El Gringo

[CUSP82]

Personally I'd rather be called a gingo than an asshole. See being called an asshole is personal; being called name because of skin color or origin well there's not much I can do about that and I don't find that offensive.

[not2big]

Why did “Oriental” become pejorative? It literally means from the east as opposed to “occidental”meaning from the west?

[CUSP82]

Most people don't know that nor do they care. Oklahoma is an Indian word meaning red skinned people. If most folks knew that we'd lose a state.

[Dangler]

El Estupido was here...

[BigO]

El Estupido was here...

Honestly, this just made me LOL

[Johnny D]

Like I said people just want to be offended. No one said anything about color in the opening post did they?

Sure they did. It begins "It's a word that many white Americans find derogatory"

Also, my original response was intended as sarcasm. I am pretty far from offended. I am, however, critical of people who believe they're in a position to determine who can and cannot be offended, and of those who feign offense.

[arlos]

Personally I'd rather be called a gingo than an asshole. See being called an asshole is personal; being called name because of skin color or origin well there's not much I can do about that and I don't find that offensive.

True that. Gringo is just a neutral way of referring to a foreigner. It's extremely common here to use the color of skin to reference someone- it's a sign of friendliness or affection. Usually "mono" for white or lighter complexions and "negro" or "negrita," depending on gender, for darker complexion.

Personally it took me a while to get used to that difference in culture. In the U.S. it was usually never a good thing when someone referenced your skin color when greeting or getting your attention.

I've seen a couple of Black American tourists get called gringos and they were just really confused.

[CUSP82]

It's all in the perception of the receiver and if you want to be offended you will; if you're normal you won't.

Okay try this one; we're at Home Depot and there are 4 employees standing off to the side all wearing their red shirts. One guy happens to be black, bald and chubby. You see what I got and you want one so you ask me where I got it. I tell you to go see "that" Home Depot guy because he knows where they are. You say which guy there are 4 of them? Now how do I tell you which guy? Do I say the bald guy or the fat guy or the black guy? None of which is offensive at all but if you're of that mindset I am now a bad guy!