Use of the term White Trash
In fact, Danny DeVito's character name was Police Chief Wyatt Rash. The director said this was also a pun on "White Trash" as if you say "Wyatt Rash" a few times, you'll just hear "white trash". The characters in the movie lived in a small town that wasn't particularly wealthy, but almost all of them lived in very well kept, neat and clean homes and drove nice Yugos, although most of the Yugos needed a wash. What's with this use of this pejorative, racist term for the rural poor? Could I get away with calling rural poor blacks "Black Trash"? |
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| No, but you could have gotten away with calling them ghetto if it were black people instead of white. That's why I love Bill Cosby. He hates ghetto folks. |
| Not in Jena. |
| Ron? When did you become so sensitive? |
| I'm not really that sensitive, this guy was just relentless with the use of the term. Over and over again until even I got annoyed with it, which got me thinking about it. That got me thinking how insensitive this guy was about a lot of things he was saying. Joan said he sounded like a stereotypical "left coast elitist". |
| I know the movie is old, but can't remember how old. Maybe it was when "white trash" was trendy. You know, they had all the "white trash" and redneck comedians. "You know you're a redneck if?.... Its been a very long time since I've seen it, so maybe if I saw it again, I'd notice it more, but my memory of that has faded. |
I've seen the movie but it was such a long time ago that I don't remember it at all. I have heard many producers describe the neighborhood or aura they wanted to project to be white trash, but not someone who used the word all the time. However, I imagine Quentin Tarantino has very racist commentary in his films too  Just listening to the guy talk in interviews makes me ill even if his films are good. |
Ron wrote: ......Could I get away with calling rural poor blacks "Black Trash"?
You can get away with saying whatever you want as long as the people around you either agree with you, or understand your intent when words like that are used. I think of it more as a descriptive term than being racial. White/black trash, whichever, are those that are out on the streets stealing, always up to no good, etc......... Most of them do come from poor areas, but the wealthy have plenty of so called "trash" of their own. jmop |
Ron wrote: Joan said he sounded like a stereotypical "left coast elitist".
Ive never heard this term before....does that mean YOUR left (looking UP)....Or MY left (looking down)???  |
Joahaeyo wrote: However, I imagine Quentin Tarantino has very racist commentary in his films too
Just listening to the guy talk in interviews makes me ill even if his films are good.What kind of commentary? Or are you just referring to the use of the N word? |
Quote: Ron wrote:
Joan said he sounded like a stereotypical "left coast elitist". Ive never heard this term before....does that mean YOUR left (looking UP)....Or MY left (looking down)??? LOL! It is all relative! Left Coast is Pacific/Right Coast is Atlantic, Fly-Over Country is the middle...(often to mean of no consequence). People who use these geographical phrases don't have Alaska or Hawaii on their radar. |
SheepieBoss wrote: Quote: Ron wrote: Joan said he sounded like a stereotypical "left coast elitist". Ive never heard this term before....does that mean YOUR left (looking UP)....Or MY left (looking down)??? LOL! It is all relative! Left Coast is Pacific/Right Coast is Atlantic, Fly-Over Country is the middle...(often to mean of no consequence). People who use these geographical phrases don't have Alaska or Hawaii on their radar. Thats ok....we call all of you guys the "lower 48"  |
SheepieBoss wrote: People who use these geographical phrases don't have Alaska or Hawaii on their radar.
This is really dumb, but when I was younger I always thought Alaska was this little island floating around in the ocean just like Hawaii, because that's how it looks on the maps of the U.S. (You know, they show Hawaii and Alaska off to the side as a separate piece of land in the water).  lol...I have since taken geography!
As for "white trash," I always thought it was a derogatory word to describe racist, trouble-making, criminal type people... as opposed to a redneck, which can just mean a country-bumpkin, "hick" person (but not necessarily insulting). When I hear white trash, I think of those 2 guys in To Kill A Mockingbird that rape and torture the little black girl. (Or the family at the beginning of the new Halloween movie) They're always drunk and crass and shouting racist remarks or other personal insults at people. They cuss every other word and don't have a sense of right and wrong. And when I think of those people, they deserve to be called that! 
I don't think nice, normal, low-income families deserve that title though, just because they're poor. |
Ron wrote: In the director's commentary for "Drowning Mona", the director must have used the term "White Trash" more than a dozen times. Maybe two dozen.
Wouldn't it have been the screenwriter's decision? |
| It was in the director's "commentary" a bonus feature of the DVD where the director tells the story of how the movie was made and other usually interesting tidbits of info. |
Ron wrote: It was in the director's "commentary" a bonus feature of the DVD where the director tells the story of how the movie was made and other usually interesting tidbits of info.
Darn, I should have figured you had inside info when I was trying to trip you up!! |
1st Time OES Mommy wrote: SheepieBoss wrote: People who use these geographical phrases don't have Alaska or Hawaii on their radar. This is really dumb, but when I was younger I always thought Alaska was this little island floating around in the ocean just like Hawaii, because that's how it looks on the maps of the U.S. (You know, they show Hawaii and Alaska off to the side as a separate piece of land in the water). lol...I have since taken geography!As for "white trash," I always thought it was a derogatory word to describe racist, trouble-making, criminal type people... as opposed to a redneck, which can just mean a country-bumpkin, "hick" person (but not necessarily insulting). When I hear white trash, I think of those 2 guys in To Kill A Mockingbird that rape and torture the little black girl. (Or the family at the beginning of the new Halloween movie) They're always drunk and crass and shouting racist remarks or other personal insults at people. They cuss every other word and don't have a sense of right and wrong. And when I think of those people, they deserve to be called that! I don't think nice, normal, low-income families deserve that title though, just because they're poor. That's the way I always thought of the term being used as well. I also use the term "ghetto" to describe black people who act in a similar fashion... a habit I got from my ex-husband (who happens to be native american and black, but definitely not "ghetto"). My kids are the same way... they will often refer to other kids as acting "ghetto", and I know exactly what they mean when they say it. I am guilty of using the "white trash" term as well... but not for all poor white people... just the types you see on shows like Cops. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people out there who would consider me "white trash" (although I'm technically not white, but look like it, lol) just based on the fact that I have biracial kids, but oh well... I couldn't care less. Personally I think trash is trash regardless of race or economic status... I've met plenty of well-off people with beautiful homes and fancy cars that are just as racist and trashy as any crack-head junkie out there. They just fake it better and put on a much better front. When it comes to racist people, I'd prefer the ones who are upfront... it's the quiet ones that pretend to be your friend to your face yet secretly hate you behind your back that you need to watch out for. |
IheartStella wrote: Personally I think trash is trash regardless of race or economic status...
Ditto!! It has nothing to do with where you live or where you come from. |
Ron wrote: In the director's commentary for "Drowning Mona", the director must have used the term "White Trash" more than a dozen times. Maybe two dozen.
What's with this use of this pejorative, racist term for the rural poor? Could I get away with calling rural poor blacks "Black Trash"? I can certainly relate to your, or anyone's frustration with the term "white trash." Given its affect, do we really want to participate in committing the same offenses against undeserving people as an expression of our frustration? Perhaps that would only perpetuate the hateful cycle, we are an intelligent group of people who are capable of contributing much more than hate to our neighbors.  |
| My point exactly; well said. |
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