I was just wondering peoples opinions on this word. I'm southern raised myself and have heard it all my life, almost on a daily basis. It is a real double standard though to me that because I am white, and irregardless of whether it is true or not, for me to use this word I'd HAVE to be racist.

The only time I ever really used this word, I was a little kid, and didn't know it was a sort of "cuss" word.

input?

I really hate the ''n'' word. First of all alot of black people in the civil rights movements fought to abolish that word. And now I am sickens me that black rappers like 50 cent openly use this word as if it is nothing.

If I said the "n" word, my mother (or auntie or cousin) would probably slap the heck out of me.It is offensive and only ignorant people use that word anyway. It is so demeaning in every way and I can't understand why people who are African-American would use that word anyway, given it's historical context.

quote:

Maybe if people don't want to be defined as that word they shouldn't walk around saying "my nigga! nigga plz."

I don't really hear any other race doing this like chinese people don't say "my chink! chink plz!"

Sounds like America's had a little too much thuggin love.

:giggles:

I don't see why this word even exists.It's very stupid and it doesn't matter what colour you are all that matters is what is inside.so I'm just saying "we don't need to label people"

I don't get that either. I hate to sound self-hating, but black people are not the smartest people on earth, so stuff like that doesn't surprise me one bit.

If it's sooo offensive, no one should be saying it.

i've never realized why African Americans can call each other one, or just say it in general, but others can't. I totally understand that it is racist and that is why I don't say it, but i've just never understood the whole why in some situations you can and others you can't. so confusing.

Although it is just a word, it is the historical meaning which is offending. I am African American, and I do not believe that anyone should use the word. I am not saying that one should be banned from using it, but it has an offensive nature. I do not ever say it because I don't feel that there should be a double standard for whites and blacks. If we are all really equal than it things that are considered offensive to a group should not be used at all. African Americans using the word just makes it seem ok for it to be used and in that case, then anyone should be able to say it. But because the word does have a lot of offensive history, I don't believe that it is acceptable to use.

I honeslty dont understand why people really believe that it is "ridiculous" for black people to say the n word. It is a word that whites have used for centuries and as soon as black people try and do something constructive, whether it has been constructive or not which it hasnt it is a problem? I think this is such a problem because now black people have control over this word. White people cant say this word freely without consequence. Whether this sounds ignorant or not this is the damn truth. Why would a white person want to say this word what good will this do them , vise versa with black people. The reason i know some people to use this word is because it is an act on trying to turn something negative and degrading into something somewhat positive. Empowerment is the word, Whether this is the right way to go about empowerment is another discussion but as for right now the black community or the people who use the word on a daily or even hourly basis are content with this progress. Which is sad because from the outside looking in this is not progress. You can not change a meaning of a word. I am kind of iffy about it and when i give my opinion on things like this i make sure to look at both sides of the issue. But white people should not say this word period point blank your turn of saying this word is up your time has ended deal with it start calling each other honky or something if you really feel you should have a racial slurr to call each other.

I've never had a slave, and I can't stand it when people get angry at others for stuff they had nothing to do with. I'll set the record straight right now.

I have never...owned a slave.
I have never...stolen land from anyone (Mexican or Native American)
I have never...put any person in an internment camp.
I have never...tossed a child into an oven or gas chamber.

I'm white. I am not Hitler, Stalin, a slaver, or racist, and I really wish that people would stop thinking that way.

So, it's a double standard as the original author pointed out and I'm sure others have mentioned in their posts (I only read like the top three or four).

Racist - Someone not African-American using the N word in a derogatory or ignorant way regarding an African American.

Not Racist - An African-American using the N word in a friendly or brotherly way with another African-American; used similarly in a rap song.

And I'm okay with that. Black people had to suffer for years and for years that word was used in a derogatory way against them. So I'm okay if it's now okay for them to use it amongst themselves but not okay for me to use it with them. It doesn't hurt me or offend me or anger me in anyway at all. It's almost like they defeat the power of the word by using it within themselves but that power still exists in the hands of non African-Americans and it shouldn't be exploited.

But if I'm singing a rap song, I won't skip over the word. That's just silly. And I don't think any of my Black friends would be mad at me for doing so in that context - in fact, I'm almost certain I've been in that situation before and it was fine.

Aircram makes a lot of sense on this issue, you can't "hijack the dictionary" and I think that everyone just needs to chill.
I wish there were a more...literate way to say it, but seriously, chill. I understand that when a white person says that word to a black person it calls up feelings created by the origin of the word. It is the same feeling a woman gets when she is called a Bi***, Sl**, Cu**, or Wh***, though admittedly intensified.
I have found that the best way to kill the power these words hold, to destroy their connotation, is to get over that power, that connotation, and just use them as regular words.

Of course that will be hard, but I think the world will eventually be able to, not forget the original meaning, but to acknowledge and disregard it.

That said, I think that none of these words should ever be said in a form that is derogatory, insulting, or hurtful. (Only in a perfect world...)

quote:

Originally posted by MzBrina:


but on the word: the words NEGRO and NIGGER have to totally diff meanings NEGRO is spanish for black, its NIGGER that was used as a degrading word by whites to show that they felt they were a superior race!!!!

over the years the english language has accepted changing er sounds to a sounds. thus NIGGER became NIGGA!!!!

There's more to this. Apparently the whites couldn't pronounce the spanish NEGRO which means BLACK, they started down the road of negra and that turned into nigger.(read my other post about what to do now) so you can be called Negro or nEEgro a worse mispronounciation, without it being an insult.

The attempt by today's music climate to make the word legitimate, can't work unless everybody's going to be allowed to use it. I've said before: You can't Hi-Jack the dictionary.

I've thought about this and I used to think whites COULD use this word amongst people who KNEW they were friends. And if it's in the song (Chris Rock joke) African Americans need to let that word go anyway.

To answer your question though, except for present day slang when A.A. use that word it is a reflective use.

Let's say you lived in MAD MAXX beyond Thunderdome days and you were the "slave" in society or the underdog. And lets say they called you a dregg. Even though you hated it and had a rich history somewhere in the past. There might be times, only amongst the other dreggs that you might say "us dreggs" You don't want the LEADERS to call you that. You don't believe that's what you really are, but, sometimes you use it to describe how you know you are perceived and to describe a common experience. And since whites aren't having that common experience, they can't use it.

i think that it is disrespectful...I once asked my friend (who is black) why is it when he says the nigger that it means something good. But as soon as a white person says it means something bad. He had no comment. I then asked him how he could turn that wor into something that was ment for disrespect into something that you call your friends. He still had no comment. I think that this word just needs to be dropped.

ok as an african american/hispanic my whole life i was raised with my mother and stepdad whio are black. First off let me get this straight....the word nigger means ignorant person.This means a white person,asian,hispanic...etc can be one. The reason why I dont like the word is because white people called blacks this during slavery taking the word to a whole new meaning. So honestly if someone ever callls me a nigger I would say well you have to be a bigger one to really be that ignorant enough to call me a word that you do not understand the definition to

People can say whatever they want as long as they are willing to accept the consequences.

I can't really speak for the racially motivated lingo because the worst I have to deal with is "Casper", "weda", and occasionally "cracka," but my advice is: "Take away their power."
My sisters and I frequently describe each other as (These are examples, no need to delete) "Bitch" "Ho" "Slut" "Whore" "Skank" even "Wench". We love each other, but we use these terms (in a sick, twisted way) endearingly. And if anyone else were to call us any of those names it wouldn't mean anything to us. Get it? Maybe? Probably not.

quote:

Originally posted by Wolfie:
I own yo black ass
I just hope you all think I'm racist.

I can't speak for all others, but I do.;>

Maybe if people don't want to be defined as that word they shouldn't walk around saying "my nigga! nigga plz."

I don't really hear any other race doing this like chinese people don't say "my chink! chink plz!"

Sounds like America's had a little too much thuggin love.

As an African-American girl I hate hearing the "N" word, even if it is said by my fellow African - Americans. When ever I'm on the bus coming from school a pack of kids blurt it out like it's nothing. It is a hurtful word. I'm not that word, we are not that word. That word doesn't define us and shouldn't define us.