Everyday Phrases in Idaho, Utah, and Washington That Happen to be Racist
People from other states have interesting misconceptions about what we do in the West and who we are.
Idaho is considered by many from other states as behind the times and the Arkansas of the West. All we know in Idaho is potatoes and mullets. Utah is just a bunch of Mormons and cave-dwelling cult members, and Washington is filled with coffee-drinking hipsters and people who wish they lived in Idaho or Utah.
Really though, these western states are much more than meets the eye. But that doesn’t mean we don’t cling to some of the old thoughts and sayings. Even without knowing it, some of us use common sayings that have deep-rooted racist origins.
READ ALSO: Is the New Idaho License Plate Racist or an Expression of Freedom?
You Might be an Accidental Racist if You Say These 15 Phrases
Many of the phrases below seem innocent if you don’t know the backstory. A few of them only take a moment to realize that we should never have been saying them. If you thought your grandpa was a little racist before, you’re going to think a lot less of him now.
Commonly Used Phrases That Are Historically Racist
Gallery Credit: Kelso
Not all the phrases in that list feel racist or make sense even with an explanation. So, you don’t have to change up your vernacular and omit them from your daily vocab…but it is fun to know random information.
Others on the list, like ‘Off the Reservation’ and ‘Jew Him Down’ should probably disappear from your common sayings if they are something you still say.
RELATED STORY: Is the New Ebony Alert in California Racist and Promoting Segregation
Idaho, Utah, and Washington aren't the only states that might be dealing with accidental racism. Early last year, California instituted a new alert for missing Black kids and Black young women called ‘Ebony Alert’. This has left a lot of people questioning the word choice and feeling a bit racist when it is used.
This isn’t the first alert designation that doesn’t feel like the best choice, as the alert for missing Indigenous people is called ‘Feather Alert’.
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Gallery Credit: Ryan Antoinette Valenzuela