A ban on the N-word?

A ban on the N-word?

Source Link: news.yahoo.com

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City symbolically banned use of the word 'n-word' on Wednesday, the latest step in a campaign that hopes to expunge the most vile of racial slurs from hip hop music and television.

The City Council unanimously declared a moratorium that carries no penalty but aims to stop youth from casually using the word, considered by most Americans to be the most offensive in the English language.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I'm glad it was just symbolic, I don't think you should be able to legislate language.

'n-word' will be a part of our language for as long as people find it useful, and personally, I find the word fag to be much more offensive in the way it's tossed around to put others down.

But hey, I'm just an old white homo, what do I know.:shk:



EDIT: I wanted to add one thought, I find using the polite term (n-word) almost more offensive than actually saying 'n-word'. We all know what is meant when someone says n-word, and I don't think it's viewed as bad as the f-word.

[edit on 2/3/2007 by anxietydisorder]

[edit on 5-3-2007 by DontTreadOnMe]

So, is it "'n-word'" being banned where blacks *oops-"Africian-Americans"* will have to find a new word to call each other, or "negro" so the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s works will be censored?

Off topic, but the other day I went into the post office and asked whre they put the tape gun. You should have seen them jump, like a bunch of scared sissy girls! It's tape dispenser fellow terrorists, so your guns are now round dispensers

The use of this word amongst african americans in everyday speech is not ment to be a demeaning or degrading term for the most part. It is part of a rich and complicated lexicon that is employed by a community. The more this word is used in everyday speech the less power it holds as it has pretty much lost all meaning.

the dimunitive (ger) at the end is more often replaced with (gga) which straingly enough chainges the deffinition of the word for the most part from a racial slur to a versitile word as demonstrated by the context in which the word is used.

When this word is used by non african american people it is often seen as a racial slur because of the improper context in which the word is utilized. It is also many times mispronounced using the (ger) ending instead of the (gga) ending which takes the word back to the orriginal meaning and makes it quite offensive.

Ban it, dont ban it.

If your dumb enough to call some black guy a ''n-word'' then your going to get your lights belted outta you... im sure that will change your mind.

Makin the world 'illegial' wont stop people saying it in the privacy of their homes, or when theyre on their own will it.

African Americans use it 10x more than white people anyways...

So whats really the issue we're stopping here?

The effect that 'hearing' that word has on 'anyone'
or the fact its racial if said by a white, towards a black?

Ive been called a white 'bitch' by Blacks, should we ban that word?
What will we call a female dog then?

Ahh, political correctness.....................

Yes it is a PC world out there...

Banning "that word" is silly. Who's going to enforce the ban? If people lack the vocabulary skills to get their point across without using "that word" it's their loss.

Do they honestly think this is going to do any good at curbing the worst aspects of the hiphop culture or rap, or whatever it's called these days? Dreaming...the lot of them.

Does this mean they'll get rid of all record of the original Dambusters film, and of Gibsons dog in said film/history?

Well, I can't see how that particular use was offensive enough to take it out of the new film of it.

If your dumb enough to call some black guy a ''n-word'' then your going to get your lights belted outta you... im sure that will change your mind.

I think that is a good point personally.

Are NYC going to withdraw / edit all copies of Guy Gibson`s biographies which name his dog ?madness

Its frightening idiocy.

Either it will reinforce to people the notion that government knows best.
Or itll fade into obscurity like when the pshychiatric community banned the terms moron, idiot, and the like from describing mental abilites.

Now they wasnt us to stop using "retarded."

So next time Kramer or sombody else goes off on racial tirade he'll be able to get precisely the same reaction by actually saying "n-word" or "n".

It all means the same thing. Its just semantics.

If they want to ban racial hatred, well, good luck banning feeling a certain way.
It must be GKS thats lobbying the government from simply banning depression so they can sell more meds.

Chill folks, freedom of speech is not being curtailed here. The article said that this was symbolic. It would be impossible for NYC to actually do this. They would still have Hip Hop coming over the airwaves from other areas. Not to mention TV.

Tell all the music producers that and it can easily be eliminated because I know I don't use it nor do my circle of friends.

The only time I hear the N word is from the same people who are against it. Their music, their comedy and their movies are full of the use of that word.

[edit on 2-3-2007 by leafer]

im not a bad person or a rascist but i didnt learn how to fight so i COULDNT say whatever i feel like whenever i feel like.......but thats just me....the way i look at it you should only be able to say some thing if you know you can back it up (physically or philisophically)

Originally posted by whatukno
...The more this word is used in everyday speech the less power it holds as it has pretty much lost all meaning. ...

I was going to mention that.
I think most black people use 'n-word' so often that it takes away it's power to humiliate.
Just like we can be desensitized to violence, TV commercials, etc.

'n-word'
'n-word'
'n-word'
'n-word'

Hope that helps?

A ban on this word will only make it taboo and more effective again as being derogatory, erasing all the progress the homies have been working on to take away the sting.

Can't say that!

[edit on 5-3-2007 by DontTreadOnMe]

so, they banned it but it isn't backed by any penalty

what fun

Me and my white friends are gonna start calling each other NIGGA. No need to be racist about it.

Originally posted by they see ALL

so, they banned it but it isn't backed by any penalty

what fun

They cant penalize you for it because it would be an infringement on your 1st admendment rights. in fact, if someone wanted to get a little money or cause some trouble they could sue the city for something like this.

If your dumb enough to call some black guy a ''n-word'' then your going to get your lights belted outta you... im sure that will change your mind.

agit8d, are you arguing that someone physically attack someone over a word? If so, then its people like you that are the problem in this world. As you called me recently, maniacs. No wonder they dont let your people have firearms.

XphilesPhan i garuntee you....walk outside wait for a black guy to drive by...and call him a 'n-word'....then tell us all what happened......so i can laugh at you....all day

Ill never get over the fact that they fought for racial equallity (as the certinaly DESERVE) and than go ahead and kill and put each other down so half of them end up dead or cleaning sewers. I honestly dont know what to do. The N word used to be used to put down African Americans and so they fought for respect..sort of got it..and than threw it away.

This is totally rediculous ... I have been listening to DMX since I was 12 ... Lyrics " Love my 'n-word's but where's my bitches , Love my 'n-word's but, where my bitches ... " or alittle Dr. Dre .... All these niggas and all these hoes ... somebody here gonna # .... All these niggas and all these hoes ... somebody here gonna # ... " I could go on and on .... But I think that that is all I need to say .... It has not affected my life one ounce although at one time ... I did listen to nothing but that garbage ...

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
I'm glad it was just symbolic, I don't think you should be able to legislate language.

Nigger will be a part of our language for as long as people find it useful, and personally, I find the word fag to be much more offensive in the way it's tossed around to put others down.

But hey, I'm just an old white homo, what do I know.:shk:



EDIT: I wanted to add one thought, I find using the polite term (n-word) almost more offensive than actually saying 'n-word'. We all know what is meant when someone says n-word, and I don't think it's viewed as bad as the f-word.

[edit on 2/3/2007 by anxietydisorder]

im white all i hang out with is black people.....if i say it nothing happens....if somone who we donno says it.....its on........but why??? anyone wanna help me out?