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ok, I asked about asinine. Got lots of great answers and some seriously messed up stories. Now, question 2!!!

'Gringo'. Is that a racial slur? Insult? Derogatory? I seem to be finding conflicting thoughts. Maybe derogatory, but not necessarily racial slur. 

Thoughts?

It's racial, but not necessarily a slur. Or not offensive enough to matter, anyway. There really are no slurs for white people that have any kind of impact.

Makes sense because I mean, how is it ever a bad thing to be white?

Lol.

Technically it just means someone not born in that native country, (Central/South American countries) though it became wide spread enough that it just became associated with meaning "American" or more specifically white American.

Now if they were calling you something like maricon or puto, that would be more insulting.

I say maricon everytime I hear someone yell out gringo!... Makes certain types embarrassed, knowing foriegn words like that!

However, I like yelling at the spanish in japanese sometimes, just to fuck with em!

I've never seen gringo or honkey used as a serious derogatory term. Actual racists tend to use the typical shit like "White Scum" or "White shithead" or whatever. I also hear Gaijin can be used derogatorily, but also as a thing used to address any old stranger.

Really "cracker" gets used way more than honkey nowadays which is a word that just sounds like some throwback from a 70s blaxploitation flick.

Yeah, "cracker" used to get thrown around a lot in 5th grade when using every swear word possible was an important part of being cool, but it always feels that antiquated now. I can't really associate it with anything racist. "Crackas" are just the troublesome goons that manly men in pimp jackets need to exterminate with their nunchuks and baseball bats. It's like going around calling people "orcs" or "imperial stormtroopers" or something.

Eh, I suppose it's like "nigga". It's more nation-based than racial I suppose, although it can definitely be used as an insult, or in a not so derogatory manner. I'm sure if someone called you one, context could fill you in on its meaning.