Use of the N word Black vs. White

as far as i am concerned I don't approve of it white or black the word nigga or 'n-word' or however it is chosen to be said it means the same according to Mr.Webster
ignorant person whatever race you are

...And the sad part about the whole issue is that n!gger is *not* defined as an insult to race...It's an insult to intelligence...

...The same as when I pointed out this some *months* ago...


[Edited on 25-11-2003 by MidnightDStroyer]

I believe that the n-word has become trendy due to rap and hip hop music. In rap music they use a lot of insults to describe their friends. They refer to the girls as their bitches and hos, etc. I wouldn't suggest going up to their gf and calling her ho and then say, "well he called you that, why can't I." And I also wouldn't suggest going up to a black man if you aren't one, and calling him the n-word.

It is not that abstract of a concept. How many people when they were growing up ever complained to their friends and called their mom a bitch. Now that is fine, everybody gets upsept and needs to blow off steam, but what if the next day your friend went and called your mom a bitch? Would you be ok with that. I doubt it. But if your brother complained about your mom to you and did it, not as big deal.

If you are not part of a group, you can't use the same negative language as they do describing the group.

Don't use the word. Never have--even to my black friends.

Ok, I'd like to be able to lie and say I haven't used the N-word at all, but I'd be lying. I had a black friend, and he always called me "honkey" and "cracker", I always called him the N-word and a Pickinany. It was all in good fun. I won't use the word in a derogatory manner, I despise it when it's used that way, the same as I despise the words used against Jewish people or words like cracker and honkey, or 'ho' and 'slut' to talk about any woman, not just a prostitute.

Final summation--I think that if it's been incorporated into "ebonics" or whatever, that's fine. Leave it that way, don't make the whole black vs. white thing any worse by trying to slam a black person with an antiquated insult.

EDIT******
On the other side of this--With my white friends, my best friend in particular, we constantly use insults of the obscene variety and often times of the racial variety to describe each other. There are many times when I've referred to him as my dumbass or retard or whatever else. I see nothing wrong with using an insult to refer to a friend as long as you absolutely mean no insult by it.

[Edited on 25-11-2003 by kaoszero]

What a waste of time. Using the word, worrying about not using the word... either way. I kind of like it when any member of a race refers to another race with a slur. I then know what I'm dealing with. And since it is politically incorrect to tattoo "CAUTION, I'M A MORON!" on a moron's forehead, I have to rely on their words and actions.
I've only been around for 40 years, but it seems that such stuff is not as widespread as it was. It seems that station in life plays more into it than just color. The blacks in the projects, for example, are so prejudiced they won't it vanilla icecream because its white. The trailer trash won't eat chocolate as well, because they blame the blacks downtown in the projects for their woes. I guess everyone has to have someone to blame.

Check this stupid # out.

The County of Los Angeles has requested that equipment vendors avoid using the industry term "Master/Slave" in product descriptions and labelling.

www.snopes.com...

If people are offended because I call my secondary drive a "slave", they have a serious complex. Seek psychiatric help!!!

Originally posted by Satyr
Check this stupid # out.

The County of Los Angeles has requested that equipment vendors avoid using the industry term "Master/Slave" in product descriptions and labelling.

www.snopes.com...

If people are offended because I call my secondary drive a "slave", they have a serious complex. Seek psychiatric help!!!

I always like connecting my drives up as "nonpaid indentured agricultural minority workers".

Anyway, on the topic.

The word has never been part of my vocabulary. I grew up outside Orlando and the majority of my friends at a young age were black (it's the term they used at the time). My family moved to shoreline Connecticut when I was about 10 and 99.999999% of the people in town where white as sheets(The one "black" family were the Gunn's as in Moses Gunn from "Roots"). Needless to say I had a tough transition and got in a LOT of fights with people for using that word. I still don't tolerate it's use in my presence, it's just not acceptable.
I was actually happy for a while there in the 80's when it's use virtually disappeared until rappers decided to "ressurect" the term in a different connotation. Now I hear it everywhere and it makes me cringe every time. There is no term that I find more offensive for any group or individual than that.

Originally posted by Fry2

Anyway, on the topic.

The word has never been part of my vocabulary. I grew up outside Orlando and the majority of my friends at a young age were black (it's the term they used at the time). My family moved to shoreline Connecticut when I was about 10 and 99.999999% of the people in town where white as sheets(The one "black" family were the Gunn's as in Moses Gunn from "Roots"). Needless to say I had a tough transition and got in a LOT of fights with people for using that word. I still don't tolerate it's use in my presence, it's just not acceptable.
I was actually happy for a while there in the 80's when it's use virtually disappeared until rappers decided to "ressurect" the term in a different connotation. Now I hear it everywhere and it makes me cringe every time. There is no term that I find more offensive for any group or individual than that.

Kudos, Fry!

Originally posted by jezebel

Originally posted by hmmm
true but what I was implying was why is the double standard there? i cant walk up to one of my black friends and say whats up my 'n-word'. he would find that offending. well actually he woudl know i was joking but we would both feel very uncomfortable even if it was just playing around. the word is a cuss word for me but common language for other people?

The double standard is there because, usually, the intended meaning of the word, when used by a white person, is insulting. The majority of white people that still use "n!gger" in reference to black people, use it as an insult, not just a slang term. Besides, what does it hurt, to not call a black friend, "my n!gger"? Why can't you say "What's up, my man?" or something else that doesn't have such a negative history. Would you go up to a white friend and say, "What's up, my n!gger?"

Also, many black adults who were around before and during the civil rights movement, do not accept the use of "N!gger" by other black people as common language. They hate the word, because they lived thru the hatred that spawned it.

When people stop using it to classify blacks as "sub-human" then it may end up being nothing more than a slang phrase, which nobody cares about. As long as racism persists, however, that is unlikely.

I go up to my white friends and say, what up my cracker....i'm just saying....

I don't use the term, but I listen to a few white artists that do. They replace the 'er' with an 'a' and use it to describe themselves and their friends. I don't have a problem with them using it, then again, I'm not black. Two, in particular, were in a trio with a black male, The R.O.C., so I assume that's why they use it.

Just a curious question.
What if I, a white man, say to my white friend "whassup nigga?"
It's not meant as an insult to black people, it's more taking the piss out of the "pseudo-gangsta" attitude, like saying "whassup homie/dawg/bitch/pimp"
It's not like we have any actualy hate for people who talk like that, we just find it funny when it's used seriously by people who really aren't "gangstas".
It's like the term "gay" was used by homophobic idiots to describe something bad. My friends and I started using it too, but as a sarcastic dig at those people who use it derogatively, kinda, showing them how pathetic they are, man it confuses them, heheh.
I dunno, if it's really offensive then I'll stop, don't want to offend anyone over a word that can be easily substituted for "homie" or whatever, but I was curious.

Then mature, intelligent people who overhear you will assume you are a moron. If this be the case, please do it. Either that or wear a sign.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Then mature, intelligent people who overhear you will assume you are a moron. If this be the case, please do it. Either that or wear a sign.

I don't give a # whether or not people think I'm a moron or not, that's their problem, not mine.
I do give a # whether or not I offend someone without intending to do so.

I think the word needs to be taken out of "acceptability" in society. Its a definate double standard.. I don't say it, not tolerated in my family growing up . I have a 4 yld and take offense to him having to hear it, just as much as I don' t tolerate foul language in public around him.

Originally posted by �any
Just a curious question.
What if I, a white man, say to my white friend "whassup nigga?"

Depends on the friend. My one white friend used the term on me and he got away with it...once. And he was my best friend. I guess he could see my eyes behind the "hello" smile.

Never happened again.

"MidnightDStroyer......
...And the sad part about the whole issue is that n!gger is *not* defined as an insult to race...It's an insult to intelligence... "

I agree with you...Have I used the word..YES! But to me in is an insult of intelligence not race. I've used the word in conotation with whites, blacks, latino's, asian's..etc...

To me it describes a person who is ignorant and believes their ingnorance is better than other people. I do my best to judge people on their individual merits...reguardless of race...but I do think there is a double standard. Have I been wrong in my judgements..YES...and I admit them, but the term fits...within my definition of it most of the time, REGUARDLESS OF THE RACE OF THE PERSON INVOLVED.

I think that everyone has the right to use whatever word that they want regarding any race whether derogatory or positively. Course, you also have the right to consider that person an ignorant racist moron, and never speak let alone look at that person again. And you wont see me running to the cops if I see this same ignorant moron getting the crap kicked out of him by a bunch of big black thugs.

Originally posted by Colonel

Originally posted by �any
Just a curious question.
What if I, a white man, say to my white friend "whassup nigga?"

Depends on the friend. My one white friend used the term on me and he got away with it...once. And he was my best friend. I guess he could see my eyes behind the "hello" smile.

Never happened again.

No I mean to my WHITE friend, I'd never say it to a black person, not even in joking but my white friend doesn't take offence.