KyakR Posted October 27, 2013 Posted October 27, 2013 My guess is that black and female BR members who happened upon this thread perused it and moved on.....not because they were angry or insulted or unresponsive to the thoughtful comments about race or the affectionate humor toward women here (I laughed out loud at coryn h. fishowl's skewering the lure biz!), but because they were sad to be reminded that the more tasteless and cruel terms lures go by are still causing only mild discomfort among many fishermen. The lure companies only want to market their products,and they'll take it as far as they can to be remembered. My personal yardstick to use in deciding what's acceptable is to ask myself whether I'd want a 14 year old boy or girl to see it. As most men love women, it's not surprising there are many happy and banter-like names and descriptions! This goes back hundreds of thousands of years ( Fishermen created mermaid myths after all). Of course, most women love men, but the lure companies won't be offering Fighting Butt rods anytime soon ( Sorry Mike, he)! It's when they go over a clear line that I'd like to see some backlash. Or a right hook in the jaw.  2
KyakR Posted October 27, 2013 Posted October 27, 2013 And....to be fair, the original Zara Spook was wooden (first wooden lures!)....when Heddon changed over to plastic they had a transparent appearance, hence the name. My favorite name is on the contraption I just bought to bone trout: It's the Spineless Wunder Boner                                                                     2
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted October 27, 2013 Super User Posted October 27, 2013 Not really racy, more racist, but I think the worst one is the Zara spook. One time I was fishing a small pond near my house and there were 3 kids about 9 or 10 also fishing. They saw me pull in a bass and asked me what I was using. Telling a 10 year old black kid that I was using a spook was really awkward. Â Don't forget it's halloween. Spooks, ghosts & goblins. Many different meanings for a lot of words. Â 1
coryn h. fishowl Posted October 27, 2013 Author Posted October 27, 2013 My guess is that black and female BR members who happened upon this thread perused it and moved on.....not because they were angry or insulted or unresponsive to the thoughtful comments about race or the affectionate humor toward women here (I laughed out loud at coryn h. fishowl's skewering the lure biz!) Â Thank you!
BassResource.com Advertiser FD. Posted October 27, 2013 BassResource.com Advertiser Posted October 27, 2013 Â Many different meanings for a lot of words. Â Â And most people can find something offensive anywhere if they are looking for it. 2
Super User bigbill Posted October 27, 2013 Super User Posted October 27, 2013 It's very offensive at times I agree. Now does it sway me from buying it you bet it does. I don't buy anything that's called a racy sexist name. Sorry that's just me. There is so much good stuff on the market today that's named with good clean product names we can buy instead. Sometimes we have to say enough is enough and respect and stand up for our better halves too. You can kid and joke at it but it hurts people inside weTher we realize it or not. I have not made my misses mad enough to weTher I had to sleep with one eye open nor will I ever go there. I respect her too much to go there. That's all I'm going to say about that.
Brian Needham Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 why does everything have to be about race and offending a woman with yall? Â Zara Spook, racist? LMAO you got to be kidding me the Mandingo racist? Lmao, ever thought there was a porn actor with that stage name? Â Beaver offend you? get over it. I never ONCE gave the name beaver a second thought UNTIL someone said " the sweet beaver is a great bait, so about the name if it offends you." ONLY THEN did it click. Â Maybe, just maybe the only reason you are "offended" is you think in those terms in life? Perhaps if people's mind wasn't stuck in the gutter you wouldn't think in such terms....... Â it's fishing, so fish! If you want to be offended to the point where your adult mind is about to collapse then join a therapy group. 2
BassResource.com Advertiser FD. Posted October 28, 2013 BassResource.com Advertiser Posted October 28, 2013 Â
coryn h. fishowl Posted October 28, 2013 Author Posted October 28, 2013 A weight of a name is only as large and offensive as we allow it to be. Â If you want to call a lure (as Reaction Innovation did) donkey punch, then go ahead. Â I will buy it if it is a good lure and after all, the name grabs my attention and gives a good chuckle. Â Besides, if a kid sees the name, he won't understand it, and if he does, so what, it is not going to scar him for life and afflict him with some violent mental depravity. Â
KyakR Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 No. The weight of a name is not as large as we permit it to be. It's not something abstract and contained by our "permission." Language is the most powerful tool we have to shape our perceptions. Language frames thought. Different languages alter perceptions according to cultural influences. Language and it's influence is to us as water is to fish......so pervasive, so omnipresent we sometimes don't even notice it. My objection isn't to "racy" language, and certainly not to sex. It's to the use of language to foster cruelty and exclusion. Naming women's body parts is the specific thing that I mean. It doesn't matter whether I "see" smut everywhere (which I don't, also funny!)  It doesn't matter that the original intent of the manufacturer wasn't to bash anybody. Language has tremendous power all it's own once it gets out there. This is an objective matter. It has nothing to do with any of our personalities. I'm talking about language, not sex!  I think that was the topic, wasn't it? Hey, it stung when one of you that I so respect implied I see sexual reference everywhere (therefore there is no real issue, only one in my prudish mind). Wow! Don't kill the messenger One thing I am sorry about is that I may have ruined the light-hearted tone of this thread. But I had to say something. We have many different ethnicities, minorities here who understand all too well how language is used. I plead guilty to being a bit heavy on this topic. Please understand. 3
KyakR Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 Hey let's not get personal 'cause the topic will be locked like the other one was   1
aceman387 Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 Don't worry about it.,your just sharing your views and opinions like all the rest of us on here. Can you imagine how boring this site would be if we all shared the same views and opinions. 1
Super User Felix77 Posted October 28, 2013 Super User Posted October 28, 2013 Maybe they'll have a Kim Kardashian killer shad fluke. Â I gotta patent that name. Â It will only last you 72 casts though. Â 3
aceman387 Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 Plus some of us get testy when the fishing slows   i can't believe it took me years to find these smiley faces , i wonder how many years it will take me to figure out my new cell phone 1
Super User SirSnookalot Posted October 28, 2013 Super User Posted October 28, 2013 I agree with much of what KyakR has to say. Â Many people that feel PC has gone overboard probably are not women, or a minority that has received verbal assaults or have been discriminated against, no need to list them all. Â As far as a lure name goes I don't pay too much attention, but I do pay attention to people and their feelings. 2
Super User Felix77 Posted October 28, 2013 Super User Posted October 28, 2013 It's not just sex ... Try explaining to your casual fishing friends that you are catching bass on a "Spook". Â I don't care how long that name has been in existence it's still quite offensive to a lot of people. Â Â I feel very uncomfortable with that term so I refer to them as "Walk the dog" baits. 4
aceman387 Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 It will only last you 72 casts though. Â plus the lure will be so wide (butt) the entrance splash will spook all the bass. Â 1
Super User senile1 Posted October 28, 2013 Super User Posted October 28, 2013 why does everything have to be about race and offending a woman with yall?  Zara Spook, racist? LMAO you got to be kidding me the Mandingo racist? Lmao, ever thought there was a porn actor with that stage name?  Beaver offend you? get over it. I never ONCE gave the name beaver a second thought UNTIL someone said " the sweet beaver is a great bait, so about the name if it offends you." ONLY THEN did it click.  Maybe, just maybe the only reason you are "offended" is you think in those terms in life? Perhaps if people's mind wasn't stuck in the gutter you wouldn't think in such terms.......  it's fishing, so fish! If you want to be offended to the point where your adult mind is about to collapse then join a therapy group.   Sometimes examples can help understanding. I am 52 years old, born in 1960. Let's imagine my experience if I were black. The Civil Rights Act passed in 1964 but things didn't change immediately. My parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc would have experienced the worst of what Jim Crow had to offer. I would have experienced quite a bit of the effects of it as well. My children would have probably heard about the experiences of me and their other relatives. Put yourself in those shoes and ask yourself if the word, "spook," wouldn't bother you in many contexts.   I don't want to cause this thread to be locked. I just want to, hopefully, open minds to the experience of others so we can be more empathetic. 1
aceman387 Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 Felix ,i should send this in a form of a pm but i wanted to say i have enjoyed  your posts over the years,they have been very informative (fishing)  and funny at times also.I am glad your on here.  Sorry for straying off topic once again  1
boostr Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 That's the problem with this country everybody gets BUTT HURT about everything...it's kind of embarrassing. Isn't it supposed to be a Super Power? Maybe because I'm European my views might be a little different. I guess people need have a thick skin. Wait isn't this a fishing forum.....
Super User Felix77 Posted October 28, 2013 Super User Posted October 28, 2013 That's the problem with this country everybody gets BUTT HURT about everything...it's kind of embarrassing. Isn't it supposed to be a Super Power? Maybe because I'm European my views might be a little different. I guess people need have a thick skin. Wait isn't this a fishing forum..... Of course it is ... it's about everything fishing. Â Look at the main page of the forum and we provide a huge opportunity to discuss anything related to the fishing industry. Â That includes a whole lot more than dropping a lure in the water. Â Like everything else there are other aspects of the sport. Â I for one am happy to see a topic like this. Â Interesting discussion about the industry. Â Will it catch more fish ... no. Â It sure helps me relate to my fellow fisherman by getting to understand their opinions on a somewhat controversial subject. 2
Super User SirSnookalot Posted October 28, 2013 Super User Posted October 28, 2013 I'm finding this topic getting real interesting. Â Posts, screen names, quotes in the signature area are not uncommon here, yet they have not been removed. Â The explanation is simple, the majority of the people on this site are male, not a minority and share the same religion, for the most part they just not been exposed to others. Â Case in point, every Xmas the well wishes go out for a happy holiday season, during the Jewish New Year a thread was made wishing people of that faith a happy new year, not one single post in response to that. Â I don't have to imagine what discrimination is, I've been living it for 68 years. I'm sure this post will be deleted, as the thrust is not intended for the use of a sweet beaver. 3
aceman387 Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 Its refreshing to see a different topic pop up besides how do you rig a senko or work a jig. I am afraid if i see another who makes the best braided line question pop up i might go hang myself in the garage with my power proÂ
KyakR Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 I'm so happy I found this forum ! Â It blows me away to read so much by way of experience and knowledge. I consider myself a novice here, and this is like being in a terrific fishing club. I've never had the wonderful experience of being in one. Wish I could cast a few with a lot of you and learn big time! While I'm being grateful, I gotta say I'm also blown away by coryn h. fishowl. 17 and in high school. His contributions are full of insight and factual knowledge, as well as good humor. Get him to the Roadtrip! Oorah!
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