"From Gook to Raghead" - Article

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
What are you supposed to call the enemy? Schnookums?

[edit on 05/5/3 by GradyPhilpott]

That's weak. There's plenty of derogatory terms you can use that have no racial basis. Besides, I didn't know it was policy for a nation that promotes "freedom" to use these tactics in warfare. But, all's fair in war, eh? Oops, in, uh, liberation, yeah, that's it.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
What are you supposed to call the enemy? Schnookums?

[edit on 05/5/3 by GradyPhilpott]

That could actually work in terrifying the enemy into submission. I had a teacher that was so polite and nice to you when telling you off, he scared the bejesus out of me.

I wonder if being nice to people could actually work, now there is a scary thought.

[edit on 3-5-2005 by Kriz_4]

he he he

"Look out for Schnookums!.... Up in the trees!":lol

Ahem but seriously folks soldiers have always had little pet names for the enemy
Those names usually play upon ethnic stereotypes or characteristics so it's nothing to be surprised by. Yeah its ugly but then again so is war.
On the bright side Raghead is better then Sand N***** right?

Originally posted by xmotex

All countires have thier share of roughing up the enemy.

The enemy?

I thought the Iraqi civilian population were the victims, err I mean benificiaries, of our "campaign of liberation". And that the "enemy" was a bunch of "foreign fighters" backed up by one or two locals nostalgic for the good ol' Saddam days?

I'm referring to those "ragheads' whom we have been dispatched to kill, not the Iraqi civilian population. The behavior described in the article against civilians is unacceptable under any circumstances, but applying terms, racist or otherwise, to one's adversaries is as old as warfare itself. Call it gallows humor or dehumanization or whatever you will, but it ain't going to change.

By the way, in the article it says that raghead is used the same way as "gook" or "Charlie" in Vietnam. I would just like to clarify that the term Charlie was short for the Universal Phonetic Alphabet designation Victor Charlie for VC, or Viet Cong, and had no racial meaning, at all.


[edit on 05/5/3 by GradyPhilpott]

What did Gook stand for Grady?

*Showing my ignorance here*

Gook is a derogatory term for asians and to be honest this article is from the new york times.

I couldnt find the origins of Gook but I did find this charming Wikipedia entry on Offensive terms per nationality...

here's something on the etymology of "gook"

[edit on 3-5-2005 by boogyman]

Originally posted by Trustnone
Gook is a derogatory term for asians and to be honest this article is from the new york times.

OK, so?

Is there any media outlet you absolutely trust? I always see people attack Al Jazeera, Fox, CNN, etc., and granted all sources are biased, but what do you do?

It wouldn't be so bad if our US media wasn't controlled by a handful of people with "special interests."

War is war & if you kill someone is it worse when you call them a bad name before & after killing them. I can just hear the family at the funeral "not only did they kill him but they called him a "bleep" as well - yeah right. Little johnny says "Hmm I think I'll become a terrorist because they called daddy a "bleep" before they killed him - those nasty nasty name callers". Will it make the liberals happier if you call them a nice name before you kill them? Or is this just something else for them to snivel about.

I think in order to be able to kill people if that's your job you have to demonize them & come up with nasty names to call them to separate yourself from the reality that you're killing fellow human beings that are no better or worse than you. I'm glad it's not my job, but if it were I think it would be a little easier to kill fellow humans if you somehow made them much different than you. I think by calling them ragheads or gooks it just allows you to live with yourself a little longer and maybe not think of the reality of what you're involved in.

I have no doubt I could be a killing machine, but luckily for me I've never taken a life & I'm pretty much too old to be drafted at this point. So, unless some gang decides to try & rob me or someone brings a war to my part of the world I'll never have find out what it's like & I won't have to make up labels to help me kill fellow human beings.

As you may have guessed I'm against war & killing, but I find it absolutely ridicules that people are worried about what names you're calling people before you kill them - I can just see it now in the politically correct Army when your commander says it's okay to kill them but whatever you do don't call them names or we might get thrown in the brig. Whatever happened to sticks & stones can break my bones but names will never hurt me. (Uh something like that)

As far as the guy in the article - he clearly made a mistake & it sounds like he paid dearly for his poor decision, but he's looking for revenge when he shouild just be happy he's out, alive & still free.

[edit on 3-5-2005 by outsider]

Well, Truthseeka, heres your next gem to admire....

Of coure I am aware that the Iraqis didnt knock down the towers...But I am refering to the war on terrorism in general. Afghanistan, Iraq and who ever is next.

Am I racist? I suppose. I don't have any particular love in my heart for the muslims of the world. At least the ones who refer to us as "the great satan" and "infidels", the ones who feel the need to kill 3000 of my fellow civilians..No, I havent much love for them in my steely heart, I suppose. I harbor no good will towards those I saw burning our flag and dancing in the streets that day with pictures of Bin Ladin over their heads. I have no love for the dictator and his sons who surely smiled on that morning. I have no love for any other countries leader who felt pleasure that morning, who we will be visiting soon.

No, rather, I view them as my sworn enemy. I am proud that my country no longer stands by and takes cheap shots and does little or nothing in return. I want my soldiers pumped and ready to go. I dont want them to worry about hurting someones feelings. I want them to be killing machines. Thats what keeps us on top. Lobbing a couple of missles at abandoned training camps was embarassing.

For to long we have sat by and let the world walk on us. Well, this time..it got personal. But now, that we actually bring it to them, we are the evil ones. This is like an unruley child. He keeps pushing his parents buttons. All day long...just nonstop misbehaving. Why? Because mommie and daddy never did anything before...Why would they now?

But what if M/D and just up and slapped the crap out of the kid one day. The kid finally went to far, so his dad let em have it. Would the dad be "evil"? I don't think so. I would think that it was about time the parents let the little jerk have it.

Am I the only one who also thinks its a tad strange that this is a second story from a muslim soldier? Let's see...the first one lobbed a grenade in his commanding officers tent, and the second one has this story in which he provides no proof what so ever, but does manage to get an honorable discharge...hmmmm....stinks bad to me.

Ya know the world has started to go down the crapper, when you cant even call the enemy a bad name, without the liberals saying omg!!! its going to offend someone!!

ITS A WAR, NOT A WALK IN DOWNTOWN U.S.A.



[edit on 4-5-2005 by C0le]