I learned mulatto and mesquito (sp?) in elementary school history. So I'm pretty sure those aren't negative ones, cuz we were even tested on knowing those terms.

Hahaha! Sorry. I still remember how the American History textbook at my high school referred "sun-basking Spanish Americans", and to Native Americans as "near-naked savages." We and the teachers were smart enough to know it was offensive and to discuss it in that context, but I strongly suspect many other schools let it slip by. Which is to say, just because a teacher was ignorant doesn't mean it's not offensive.

Oh, Mick = Irish
Wop = Italian

Mick = Irish

Wop = Italian

Neither are very nice, though I'd say that wop carries a greater blow. I might joke with an Irish person about being a mick - I wouldn't go there with wop.

Mulatto is more negative in what it implies (along with quadroon, octoroon, etc.) that there's something meaningful about your percentage of white blood. I'm not sure I'd call these outright offensive (though I'm not someone likely to hear them directed at me, so take that for what it's worth) but insensitive? Yeah. Harking back to a perception of race that would be better left behind? Oh yeah.

mesquito (sp?)

I think you mean mestizo.

From Dictionary.com: A person of mixed racial ancestry, especially of mixed European and Native American ancestry.

FWIW, I've mostly know mestizo to be used in Mexico/ Central America, and it doesn't seem to have the same negative overtones. IME, anyway. That might have something to do with being applicable to a fair majority of the population, so it seems more descriptinve than perjorative.

And the French/Amerind version is "Métis."

To me it is.

Then I'm happy for you. However, in the rest of the world, it's not necessarily the same -- including for actual mulattoes.

It is used, and often not nicely, and just because you haven't heard it, doesn't mean it isn't real and rude.

What do you want to reclaim next? Nigger? Cunt? Spic? Fat slob? Republican? Retard? Shylock?

If there's going to be a movement to dull the edge of "mulatto," DCJ, it's not going to be led by you, and I don't think you get to pick when it starts.

Doing my best to reclaim cunt.

Doing my best to reclaim cunt.

Seeing as you have one? You get to go to the front of the line on that one. Or ahead of DCJ, anyway.

Not trying to reclaim mulatto. Not trying to lead anything. Just voicing concern. Not sure what makes me unfit to lead it if I were inclined to try...

Not even planning on saying anything more on this topic, because no matter how well intentioned my efforts, I just keep getting drawn into a whole subject area too many people are uncomfortable with.

Not sure what makes me unfit to lead it if I were inclined to try...

Because you don't understand the word. Because you don't know it's even in current usage.

I thought the term Yank would be a simple thing to call US citizens. No, I was told, it has attachments you just don't get, it won't do, and no matter how often I explain that to the people outside, the ones using it don't get those subtleties, it DOESN'T MATTER. It's not my call.

Perhaps there are no epithets that affect you. Which is a very strong position to be in, a position we should all be in. I just don't think you know the way out of a place you've never been in.

I just keep getting drawn into a whole subject area too many people are uncomfortable with.

Which territory is that, and which people?