Why you should be nice to axolotls

[usafaux2004]

Because I now got two negatives for this, I'd feel I need to address this:

"Limey is a predominantly North American and Australian slang nickname for Britons, especially those from England."

Now, I learned that from my ex-pat Brit friends, so I guess they are racist against their own people according to someoneon this forum.

But even forgetting that my comment was praise based on the scientific understanding of evolution by GB, racist is the wrong word anyway. Perhaps offensive to some in which case I apologize, as that wasn't my intent and I won't use it here again, but racist it was not. ( can a Slav even be racist against a country as white/European as the definitions sets it? )

 

[auntiejude]

'Limey' is a slang term for Brits (originating from The Royal Navy's habit of issuing citrus fruit to sailors to prevent scurvey) and was originally a derogatory term used by the Americans. I personally don't find it offensive, but I guess somepeople do.

Do the Americans object to the term 'yank' with it's civil war origins?

It could be worse - you could have called an Aussie a Kiwi (or vice versa)

 

[EmbryH]

Calling us Americans a yank isn't offensive, though sometimes southerners jokingly use it to describe northern Americans.

Are the words Aussie or Kiwi offensive? I've seen them used in friendly situations...

Also, just a thing about evolution, there's cool video on youtube that takes several creationists on a road trip to personally speak with scientists and geologists about evolution/creationism. The creationists are a good variety; liberal, conservative, christian, muslim, and it's a pretty go video if anyone wants to see.

Here it is.

 

[auntiejude]

Are the words Aussie or Kiwi offensive? I've seen them used in friendly situations...

No, not offensive in themselves, but calling an Australian a Kiwi or a New Zealander an Aussie is about the worst insult you could use! It's not just personal, it's a matter of national pride!

(For the record, Aussies come from Australia, Kiwis come from New Zealand - confusing the 2 is a terrible faux pas)

 

[usafaux2004]

Again, is what it is, but wasn't meant to be offensive, for clarifications sake.

That said, I've heard Brits call americans colonists when they go over there.

I'm proud to be a Yank, but as stated, southerners typically don't like it as its a northerner term and since some are still fighting the civil war, it hurts there feelings. Lol.

 

[SkollSunChaser]

Living almost at the Canadian border have never heard the term XD I would be more confused I suppose than anything, I've never heard it as an insult before.

 

[usafaux2004]

Don't ya know, Pacific North-West and Pacific region in general isn't Yankee turf. It really only applies to Midwest/east north states that were part of the civil war. Never heard it on TV either though?

 

[Mortimer]

Hi guys,

Part of me feels the need to apologize for coming across in a way that was not entirely intended. I was in the hospital while reading this thread, and for some reason the tone of much of the back-and-forth really hit me in a negative way. Being an active member of this forum for the past year has generally been a very positive experience for me but reading this particular thread reminded me of a number of instances when members have reached out to me because they felt that they were being disrespected or attacked--for lack of a better word. I knew better than to get involved….but yet, I couldn’t help myself. I’ll blame the dexamethazone. Steroids are the worst.

Rodrigo, I am sorry that you and “many others” frequently find many of our threads to be “tediously inane”. That is actually quite obvious, and I’m really glad you came out and said it….I have definitely picked up bits and pieces of this attitude over the past year and have often wondered if my posts were among those of which you are speaking. Many of us obviously do not have your considerable knowledge about caudates, which you make very apparent, but that is why we are here—to learn and to interact with others who have similar interests. When I said that I was embarrassed, it was not related to the thread’s subject matter of evolution at all but the abrasive and condescending manner in which members were being addressed. Also, I want for you to know that I sincerely appreciate the “plurality of tastes, points of views, and sections” on this forum, but I believe that it is equally important for the forum to be a place where people can express these diverse opinions without feeling that they will be put down—and rather aggressively. The people that have contacted me have definitely felt this way.

Pondweed, you make great points about why the forum has likely been quieter of late. :happy: I was definitely not thinking of these things when I made the post. (I’m not sure why you would feel the need to take screenshots. I have no reason or desire to not believe you.) And I’m glad to hear that new members are not as likely to link to this thread...it’s pretty much the first thing I see when I look at the application on my phone—every time I look at it.

Sharon

 

[Azhael]

You don´t have to be sorry, the reason why i (and yes, others too, you can believe it) find some axolotl threads tediously inane is because it is the most active section and has always been, which means a huge amount of threads and therefore a huge amount of repetition which over the years kind of wears you out a bit. Also, it is a section which contains a greater percentage not just of beginner questions but also socially oriented threads rather than discussions about the biology or husbandry of the animals. Nothing wrong with that if that´s what people like, but threads that discuss which morph is the cuttest are not for everybody. I´m sure there are plenty of people who feel similarly about threads i consider very interesting. The difference is that i don´t go into those threads i find tedious or unappealing and demand that people shut them down because i wouldn´t like beginners to see them. I can respect the different tastes and interests of others and their willingness to participate in threads that don´t appeal to me at all. The same can´t be said for everybody, it seems.

I fully agree that people should feel comfortable expressing their opinions, but that does not in any way imply that people are free from criticism or that the liberty goes only in one direction. I think in this particular thread criticisms have been civil and i haven´t seen people being put down, or being treated aggresively. Arguments or specific claims might have been, but people have generally been quite nice and respectful to each other. In fact i have seen very few threads in which such a load of critical back and forth has been handled better.
In fact i´m sorry to say the exception to that, from my point of view, have been the posts calling for a cease to the discussion and the sarcasm and passive-aggresiveness that you have shown towards me.

 

[SkollSunChaser]

Don't ya know, Pacific North-West and Pacific region in general isn't Yankee turf. It really only applies to Midwest/east north states that were part of the civil war. Never heard it on TV either though?

Not really, I'm a bit poorly educated I suppose in that aspect. I always just thought of that as people from people from New York and was never sure if I was correct or not I didn't really watch too much TV growing up, my mom turned it off in the summer time so we would go outside and play (which was an excellent idea on her part). Plus up until last spring I hadn't been any farther outside of Washington than a few hours into Idaho, so I had no idea what other places were like.

The closest thing I've seen to any North/South conflict was an idiot redneck at school that was born and raised in a tiny town in Idaho saying that, "the South would rise again and them cotton pickers would get what was comin' to em". When I say it out loud it sounds worse than I remember hearing it