-wearing mascot is found everywhere? I am usually one of my the first to accept a change of terminology if it has racist connotations, but common sense has to come into play somewhere along the line. |
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Post by lucyg on Mar 1, 2015 23:12:35 GMT
I would always think coonskin only refers to actual raccoons.
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Post by annabella on Mar 1, 2015 23:15:02 GMT
I guess I tend to believe her because of a slip I made once. I was at work and we (nurses) were discussing a patient we hadn't seen in a very long time. I mentioned I hadn't seen Harold "in a coon's age". My bff, who is black, did an about-face and said "a WHAT?" Yep my eyes bugged out as soon as I read that sentence because I know what the word meant. I've never heard of that expression. |
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AnotherPea
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,970
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Post by AnotherPea on Mar 1, 2015 23:17:28 GMT
reminds me of that Apprentice episode where a woman lost it because someone referenced the pot/kettle saying. @@
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Post by padresfan619 on Mar 1, 2015 23:19:27 GMT
One time my black manager (at a gym) was at my cash register getting rung up for a protein drink, he was taking forever to get his money out so I yelled "HURRY UP, BOY!" The second it came of of my mouth I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. I kept apologizing over and over and he kept assuring me that it was fine, he knew I didn't mean it in a racial way. I was so mortified and to this day I still sometimes have flashes to that moment and cringe.
I challenge any one on this planet to find a time in their lives when they haven't stuck their foot in their mouth, intentionally or not. I don't think that woman knew what she was saying had such a charged history behind it but she certainly knows now.
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Post by anxiousmom on Mar 1, 2015 23:28:48 GMT
Where I am from, the expression "in a coon's age" is pretty common. I haven't ever really associated it with a racial comment, but I do know the term "coon" is a pretty derogatory one. Maybe I am being overly sensitive, but I try to avoid using any kind of language that can mistaken for something unintended...like "in a coon's age."
But I have said this before-I grew up in and live in an environment that is full of subtle innuendo, winks and nods to imply a not so subtle opinion. For me, I don't want their to be any misunderstanding about which side of the line I fall, so I work hard to avoid any kind of comments that could imply otherwise.
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eleezybeth
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,784
Jun 28, 2014 20:42:01 GMT
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Post by eleezybeth on Mar 2, 2015 0:30:53 GMT
reminds me of that Apprentice episode where a woman lost it because someone referenced the pot/kettle saying. @@ This is racist? Really? I can make the leap, I guess, but anybody who has ever lit a fire knows what color soot is. |
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AnotherPea
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,970
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Post by AnotherPea on Mar 2, 2015 0:35:32 GMT
reminds me of that Apprentice episode where a woman lost it because someone referenced the pot/kettle saying. @@ This is racist? Really? I can make the leap, I guess, but anybody who has ever lit a fire knows what color soot is. No, it is not racist. But some people look for offense everywhere. And some people particularly look for racial offense. She was one of the latter b |
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happymomma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,083
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Post by happymomma on Mar 2, 2015 0:48:10 GMT
Good gravy. 'In a coon's age' has nothing to do with race at all. Some people just look for something to be offended by. It's become ridiculous.
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scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
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Post by scrapaddie on Mar 2, 2015 1:15:09 GMT
Thanks... I was all. Set to go.look it up and you saved me the effort!! |
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Post by anonrefugee on Mar 2, 2015 1:23:05 GMT
I know what you mean. I had a contact who used the phrase Yard Birds when talking about a gathering or loitering group of people. I'd avoided it, fearing it had racial connotations.
The newscaster thread caused me to look it up. There was one reference to prisoners in the jail yard, but apparently it mostly means Chickens!
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:46:36 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2015 1:23:32 GMT
What on earth is a "jungle bunny"? I have never ever heard that before. Is it a First Nations slur? African American slur? Asian American slur? Clearly we don't use it up here or something!
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mstubble
Junior Member
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Post by mstubble on Mar 2, 2015 1:33:37 GMT
This ^^ While the term coon can be a racial slur, it also refers to raccoons. There are also several breeds of dogs which hunt raccoons and are called coonhounds: Black and Tan Coonhound Bluetick Coonhound American English Redtick Coonhound Plott Hound Redbone Coonhound Treeing Walker Coonhound Around here, where hunting is prevalent, when someone says coon, they are talking about raccoons. |
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mstubble
Junior Member
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Post by mstubble on Mar 2, 2015 1:34:41 GMT
What on earth is a "jungle bunny"? I have never ever heard that before. Is it a First Nations slur? African American slur? Asian American slur? Clearly we don't use it up here or something! It is an African American slur. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:46:36 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2015 1:57:18 GMT
Wow the stuff you learn from the Peas! I honestly had no idea. I would never use it as I try not to make comments like that in the first place but I also don't know what context it would be used it. I have lived this long not knowing so I think I am good not knowing, too.
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happymomma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,083
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Post by happymomma on Mar 2, 2015 3:02:58 GMT
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