Why did you have a kid with someone from a family like this? You sound so superior to them, lol.
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Is this pet name racist?
- Thread starter ahoyle
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Why did you have a kid with someone from a family like this? You sound so superior to them, lol.
IL and I am not joking. They also have confederate flags as blinds
Yikes. I'm not visiting you anymore. I mean my friend doesnt want to visit you anymore.
My dad had a black dog as a kid, in the 50s, named Blackie and when we were kids we wanted to get a black pug, but he insisted if we got a black pug we had to name it blackie, homage to his dog. We all vetoed him thankfully. I wouldn't think of my dad as an overt racist, he was a college educated hippie, but I think that's a blindspot he had.
OP
OP
In all fairness...in hindsight...not the worst question!
I'm just jking you. We will book a cruise once coronavirus runs its course.
I mean the literal definition of blackie in the dictionary is that it's an offensive term
There's a history of racist people naming their black pets the n word or stereotypical african american names.
Welp, that about does it. Thank you!I mean the literal definition of blackie in the dictionary is that it's an offensive term
I used to have a pet rabbit called Blackbeard and we shortened that to Blacky. We had another called Pugwash and we called him Pugsy, so there was a pirate theme (Pugwash came first) and we abbreviated both.
So they lived in the south and want to call their black dog "blackie?" Yeah, that's not gonna fly with me.
I'm about 100% certain they know exactly the connotations of the word. And while I'm not one to chastise for original naming of your pet (I named my cat "Luna," after my favorite Harry Potter character, and the moon because I'm a Cancer, so who am I to judge?), they could have come up with a more creative name, and with one not steeped in a racist history.
How about Sirius, Onyx, or Obsidian? Jet? Shadow? Alucard? Anything but Blackie, come on. :/
I'm about 100% certain they know exactly the connotations of the word. And while I'm not one to chastise for original naming of your pet (I named my cat "Luna," after my favorite Harry Potter character, and the moon because I'm a Cancer, so who am I to judge?), they could have come up with a more creative name, and with one not steeped in a racist history.
How about Sirius, Onyx, or Obsidian? Jet? Shadow? Alucard? Anything but Blackie, come on. :/
It's a bad name and reflects poorly upon the owners.
Knew exactly what this thread was about before clicking and I knew this would be among the top replies.
( thats its japanese name )
Knew exactly what this thread was about before clicking and I knew this would be among the top replies.
I think a good rule of thumb is if you can imagine it being used as a racist term, then it almost certainly has been. A quick google search confirms that.
More succinctly put:
Another good rule of thumb is whether you'd feel comfortable saying using the term in the presence of a member of the affected marginalized group - in this case, saying the dog's name with a black person in your home. Again, I can't imagine who wouldn't have some qualms about that. So really any way you look at it, just pick a different name.
More succinctly put:
Another good rule of thumb is whether you'd feel comfortable saying using the term in the presence of a member of the affected marginalized group - in this case, saying the dog's name with a black person in your home. Again, I can't imagine who wouldn't have some qualms about that. So really any way you look at it, just pick a different name.
I wouldn't have called it racist, but I guess my not being from the US and English not being my first language factors into that. After hearing about the family and how the word can be used I'd have to say it sounds pretty racist, though.
Speaking of racist pet names, I once met a family who had named their black chihuahua Obama. That was...something.
Speaking of racist pet names, I once met a family who had named their black chihuahua Obama. That was...something.
Niggardly doesn't actually have any linguistic connection with the n-word, though. I don't see the point of comparison with naming a black dog.
The name's not going to win points for originality.
Here's the litmus test you can apply:
"Is this a name I can call out in a park when I want to get the dog's attention, and not cause an awkward situation?"
I believe Blackie fails this test very much so
"Is this a name I can call out in a park when I want to get the dog's attention, and not cause an awkward situation?"
I believe Blackie fails this test very much so
It is a bad choice, doesn't fall in the RACIST territory but is definitely in the hmmmm I guess thats racist territory.
Oh yeah, that.
Oh yeah, that.
I'm well aware that the word is rooted in older language and was not originally a racist term. I just don't really trust anyone in a contemporary context to use it in good faith because it's such an antiquated word.
As for the relevance of its comparison, I don't really have an argument there. Peace.
Maybe not. It's a bad name either way, but for instance my grandparents had a golden retriever named Goldie, a black lab named Blackie, and a red haired mutt named Red. They are not imaginative people. Regardless of intent, don't name your dog Blackie is a good rule of thumb.
I sure as shit wouldn't want to be yelling out Blackie at the dog park tho so maybe there's your answer.
I sure as shit wouldn't want to be yelling out Blackie at the dog park tho so maybe there's your answer.
dismissing racism is the usual on this forum
all the posts saying "naming pets blackie and brownie is usual in places with massive color-ism issues" as a defense of such names says it all
Either racist or enjoying the privilege of ignoring the wider context of racism in America, not a good name
I dunno. Bello, Luna, etc. are not more creative for that matter.
It's totally common, I mean pets are not humans? Our cat is called Shiro (white) and I wanted to name our second Kuro (black) despite it being white too, but my fiance didnt like that idea. We named our black dog Anyu (gentle night). I know so many dogs named after colors. Hazel, Blackie, Snow, Simba, Snowwhite...
I even know dogs called after colors not related to fur (blue, purple, etc.).
I dunno, what else do you have to go with than hopes for personality and/or color related names?
I personally dislike this trend to give dogs human names (Beethoven, Einstein, Augusta, Fred, Elmo, Pascha, Hugo, Rudy) or nordic names (Odin, Thor, Ares etc.).
If it's racist, it has jack to do with living in the south.
Well, if it's a dog and its black, I mean, except feeling like it's a lazy name I don't think it's racist, it's a dog.
Call a black person on the street that name and you'll get shit of course, but a dog...hmmmm.
As a black cat owner who call his cat 'Shadow' I feel like it's just a nudge better than Blackie lol.
EDIT: Oh ok, just saw the definition, fuck it then.
Call a black person on the street that name and you'll get shit of course, but a dog...hmmmm.
As a black cat owner who call his cat 'Shadow' I feel like it's just a nudge better than Blackie lol.
EDIT: Oh ok, just saw the definition, fuck it then.
Yeah, that sounds pretty racist to me since I was called that. There are way better and cooler names to call a pet with black fur.
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