Boating; Heated discussions

Florida Cracker

A little humor goes a long way to dissipate heat. At a recent gathering of club members at the Pukin' Pelican the discussion turned to important matters such as Paula Deen, George Zimmerman and Aaron Hernandez. I'm sure you are aware of the explosive potential of discussions about those individuals.

We are few this time of year and I am outnumbered because the liberal snow birds are up north. I wish the Pelican would remove the televisions sets right after the Super Bowl and bring them back for preseason pro football. Or lock the channels down onto the Weather Channel because every sports and news channel are focusing on race and murder.

"Why is it that an older southern woman's career can be ruined because she used the N-word years ago," said Cracker Bob. "When I grew up they were the N-word. We never heard anyone call them 'Blacks.' They were either N-words or colored and they hated to be called either. My friend George was as black as midnight but we fished on the Calloosahatchee together. He was George, just my friend George, period."

"You been watching that Zimmerman trail? They got witness' that say the 'boy' was the aggressor," said 'Mudville Ben'.

"Why can they use the N-word around each other but poor Paula Deen says it in her younger days and loses everything...."

They were waiting for a response from me but no matter what I said it would make no difference in changing their mind. "Bob, are you saying the designation Cracker is just as bad as the N-word," I said and he nodded yes. "A cracker was a horse mounted Cowboy who used the crack of his bull-whip to move cattle through some of the nastiest country known to man. 'Cracker' is a proud word that some Florida born natives have allowed Yankees to tarnish."

"It means anyone born in Florida," said Bob. I disagreed. "And Florida Cracker is used the same way the N-word is."

Bartender Jersey Girl came over and asked us to change the subject but we ignored her because we haven't been thrown out of there in a while. 'Texas Pete' tried to enjoin her but she walked away, "Jersey, you dated a Hispanic guy once. Are we all murderers?" She shot him a nasty glance and went back to work.

I had a feeling that our bill was being tallied and we would be asked to leave shortly.

"I'm not talkin' about that gang-banger Boston football player. He did it now move on," said Mudville.

"Everybody or should I say every ethnic group has a slur used against them. I'm a 'Spic' and you are a 'Mick' (he was speaking to me) or Cracker and a Honkee. It's because we have to dehumanize a group so we won't feel bad just before we destroy it. You can accept a 'Spic's' death better than a Spaniard's death? or a Kraut's death better than a German's death?"

"I think the N-word has a little more baggage that goes along with it," I said.

"That's what you get with affirmative action; a smart spic," said Cracker Bob who is Texas Pete next door neighbor and good friend. We dropped the subject when the Jersey Girl gave us the 'ultimatum' look.

Boatguy Ed (boatguiEd@aol.com) is the manufacturer of the worlds BEST anti-fouling bottom paint,www.supershipbottom.com. TWEET me @boatguyed and a corresponding web site is http://www.boatingbyboatguyed.com/........ NEVER, EVER TRY TO BUY HIM A DRINK!

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