Canadian is code word for Black?

albionmoonlight · 01-31-2008, 10:57 AM

I'd never heard of this before:

http://www.nationalpost.com/most_pop...html?id=261254

Quote:

It was a routine e-mail from the boss sent to congratulate a junior prosecutor in Houston, Tex., who had won manslaughter convictions against an intoxicated driver.

"He convicted Mr. Sosa of a double intoxication manslaughter, got a weak jury to give him 12 years in each, and then convinced Judge Wallace to stack the sentences," Harris County assistant district attorney Mike Trent wrote in an office-wide memo. Then came the odd part: "He overcame a subversively good defence by Matt Hennessey that had some Canadians on the jury feeling sorry for the defendant and forced them to do the right thing."

The e-mail was sent in 2003 but came to light only this month as part of an unrelated controversy with his office, forcing Mr. Trent to defend himself against accusations of bigotry -- not because he offended the people of Canada, but because "Canadian" has apparently become a code word for blacks among American racists.

"There is a double meaning to that word and I didn't know it. I was horrified when I learned what it was, and I immediately addressed the issue with the people who brought it up," Mr. Trent told a local Fox News reporter in a recent interview.

"I'd never heard of Canadian being used as a term for a black person or for a racial slur," he said.

"If I had, I would never send that out in an office-wide e-mail that's going to go to people who are going to be offended if they recognize it as such. That would be crazy.... I'm not a racist. I'm not a bigot," Mr. Trent said.
Mark Vinson, who was a chief prosecutor in the Harris County office at the time, said he was puzzled by the reference to Canadians when he got the e-mail but was too busy to give it much thought. Then some colleagues informed him about the slang meaning of Canadian, and he felt crushed.
"So much has been accomplished in terms of equal opportunities, and the office had a super reputation," Mr. Vinson, who is black, told the National Post. "I just couldn't imagine someone in the office who would engage in that conduct."

He said he believes Mr. Trent's assurance that he had simply repeated a term used by the prosecutor on the case, Rob Freyer. Mr. Freyer did not return a message left yesterday.

"I know Mike. We laugh and talk about the [Dallas] Cowboys," Mr. Vinson said. "I truly don't believe that Mike knew what he was saying."

It is unusual that a seasoned attorney like Mr. Trent would not have wondered how a Harris County jury came to be stacked with Canadians. (There were no Canadians on the jury but there were some black members.) "The only way that there could have been Canadians on the jury, was if they were born in Canada and then became U.S. citizens, and then became citizens of the county in which the case was tried," Mr. Vinson noted.

Mr. Trent told Fox News that was not out of the question. "It would not be impossible or unusual for people from other countries to be on our juries," he said. "That's what I was told, and I took it as the literal meaning."

The bigger mystery is how "Canadian" came to be code for black. An online directory of racial slurs defines Canadian as a "masked replacement" for black.

Last August, a blogger in Cincinnati going by the name CincyBlurg reported that a black friend from the southeastern U.S. had recently discovered that she was being called a Canadian. "She told me a story of when she was working in a shop in the South and she overheard some of her customers complaining that they were always waited on by a Canadian at that place. She didn't understand what they were talking about and assumed they must be talking about someone else," the blogger wrote.
"After this happened several times with different patrons, she mentioned it to one of her co-workers. He told her that ‘Canadian' was the new derogatory term that racist Southerners were using to describe persons they would have previously referred to [with the N-word.]"

A similar case in Kansas City was reported last year on a Listserv, or electronic mailing list, used by linguistics experts. A University of Kansas linguist said that a waitress friend reported that "fellow workers used to use a name for inner-city families that were known to not leave a tip: Canadians. ‘Hey, we have a table of Canadians.... They're all yours.' "
Stefan Dollinger, a postdoctoral fellow in linguistics at University of British Columbia and director of the university's Canadian English lab, speculated that the slur reflects a sense of Canadians as the other.

"This ‘code' word, is the replacement of a no-longer tolerated label for one outsider group, with, from the U.S. view, another outsider group: Canadians. It could have been terms for Mexicans, Latinos etc. but this would have been too obvious," he said. "What's left? Right, the guys to the north."

National Post

M GO BLUE!!! · 01-31-2008, 11:03 AM

My girlfriend is in Canada...

Pumpy Tudors · 01-31-2008, 11:04 AM

O CANADA

Mustang · 01-31-2008, 11:06 AM

Once you go Maple it becomes your staple

stevew · 01-31-2008, 11:07 AM

I've heard it before, I'm thinking maybe it was referenced in a movie or tv show?

Lathum · 01-31-2008, 11:10 AM

I think they referenced it in Waiting.

IT is a big restaurant expression.

OH, We haven't had a good black people don't tip thread in a while !!!!

stevew · 01-31-2008, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lathum

I think they referenced it in Waiting.

IT is a big restaurant expression.

OH, We haven't had a good black people don't tip thread in a while !!!!

Oh, shit....yeah, that's where I heard it from. Working in the food industry. Waitresses referring to non-tipping black people.

Young Drachma · 01-31-2008, 11:25 AM

Nobody likes Mondays. (Fast-Forward to 5:00)

hawk4669 · 01-31-2008, 11:29 AM

Does somebody have a case of the Mondays?

Cheers!

JeeberD · 01-31-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lathum

I think they referenced it in Waiting.

IT is a big restaurant expression.

OH, We haven't had a good black people don't tip thread in a while !!!!

Really? I've NEVER heard that expression before...

rkmsuf · 01-31-2008, 12:11 PM

Never heard that. Ever.

They all look the same to you, eh Costanza?

CamEdwards · 01-31-2008, 12:26 PM

I've never heard that phrase either.

johnnyshaka · 01-31-2008, 12:40 PM

Sweet, another reason to drive over the Grand Dragon when I see him.

About the "bad tippers" reference...I'd probably have to agree. I know over the years I've been embarassed by how much my Dad left for a tip after dinner but maybe that's a generational thing...who knows?

Personally, I "over" tip, if there is such a thing, for good service otherwise I usually drop the standard 15-20% unless it was a real shit show and then I'll leave next to nothing. And, honestly, I'm 33, and I can count the number of times I've done the latter on one hand.

JonInMiddleGA · 01-31-2008, 12:44 PM

Once again, FOFC covers my requirement to learn something new everyday.

Bad-example · 01-31-2008, 12:45 PM

Finally, rappers now have a quality alternative to the N-bomb.

rkmsuf · 01-31-2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bad-example

Finally, rappers now have a quality alternative to the N-bomb.

canniggian?

FrogMan · 01-31-2008, 01:11 PM

Meanwhile, I just read that Mike Carey will be the first Canadian referee at a Super Bowl this Sunday.

FM

Karlifornia · 01-31-2008, 02:09 PM

So, you're telling me that Donovan Bailey really isn't Canadian?

Dr. Sak · 01-31-2008, 02:11 PM

So when black people call someone Canadian...who are they referring to?

Pumpy Tudors · 01-31-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrogMan

Meanwhile, I just read that Mike Carey will be the first Canadian referee at a Super Bowl this Sunday.

You'd think that they could've done this last year when you had two Canadian head coaches against each other in the Super Bowl.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

So, you're telling me that Donovan Bailey really isn't Canadian?

I laughed.

Dr. Sak · 01-31-2008, 02:12 PM

Also...no wonder Pumpy likes hockey so much...

st.cronin · 01-31-2008, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsak16

Also...no wonder Pumpy likes hockey so much...

/slap knee

JonInMiddleGA · 01-31-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

blahblahblah

Y'know, I never had the slightest idea there really was a Pumpy Tudors (other than the FOFC one) until today. I guess I should scrounge through the D1-AA record book more often.

MalcPow · 01-31-2008, 02:51 PM

I've heard Hawaiian for Jewish. But I'm told that's a west coast thing. *shurg*

MikeVic · 01-31-2008, 02:52 PM

I don't mind Canadian licorice.

Maple Leafs · 01-31-2008, 03:11 PM

Is this why the NHL does so poorly in the south? All the rednecks heard the league was crawling with Canadians?

stevew · 01-31-2008, 03:14 PM

How long was Warren Moon a Canadian QB?

CraigSca · 01-31-2008, 03:48 PM

I've heard the term "Northern Canadians" before, but never without the "northern" piece.

FrogMan · 01-31-2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigSca

I've heard the term "Northern Canadians" before, but never without the "northern" piece.

hrm, this gives the term "French Canadian" a whole new meaning then...

FM

Oilers9911 · 01-31-2008, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevew

How long was Warren Moon a Canadian QB?

I think he was born Canadian but I think the QB part came a bit later.

Clark · 01-31-2008, 04:10 PM

I have heard of it used in some law enforcement agencies. Example: Officer radios, "I just pulled over a carload of Canadians." Other officer knows to come and back him up because he's probably going to try and search the car.

Easy Mac · 01-31-2008, 04:17 PM

At least Republicans can keep Canadians from voting in the election.

And is Obama even allowed to run anymore?

Pumpy Tudors · 01-31-2008, 04:18 PM

bsak and Maple Leafs have me rolling right now.

MikeVic · 01-31-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Is this why the NHL does so poorly in the south? All the rednecks heard the league was crawling with Canadians?

You may be onto something.

Chief Rum · 01-31-2008, 07:19 PM

As a long time part time restaurant worker, this term is well known to me. I have never heard it outside of a restaurant, though.

Karlifornia · 01-31-2008, 07:29 PM

Here's a video of James Brown performing the Canadian anthem

Young Drachma · 01-31-2008, 09:05 PM

Not safe for work.

hxxp://www.theonion.com/content/video/use_of_n_word_may_end_porn_stars

Raven Hawk · 02-01-2008, 12:18 AM

That term has been around for awhile. I remember hearing a dumbass spout it out back in college (early 90's). It confused me at first. It confused me at first, but then he explained and I lost any respect I ever had for him (which was limited in the first place). I honestly hadn't heard anybody use the term that way since then.

saldana · 02-01-2008, 07:18 AM

this is amusing to me...even having worked in restaurants, i have never heard this phrase refer to black people.

i have however, heard it used by gay people to refer to other gay people...as in "hey did you meet so-and-so...i was surprised that he was canadian"

Critch · 02-01-2008, 07:26 AM

I must be naive, I've never heard the term Canadian used for anything other than Canadians. And bacon.

ISiddiqui · 02-01-2008, 07:29 AM

Hmmm... I must now investigate more into this "Canadian" bacon.

saldana · 02-01-2008, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Hmmm... I must now investigate more into this "Canadian" bacon.

"born in the usa, i was...born in the usa, i was...born in the usa, i was...born in the usa, i was...born in the usa, i was...born in the usa"

gottimd · 02-01-2008, 08:24 AM

Pumpy Tudors · 02-01-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Is this why the NHL does so poorly in the south? All the rednecks heard the league was crawling with Canadians?

I am still laughing at this. I'm talking Pumpy laughter here.

Bee · 02-01-2008, 08:43 AM

Need some help.

Does this make me a Canadian-American or an African-Canadian?

k, thx

cuervo72 · 02-01-2008, 09:00 AM

How in the hell am I supposed to denigrate Canadians now??

Dr. Sak · 02-01-2008, 09:15 AM

George Laraque is a French-Canadian black person...I am so confused right now...

gottimd · 02-01-2008, 09:23 AM

So is this shirt offensive or not?

Oilers9911 · 02-01-2008, 09:26 AM

That shirt was offensive to begin with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottimd

So is this shirt offensive or not?

Critch · 02-01-2008, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuervo72

How in the hell am I supposed to denigrate Canadians now??

You need a code word for them.

01-31-2008, 11:04 AM	#3
Pumpy Tudors Bounty Hunter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	O CANADA __________________ No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor.

01-31-2008, 11:06 AM	#4
Mustang Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Wisconsin	Once you go Maple it becomes your staple __________________ You, you will regret what you have done this day. I will make you regret ever being born. Your going to wish you never left your mothers womb, where it was warm and safe... and wet. i am going to show you pain you never knew existed, you are going to see a whole new spectrum of pain, like a Rainboooow. But! This rainbow is not just like any other rainbow, its...

01-31-2008, 11:07 AM	#5
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	I've heard it before, I'm thinking maybe it was referenced in a movie or tv show? Last edited by stevew : 01-31-2008 at 11:07 AM.

01-31-2008, 11:25 AM	#8
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	Nobody likes Mondays. (Fast-Forward to 5:00) Last edited by Young Drachma : 01-31-2008 at 11:28 AM.

01-31-2008, 11:29 AM	#9
hawk4669 High School JV Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Northern California	Does somebody have a case of the Mondays? Cheers! __________________ Hawk4669 www.hbfire.org

01-31-2008, 11:03 AM	#2
M GO BLUE!!! Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2005	My girlfriend is in Canada...

01-31-2008, 11:10 AM	#6
Lathum Favored Bitch #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: homeless in NJ	I think they referenced it in Waiting. IT is a big restaurant expression. OH, We haven't had a good black people don't tip thread in a while !!!!

01-31-2008, 12:11 PM	#11
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	Never heard that. Ever. They all look the same to you, eh Costanza? __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

01-31-2008, 12:26 PM	#12
CamEdwards Stadium Announcer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burke, VA	I've never heard that phrase either. __________________ I don't want the world. I just want your half.

01-31-2008, 12:40 PM	#13
johnnyshaka College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB	Sweet, another reason to drive over the Grand Dragon when I see him. About the "bad tippers" reference...I'd probably have to agree. I know over the years I've been embarassed by how much my Dad left for a tip after dinner but maybe that's a generational thing...who knows? Personally, I "over" tip, if there is such a thing, for good service otherwise I usually drop the standard 15-20% unless it was a real shit show and then I'll leave next to nothing. And, honestly, I'm 33, and I can count the number of times I've done the latter on one hand. Last edited by johnnyshaka : 01-31-2008 at 12:40 PM.

01-31-2008, 12:44 PM	#14
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Once again, FOFC covers my requirement to learn something new everyday. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

01-31-2008, 12:45 PM	#15
Bad-example College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: san jose CA	Finally, rappers now have a quality alternative to the N-bomb. Last edited by Bad-example : 01-31-2008 at 12:45 PM.

01-31-2008, 01:11 PM	#17
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	Meanwhile, I just read that Mike Carey will be the first Canadian referee at a Super Bowl this Sunday. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

01-31-2008, 02:09 PM	#18
Karlifornia Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	So, you're telling me that Donovan Bailey really isn't Canadian?

01-31-2008, 02:11 PM	#19
Dr. Sak Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Stuck in Yinzerville, PA	So when black people call someone Canadian...who are they referring to?

01-31-2008, 02:12 PM	#21
Dr. Sak Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Stuck in Yinzerville, PA	Also...no wonder Pumpy likes hockey so much...

01-31-2008, 02:51 PM	#24
MalcPow College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Diego	I've heard Hawaiian for Jewish. But I'm told that's a west coast thing. shurg

01-31-2008, 02:52 PM	#25
MikeVic Head Coach Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hometown of Canada	I don't mind Canadian licorice.

01-31-2008, 03:11 PM	#26
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	Is this why the NHL does so poorly in the south? All the rednecks heard the league was crawling with Canadians? __________________ Down Goes Brown: Toronto Maple Leafs Humor and Analysis

01-31-2008, 03:14 PM	#27
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	How long was Warren Moon a Canadian QB?

01-31-2008, 03:48 PM	#28
CraigSca Pro Starter Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Not Delaware - hurray!	I've heard the term "Northern Canadians" before, but never without the "northern" piece. __________________ She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! She loves you, yeah! how do you know? how do you know?

01-31-2008, 04:10 PM	#31
Clark n00b Join Date: Oct 2003	I have heard of it used in some law enforcement agencies. Example: Officer radios, "I just pulled over a carload of Canadians." Other officer knows to come and back him up because he's probably going to try and search the car.

01-31-2008, 04:17 PM	#32
Easy Mac Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Here	At least Republicans can keep Canadians from voting in the election. And is Obama even allowed to run anymore?

01-31-2008, 04:18 PM	#33
Pumpy Tudors Bounty Hunter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	bsak and Maple Leafs have me rolling right now. __________________ No, I am not Batman, and I will not repair your food processor.

01-31-2008, 07:19 PM	#35
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	As a long time part time restaurant worker, this term is well known to me. I have never heard it outside of a restaurant, though. __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready.

01-31-2008, 07:29 PM	#36
Karlifornia Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	Here's a video of James Brown performing the Canadian anthem

01-31-2008, 09:05 PM	#37
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	Not safe for work. hxxp://www.theonion.com/content/video/use_of_n_word_may_end_porn_stars

02-01-2008, 12:18 AM	#38
Raven Hawk College Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Thunderdome	That term has been around for awhile. I remember hearing a dumbass spout it out back in college (early 90's). It confused me at first. It confused me at first, but then he explained and I lost any respect I ever had for him (which was limited in the first place). I honestly hadn't heard anybody use the term that way since then. __________________ Owner of The Shreveport Pride in The CFL

02-01-2008, 07:18 AM	#39
saldana Pro Starter Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bethlehem, Pa	this is amusing to me...even having worked in restaurants, i have never heard this phrase refer to black people. i have however, heard it used by gay people to refer to other gay people...as in "hey did you meet so-and-so...i was surprised that he was canadian"

02-01-2008, 07:26 AM	#40
Critch lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Herndon, VA	I must be naive, I've never heard the term Canadian used for anything other than Canadians. And bacon.

02-01-2008, 07:29 AM	#41
ISiddiqui Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	Hmmm... I must now investigate more into this "Canadian" bacon. __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

02-01-2008, 08:24 AM	#43
gottimd Dearly Missed (9/25/77-12/23/08) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: DC Suburbs	__________________ NAFL New Orleans Saints GM/Co-Commish MP Career Record: 114-85 NAFL Super Bowl XI Champs In memory of Gavin Anthony: 7/22/08-7/26/08

02-01-2008, 08:43 AM	#45
Bee Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Fairfax, VA	Need some help. Does this make me a Canadian-American or an African-Canadian? k, thx

02-01-2008, 09:00 AM	#46
cuervo72 Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maryland	How in the hell am I supposed to denigrate Canadians now?? __________________ null Last edited by cuervo72 : 02-01-2008 at 09:00 AM.

02-01-2008, 09:15 AM	#47
Dr. Sak Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Stuck in Yinzerville, PA	George Laraque is a French-Canadian black person...I am so confused right now...