The N word.

[Nick]

I frequent another website with open comments that users post to each other in articles. In one of them, not so long ago, the topic of a white person using the N word came up in the discussion. I was interested in what you guys had to say in the matter.

Do you think a white person should be okay to say the N word? Do you feel that it should be a word reserved to dark skinned people? Do you feel that the word is more escalated than it should be, because of how it was used in the past, and given too much power?

 

[Foxrally]

I honestly think it's perfectly okay to say the N word to you friends. Being an Arab, I can't really be considered "white" or "black" (we have our whole field, just like Asians and Indians/Pakistanis, XD), but I usually refrain from using the word, just like any other curse word TBH.

 

[Trollax]

I strongly believe that there are no bad words. Only bad people that use them in bad and hateful ways.

I think our society is in such a state by the overflow of censorship. (among adults, I mean.)
The limits we place on ourselves weigh us down far too much.

That's my view, anyways.

 

[Kyrul]

I strongly believe that there are no bad words. Only bad people that use them in bad and hateful ways.

I think our society is in such a state by the overflow of censorship. (among adults, I mean.)
The limits we place on ourselves weigh us down far too much.

That's my view, anyways.

I agree with what this guy says. Words aren't a reason to start crying and reaching for your pitch forks.

If they are going to go around calling themselves 'the N word', then I only see it fit to address them by their self proclaimed title.

 

[cbd98]

There was a news article similar to this subject. But given that in this picture they can show one word and not the other makes it obvious as to which one is viewed as the less appropriate word.

In my opinion, words are really just spoken syllables we humans decode into meanings and messages. No word in actually worse than another, it is all how it is perceived that makes it right or wrong, such as words like the "N-word".

 

[stp]

The only problem I have with the N-word is that it's entirely based off of a superiority complex that white people used to have. I refrain from using it just because some people are sensitive.

 

[Esper]

Basically, white people (or, I suppose, all non-black) people have no need to use the word so asking people not to use it is like asking people not to lick trees. You don't need to do it, you aren't losing anything by not doing it, so you may as well just accept not using the word since using the word is just going to upset people needlessly.

And that's really the important part. Having your "freedom" to use the word isn't as important as someone else's freedom not to be insulted. It's just that there are some folks with a strong sense of white privilege / entitlement who don't like the idea of someone else being able to do something they can't.

It's like if I call my friend a name. They'll know I don't mean it, but some other person, a stranger, calling them the same thing is completely different. Black people calling other black people the N word, whether you feel this is a good idea or not, is not the same as a non-black person calling a black person that.

 

[moon]

And that's really the important part. Having your "freedom" to use the word isn't as important as someone else's freedom not to be insulted.

This, pretty much. I don't really care and sometimes I think it would be easy to just use the word. But there are probably people who don't appreciate it. So I refrain from doing so. You can have freedom to do whatever you want, yeah, as long as you don't harm or cause displeasure for someone else against their will. Good rule to live by.

 

[Silais]

Why is it more okay for a black person to say the N-word but it's not okay for a white person? Because the N-word refers to black people? Isn't that feeding into the mentality that some races have certain privileges while others do not? It's a small, teeny-weeny little privilege, but still. I see no problem with any race using the word. It's a word for goodness sake.

 

[Rogue planet]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iau-e6HfOg0

it's all about context guys. If you walk up to a random guy, or you're fighting with someone you don't really know and you just call them a ****** then it's not really okay. Same as calling someone a ******, a mother****er, you know you can't just say that stuff to strangers. Just don't fight with strangers anyway.

So basically I agree with the posters above me...

Except if you see a white guy with his best buddy who IS BLACk and he calls him ****** you dont go over there and say "NO YOU CANNOT SAY THIS, IT IS RACIST" I can call my friends a ****** or a mother****er or a steaming piece of **** whether they are black or white. Because white people can be ******* too. If it's not directed at you then just don't get upset and go over to voice your opinion, nobody cares.

 

[Le pug]

It's just a word. As long as you're not trying to use it in a hateful way, it shouldn't matter. In passing, in jokes, whatever. But there are too many sensitive people in this world who need to just learn to get over stuff and not take stuff so seriously.

 

[Esper]

It's just a word. As long as you're not trying to use it in a hateful way, it shouldn't matter. In passing, in jokes, whatever. But there are too many sensitive people in this world who need to just learn to get over stuff and not take stuff so seriously.

But if you said the word to a stranger how would they know if you were using it in a hateful way or not?

In other words, how do you convey intention? And, perhaps more importantly, how can you be sure your intentions are completely pure?

 

[Overlord Drakow]

For me personally, I don't even give a **** who says ******. My best friend calls me one pretty frequently rofl. I think the key thing here is mindfulness. Most people who know me know that I'm pretty relaxed about racism in general and stuff but if you meet new people or whatever then yeah I wouldn't advise playing the racism jokes even as an ice breaker. It's just too risky and believe me, if there's anyone who knows about taking risks, it's me.

But yeah, I think it's fine for anyone to use the word as long as they aren't using it maliciously.

 

[Her]

Why is it more okay for a black person to say the N-word but it's not okay for a white person? Because the N-word refers to black people? Isn't that feeding into the mentality that some races have certain privileges while others do not? It's a small, teeny-weeny little privilege, but still. I see no problem with any race using the word. It's a word for goodness sake.

i hardly see how black people reclaiming a word which historically has been used to oppress them is a privilege
hurt white feelings are irrelevant

 

[Aeroblast]

"It's just a word"

I hate that phrase. If you go out in society, people will judge you by the words you speak. Of course picking out the right words to say matters.

 

[Lucky1Yena]

That particular word is one I can't seem to bring myself to say in public.

Heck, when I say it in private, it feels like I've done something terribly wrong.

 

[Kanzler]

It's all about context to me. I'd feel comfortable using ***** in front of and referring to my black friends (which i don't have) and relevant others (like anybody ignorant and deserving of the term in a derisive way) because they understand what I mean. Most of the time, the intention is pretty clear. I wouldn't even have to ask the question of hate or not. ***** has about a million different definitions for a billion different situations. I think it's kind of hard to use it in a hateful way when you're among friends.

 

[Rivuhh]

I think there is a big difference between a white person saying n-er and n-ga. The first one is an insult and is saying they are ignorant. However that word means ignorant and it doesn't need to be stated to a black person to still be offensive. The other one is more for jokes or swag fags. However, most of the time, neither of these words are used to seriously harm someone.

Also, I hate how the stereotype only goes for that and not cracker. One, why can I say cracker when it has the same offense to a white person as the other word should have to a black person? And also, why should they be able to call me that and I can't call them that? Double standards make this world screwed up sometimes.

 

[snake17]

I actually got in trouble at school because a black guy was being quite annoying in the area I was in. He called me "Cracker" so I retaliated. He got off scott free, while I got several days in lunch detention. Honestly, it's a word, there is no reason to get offended because of any word. What ever happened to Freedom of Speech.

 

[Kanzler]

Cracker makes me laugh. The word doesn't carry as much weight. Especially since it alludes to how whites happen to have been the oppressor in the race relationship long ago. It's not a double standard because every word is unique, you can't match these things one-to-one like that. Also, when was the last time someone called someone else a cracker in a threatening manner?