"Mutt". Offensive?

[n1ck301]

FemiNazis... why is this even a thread.

[Zogarth]

I have never herd this before. But it kinda reminds me of a thing we had in Denmark. The name Negro/nigger was used here to describe black people as a generel term for many years. It was not offensive, it was just describing a black person. What you guys maybe know as a Chocolate-coated marshmallow treats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocola...hmallow_treats), was actually called a niggerball, or a niggerkiss here in Denmark directly translated. But the meaning of the word changed over the years and become offensive, and not allowed to be used in common speak. Heck many old people here in denmark still call black people niggers just because they don't know better.

[tyggyr]

Disclaimer: I read the OP.

I personally consider myself a mutt of European ancestry.
My father's family is about 1/2 as close as you can get to white American - we're talking Mayflower and all that, and then English & Dutch previously, and some likely Scandinavian way back (what Englishman doesn't have a bit of Norse in him anyhow). His other half is Scott-Irish.
My mother, on the other hand, is Eastern European Jew - Austrian/Polish/Russian/Czech and who knows what else in that region.

So yeah, I'm a mutt - and I'm proud of it. Mix those genes.

Ever see the product of a profound lack of gene mixing?

Personally, I think the best cats and dogs are mutts, too.

"MUTTS?"

DID YOU REALLY JUST CALL US FUCKING DOGS?

Jesus fucking Christ I can't even deal with you people. How do you think it's okay to spew this rancid shit out of your mouth at people? WHAT IN THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!

There are many people who would be greatly offended by a lot in this response which goes farther than the minor infraction of calling a person a "mutt" - taking the Lord's name in vain (I'm not religious, but I see the point), profanity, and IMO the worst crime of all - writing in all caps I'm perpetually astounded by how incensed people get over a few words...

slightly off-topic: I had a strange childhood many years ago which probably resulted in a lack of proper socialization, you could say. When we started to settle down and I was tossed into public school in the 3rd grade (you could say I was "home schooled", if you call the home a VW bus traveling all over Europe, Morocco and then the USA), I managed to call someone a "bastard" jokingly, not realizing the implications. He got pretty upset, though I'll bet he didn't know what it really meant either, just felt he'd been insulted - out came the fists! I explained I didn't mean anything more than that he was being a brat or something, and things cooled off.

[Wiyld]

That is an expression that I have literally never heard outside of shows like family guy that make fun of the word.

I believe a previous poster already explained localization.


Cracker is used widely and freely across the USA. In fact I dare say it probably gets used more freely then the converse black racial slur.

People assume that if you aren't a minority then you don't get to be offended by intentional insults.

[Reg]

Cracker is used widely and freely across the USA. In fact I dare say it probably gets used more freely then the converse black racial slur.

Oddly enough, I've only ever been called a cracker by white people lol

[Cybran]

a) police your language, so that you do not say something offensive in the first place
b) apologize when you do offend someone, and amend your future use of language
c) admit that you are okay with offending someone, and that you don't really care about their feelings

or option d) Tell the readers to grow a thicker skin.

[Spraxle]

Seems to me like more people being overly sensitive about something that's not even an issue. PCism, the neutering downfall of western civilization. I've heard dogs and people called 'mutts' and it's never been in a hateful way. Something is only offensive if you let it offend you, and it seems most people in todays world are happy to let the dumbest things offend them. They don't even know why they're being offended. They're just being offended for the sake of being offended.

[ComputerNerd]

I have never heard of that before in describing people, but only with dogs.
And due to the teasing nature our dog tends to respond better to that than it does its name on some occasions.
Personal references or between friends or those with an understanding of the context does not prevent it being used offensively.
People should have a right to criticise such remarks, and has nothing to do with being "over-sensitive" or any other rubbish people spew out.

[whathump]

I've never heard people use "mutt" to refer to others in any way other than jokingly.

Not surprised at the replies to the guy, though, given the website.

[amashatola]

it would be nice if people were intelligent enough to not get offended by anything. its just a bunch of words nothing more. derogatory use or not

[Deleted]

I definitely see mutt as a derogatory term, I'd say check the locations of the people who took offense to it though as from my perspective mutt only has meaning when referring to breeds of dogs, I've never seen it used to refer to biracial people. Perhaps in your area and the poster that used the words area it's a commonly used word but to me it just seems incredibly offensive, like relating a person to a dog.

This ^

As a mixed race person I remember as a child having some people refer to me as a mongrel amongst other terms.

A mutt is usually some sort of mongrel dog so it is offensive, but wouldn't bother me all that much these days, as we all know purebreeds are more likely to suffer from genetic illnesses.

[starlord]

its almost like words have different connotations to different people & cultures.

[Serd]

I never really understood why the term "dog" is degrading. I mean if you look around dogs are in Police, military, search and rescue and help people with disability. They can also be pound for pound the one of the strongest animals. http://youtu.be/WtA5XlHWZRg
You also have "dogmen" talk about matching gamebred pitbulls with wolverines in pits.

People can call me maddog or whatever becuase that shit is hardcore.

[anyaka21]

honestly based on the link, it seems obvious that the guy who posted that didn't mean anything by it. In all actuality he actually complemented them and said he found them more attractive.

IMO, he should not have gotten that negative reaction, as its obvious he meant nothing deragatory by it.

[Arkenaw]

Unless referring to an animal, using mutt as an insult is absolutely hilarious.

[Bearshield]

I was unaware that "mutt" referred to a race or combination of races, or that it was considered insulting. As a white person whose heritage includes multiple European nationalities, I know I've described myself as a "mutt" before. The term replies to a mix, it has nothing to do with being positive or negative. How the hell else should we put it? On the other hand, my bi-racial friends always referred to themselves as either black, white, or mixed, never as mutts. People are too easily offended.