Peach_follows

See, heres MY thing. If a certain white people say it, it bothers me a little. Only because I know, that when a black person says it to another black person...
It is likely that they both know the feeling of being descriminated against, for being african american.
I feel like, if you don't fully understand it (I mean REALLY know the pain of it)... Then you shouldn't say it.

There are many different cultures in the US. And many cultures of people come here from other countries. With them, they bring certain traditions.
Now unless I know a considerable amount about another culture, and can understand why it is they do what they do. I'm not gonna try to imitate them.
When Africans came to the US as slaves. They were forced to ignore their traditions, or get them beat out of them. Generations later, its seems their are alot of self-proclaimed, pieced together, homade traditions. In my opinion, and maybe even unfortunately... The "N" word is one of them.

Every word, is decended from another word. The root of the "N" word, simply means black. If it weren't for people using it in hatred, it wouldn't be a slur. So alot of african american people use what used to be a hateful word. And yes, often times it is used very lightly. But whats so wrong with that? Afterall, most profanity is just using what used to be harmless words.. And turning them into something crude and offensive. Whats wrong with reversing that. Make something go from bad to good....

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Tbaism

Use to be a hateful word? I thought the whole point was that it will forever be considered a hateful word? That is why people are apologizing on national television right? Being sued for millions, going to prison, losing jobs...the list the list.

The N word, no matter how you use it, was considered a racial slur in the beginning, considered such as now, and will always be. Where is the logic when you say that it being "reversed" is a good thing? Black people can say it, but white can't? Picking and choosing, delegating a specific race to a singular word is what? Not only would white people consider that pretty insulting, but quite a few black as well. Profanity is profanity and at no time did we use it in a positive manner in hopes the world would accept.

Words are just words huh? Profanity are just harmless little sounds that come out of a person mouth. What is that? We have accepted that words can damage just as well as sticks and stones for quite some time now and profanity/racial sluurs are absolutely no acception, even when made by the "supposedly" acceptions. I am so tired I can't recall if that is how you spell the word.

You aren't reversing anything by saying it, only insulting your race, anyone else of a different race, and adding to the problem. Well, thats the opinion of quite a few, and looking at television and spokeperson's, the opinion of many African American's as well.

Did I mention something about logic? I fail to see it in some statements, it just doesn't seem to exist in my opinion. Feel a little angry when a white person says it, but it is all laughs and giggles when a black person speaks? Yeah, that is proof enough that the negative has reversed to a positive.

atomik_sprout

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO POST SOMETHING ABOUT THE N-WORD SO I CAN ADD MY TWO CENTS, AND HERE IT IS. YAY!!!!

Okay, enough caps lock. >_<
I used to tell people that I refuse to call anybody something that came off of a slave ship over 300 years ago. And I stood by it for a good 12-14 years. THEN I started hangin' out with more black people--I guess I wasn't black enough back then, but I am now for some reason. So, I got used to hearin' the n-word--I mean I was used to it before but I never really used it.

So, just recently (I'd say about 6 or 7 months ago) I started using it frequently. Only when I'm jokin' around though. If it's some random dude out on the street and he's actin' funny toward me, I usually tell whoever's with me, "This n****'s trippin'!!!" But I'm never like my son's grandfather. When that man speaks, all you hear is, "n****, n****, n****, n****!!!" LOL. No joke!

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http://www.myspace.com/boondocksamurai

Chiefblackhammer

In America it is traditionally thought that racism deals with superiority of one race over another. While racism can have an insinuation that one race is better then the other it doesn’t necessarily have to imply that. Racism is anytime when you make a biased judgment based on a person’s skin color or ethnicity.

I will also say that even though racism is very much based on skin color and ethnicity it is not bound to them. All are capable of racism and thus it is just as much racism if I call a person the “N”-word and mean it in a negative sense as it for a person to judge me negatively when I use that word if it isn’t explicitly known I meant it negatively. I know that may be a little hard to understand but let me explain.

Racism from the KKK member:
KKK member calling a black person the “N”-word

Racism from the black person:
Black person being offended when a white person calls them a “nigga” (in the same sense that another black person would have said it, which would mean “dude” or “bro”)

Both are equally as wrong as they are both forms of racism. While one may argue that “white” people have no right to the term it is equally as arguable that neither does black people. You cannot say it is ok for one set of people to be able to use a term and not for others. That is racism. I did not commit the hate crimes of past “white” people just as much as you have never dealt with their “hate” either. So it is very much racism to judge me based on my skin color when using certain terms.

But overall the whole concept is absurd why would anyone still use a word that has been so shrouded in history as a racial slur? That is the real issue.

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Peach_follows

Did you read the history of the word in the wikipedia encyclopedia? Indeed the ORIGIN of the "N" word.. was at one point as harmless as the color black, or meaning something dark.

And I never said profanity is harmless sounds from someones mouth. I said that what IS NOW profanity, often times originated as harmless words. You insult MY intelligence, yet I thought this was common knowledge!

Faggot, which comes from, fagot... which means "a bundle of sticks."
Bitch: a female dog
Ass: a donkey.
Did you know the "F" bomb started as an acronym?!

These word were MADE to be profane, So why not take a profane word and make it ok to say lightly.

And why cant MY culture have a tradition (a word) that belongs to only them?

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Chiefblackhammer

No one said you can’t, but the word in question is one that ISN’T totally accepted as an ACCEPTABLE term for usage by your “culture” (It states so in that same article you are referring to) furthermore like I said that if you judge someone who isn’t part of your “culture” negatively when they use that same word as well. It is racism.

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Peach_follows

The "N" becomes more and more acceptable, thats the long and short of it. And when I say that I feel bothered by SOME white people saying it. it is because they do not UNDERSTAND the hate behind it, they've never felt it. So why should they be able to exploit it when its being said something in conversation?
I'm not familiar with many native american traditions.... It would be mockery if I said. "Hey, I think I need to do a little rain dance"... And then I just start dancing. That would be offensive right? Well, so is saying the "N" word when you havent felt its pain.

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Soshi Kitai

Meh, culture.

Why do girl's clothes get smaller and smaller as the years go by?

Why are we depending on technology more often?

It's culture.


It's how we "moved on". For those who find it offensive: Sorry, it was meant to be offensive... but if it doesn't involve you, you just voice opinions and not affect the one really offensed and the offenser.



It may have history, but so do all words. So do all holidays. So do all people.


So if there was a person who betrayed and screwed everyone's lives 100 years ago... you would go up to their descendant and kick their a**???
I know it's not the same thing, but it depends on people's cultures of what they do with their history. If they want to use a word, then let them. If they want to disapprove of a word, let them. Let the culture be the judge of how they act.
If you refuse that, you might as well waltz into every country and tell them what you think they're doing wrong.

Try to fight history, and you'll find that you're just a spec in it.

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Tbaism

The reason is because it is shrouded in history, but yet it is used so casually by black people. Quite simple really. It could be considered an "OK" to whites, or an insult to whites allowing it to be used as symbolic.

The lesson starts with the guilty and should be contained by the innocent, thus removing the conflict. Instead it is being paraded around and used as blackmail apparently. I am not surprised that another million man march hasn't started, but with Bush at the mic saying "I have a dream".

Well, that is what I see surrounding me in the south anyways. Lots of angry people..sheesh. So serious...ahhh lol.

Anyways, why leave something so serious or keep it in the dark, when so many use it as a joke? Hell, most who feel that little heat of anger, haven't even experienced what their grandfathers and grandmothers did, or even their great great ancestors for that matter. Why should I give a crap when it obviously is happening now and I don't consider race a significant factor either? 'F' it man, plenty were worse off in my opinion anyways. Not to mention just about everyrace went through some traumatic occurence in history, so why should I care anymore or less for a single race?

So I just laugh and laugh. So serious. I almost feel like traveling back to Flint and having a laugh with my brothers. Yeah I said it, we all referred to each other as "brother", white or black, asian or mexican. One of the most racist places in the world and we still called each other Ni***rs. Not Niggas, but with the hard sound, we didn't walk on egg shells when we all knew we could spell.

This one is for you peach. Cracker isn't suppose to mean anything? What about all the other races? Is it just white people who anger you? Are you telling me that if a white person were to call you a Ni***r, you suddenly feel a couple hundred years worth of opression, but when someone black says it, it almost feels pleasantly nostalgic?

You see, that is something a white person can consider pretty insulting and racist. And they come across that kind of thing everyday. Of course it is different right?

Chiefblackhammer

The word is becoming more acceptable by those who have never felt the effects of its true racial slander. With time and as those who really suffered live no more it may be used freely without prejudice but like I said, it shouldn’t be confound to “certain” races for usage. That is racism.

As far as having issue with “white” people using it because they “don’t” understand the hate behind it.

Can you say you have "really" felt its pain? Can you say you have been beaten, raped, spit on, had your family killed, persecuted, sent to separate schools, not allowed to go in the same places as “whites.” Forced to work in fields under inhumane and most of the time tortuous situations? Looked down upon by a majority of the populous? Not allowed to own land or truly understand the word “free” All just because you are “black”?

Unless you’re 60+ honesty dictates an answer of “NO, I haven’t” which means you really don’t understand it yourself now do you? Because if you did you not only would NOT use the word, you would want it tabooed and forever banned for use.

I am not saying there isn’t still some sediment in the populous that is racist against black people but it isn’t anything like it was. Simply calling racial slurs or being “profiled” the same as “understanding the hatred” of the word is a joke and a slap in the face of those who truly suffered.

Keep in mind I am almost half American Indian, and the term nigger was also used towards my people. Most of my people where irradiated by the “white man” and I also know what it feels like to have people call me “Twinkie”, “Apple” and even “Sand Nigger” yet I don’t consider myself on the same level of “persecution” as those who walked the “Trail of Tears” so please don’t even try to equate yourself with those who lived the term “nigger”

P.S. Rain Dance all you want as far as I am concerned

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Peach_follows

Im not trying to minimize what people went through before me. But just because I havent suffered the hatred behind the word to the same callibur of generations, doesnt mean that MY experiences, (or anyone els younger than 60) should be minimized either.

I have litterally had to fight of a man the size of a pro NFL player, because I refused to respond to him calling me a "Ni**er half breed". My eye was blackened, my lip bloodied. My family actually WAS refused service once when we went to a rural restaurant. Despite their lame excuses it was obvious their refusal was racially motivated.

And this is just a few instances among dozens! So yes, I KNOW the pain behind the word!

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