At Least 5 Dead In Shooting At Central Florida Bank; Suspect In Custody

[SummerMadness]

At Least 5 Dead In Shooting At Central Florida Bank; Suspect In Custody

At least five people were killed when a man opened fire Wednesday afternoon in a bank in Sebring, Fla., according to officials.

At a brief news conference, Sebring Police Chief Karl Hoglund named 21-year-old Zephen Xaver, of Sebring, as the suspect. Xaver is in police custody.

 

[FireDragon76]

I've never thought of Sebring as "Central Florida". It's a small "cracker" town and most people have no reason to ever go there. It has the lowest rate of college graduates in any metropolitan area in the US. However, it does have a raceway that used to be part of the US F1 Grand Prix.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

That was senseless!

 

[Ana the Ist]

I've never thought of Sebring as "Central Florida". It's a small "cracker" town and most people have no reason to ever go there. It has the lowest rate of college graduates in any metropolitan area in the US. However, it does have a raceway that used to be part of the US F1 Grand Prix.

I can't imagine why you'd casually toss out racial slurs and think it's ok in this day and age...

Well actually I can imagine why.

 

[FireDragon76]

I can't imagine why you'd casually toss out racial slurs and think it's ok in this day and age...

Well actually I can imagine why.

In the context of Florida, it's not really a racial slur. It's a term for native Floridians who have lived here for several generations.

 

[Ana the Ist]

In the context of Florida, it's not really a racial slur. It's a term for native Floridians who have lived here for several generations.

The term "cracker" originated as a term for slave overseerers who cracked whips at slaves. It's a holdover from those times.

It's always racist.

 

[FireDragon76]

The term "cracker" originated as a term for slave overseerers who cracked whips at slaves. It's a holdover from those times.

It's always racist.

My understanding of the origin of the term is it refers to early Florida settlers who were ranchers and cowboys and used whips to drive cattle.

Growing up in semi-rural Hillsborough County, the term was widely used and had no particular racial animosity. It was used to distinguish between people that were old Florida stock, and those that weren't.

 

[Ana the Ist]

My understanding of the origin of the term is it refers to early Florida settlers who were ranchers and cowboys and used whips to drive cattle.

Growing up in semi-rural Hillsborough County, the term was widely used and had no particular racial animosity. It was used to distinguish between people that were old Florida stock, and those that weren't.

You're telling me that you didn't know the term was used as a racial slur in about 99% of the nation because you're from the 1% where it isn't?

 

[SummerMadness]

My understanding of the origin of the term is it refers to early Florida settlers who were ranchers and cowboys and used whips to drive cattle.

Growing up in semi-rural Hillsborough County, the term was widely used and had no particular racial animosity. It was used to distinguish between people that were old Florida stock, and those that weren't.

I never knew this, I did a little digging, it seems there were also Georgia crackers, a term meant to say they had lived in the area over several generations.

Cracker (term) - Wikipedia

The more you know.

 

[FireDragon76]

I never knew this, I did a little digging, it seems there were also Georgia crackers, a term meant to say they had lived in the area over several generations.

Cracker (term) - Wikipedia

The more you know.

Undoubtedly, the term's use by blacks comes from the usage by whites in those states.

You're telling me that you didn't know the term was used as a racial slur in about 99% of the nation because you're from the 1% where it isn't?

I don't think its exactly a racial slur. It's no more a slur than the term "Okie" is. Whether its perjorative depends on the context.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I don't think its exactly a racial slur.

"I Hope We Have No Crackers Here": EBF Staff Sanction Racial Slur

"A week ago, residents of Enchanted Broccoli Forest discovered the words “No crackers!” scrawled in paint across their bus. Targeted towards whites from the South, especially ones who are poor and rural, the term “cracker” is widely recognized as a racial slur."

How many sources would you need me to cite? Or would you prefer more direct examples? Shall I quote Malcolm X?

 

[HantsUK]

Over on this side of the pond, if you called someone is 'a cracker', they would be chuffed. It is slang for someone being fantastic, or excellent. But don't add an 's' - that changes the meaning to 'mad'. Yet another example of words with very different meanings in our two languages. I had never heard of the Floridian alternative meanings.

So, 5 people shot dead, and it only received a passing mention on the news in the UK. Yet another mass shooting in some small unknown town is no longer news worthy.

The most surprising thing about this thread is that it changed into whether the description of a small town was a racial slur or not. (And presumably 'metropolitan' is another word with a significantly different meaning). But no discussion of mass shootings, gun control, the second amendment.

 

[jayem]

I never knew this, I did a little digging, it seems there were also Georgia crackers, a term meant to say they had lived in the area over several generations.

Cracker (term) - Wikipedia

The more you know.

Quite true. I'm a native Georgian, and growing up, I heard the term "cracker" used with some frequency. It was mildly pejorative. Though less than the R word. Which in turn was less derogatory than the WT phrase.

 

[Nithavela]

Over on this side of the pond, if you called someone is 'a cracker', they would be chuffed. It is slang for someone being fantastic, or excellent. But don't add an 's' - that changes the meaning to 'mad'. Yet another example of words with very different meanings in our two languages. I had never heard of the Floridian alternative meanings.

So, 5 people shot dead, and it only received a passing mention on the news in the UK. Yet another mass shooting in some small unknown town is no longer news worthy.

The most surprising thing about this thread is that it changed into whether the description of a small town was a racial slur or not. (And presumably 'metropolitan' is another word with a significantly different meaning). But no discussion of mass shootings, gun control, the second amendment.

What's there to discuss? The discussion has been settled after sandy hook. Now we all get to laugh at the inferno.