N-Word. No place in today's society.

[color=424242]STAR? STAR? Subliminal Manipulation today. Can you see it? STAR? STAR? STAR? STAR? STAR?

Originally posted by intrepid
Funny that both of those are "religious" connotations. ..... The best for their masters.

what good are shepherds/shepherdesses without their sheep?

who makes the rules?
rulers make the rules.

who follows the rules?
rulers who need tools
who follows the rules?
followers follow the rules.

for how many generations were the literate only the nobles, scholars, and churches/religions? long before christ i believe.

literacy is far more than the spoken word, and literacy is far more than just left to right, impo. (impo =in my professional opinion).

I'm not joking people. The Constitution is being used against you. Read it. Get the gist. And F.... (can't say that) to hell with the media that's only an arm of the gov't now.

you are not lying.

the government has proven they can conduct military operations in foriegn lands without declaration of war.

what makes us think they would publicly announce that we are now under marshal law?

that isn't how war works. war is the goal/destination. how you get to the objective is by any and all means necessary. marshal law?

[edit on 23-8-2010 by Esoteric Teacher]

Originally posted by XxiTzYoMasterxX
Only white people are not allowed to say the n word.
.

i wonder how a brother would feel if they were in a pet store and a fish in the tank called them that?

people act like we aren't the same species sometimes.

it's physics. it's nature. it's reality. it's real 100% fact:
life is made in diverse ways, and in ways in which we are able to adapt to change, but in ways we are neuro-linguistically & subliminally conditioned to ignore, i think.

yep yep,
et



[color=3F3F40]Subliminal Manipulation today. Can you see it?

[edit on 23-8-2010 by Esoteric Teacher]

reply to post by intrepid


Hi I think you the word f... has replaced damn, but does not have any actual meaning at all by origin. I think it is silly to censor it. It's the same with se. Everybody says it's dirty and for some it should be prohibited to have it at all... , but everybody does it.

To hell with ........ is actually considered by many a place of eternal damnation.

What is worse ?

PS.
I saw it in a documentary, on discovery I think. ( About the f... word. )

reply to post by fonenyc


Alright good. I have a question for you, you said by all races using the word "nigga" freely in their vocabulary amongst each other that it will help bridge the gap between racial relations, how? I can understand that it will aide in taking the impact out of the word, and has, but my feeling is that coming together around an ignorant action will only aide in spreading the ignorance that started in the Black community, to all races. This may in fact aide in mending racial relations, just as hip hop has done, but I see it taking a far longer period of time to do so, versus coming together on the positive aspects of our cultures. For instance the Black community has a lot to teach the White community about enhancing their self-expression, just as the White community has a lot to teach the Black community about disciplining their self-expression. And the same goes for all races and cultures, such as the Latino community has a strong sense of la familia and work ethic that they can teach both the Black and White communities. These are the things I feel would be good points to work together on, and would mend race relations much faster and healthier than ebonics and Hip Hop can. What do you think?

Big Pun is also my dude! Although I haven't listened to him in a minute.

"There's no longevity living off negativity
Fu#k it, I'd rather sell reefer than do pizza delivery
That's how the city be, everybody gettin they hustle on
Judge singin death penalty like it's his favorite fu#kin song
Word is bond, takin my life you know they lovin it
God 'F' the government and it's fu#kin capital punishment!"

reply to post by intrepid


Yes I agree. The work that people like; MLK, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Rosa Parks, even Huey Newton, did for the betterment of the Black community has been lost for the most part amongst this generation and their parents generation. However, this is also true for the White community too, the work the "WWII" or "Greatest" generation did, as been lost for the most part amongst this generation and their parents generation (Baby Boomers). I feel this is a natural cycle of what happens when humans become too comfortable in their environment, they take things for granted and forget or never learn the qualities that made those other generations accomplish so many great things. When things get bad enough, sooner or later, people will once again strive for the best, and I believe that generation has not been born yet or has just been born recently. The key we must focus on as a human species, to halt this cycle of rising and falling empires, is to ensure a proper education is being received by our children and allow them to voice their opinions, and insights, in political and social arenas instead of just through entertainment outlets, as we have seen happen for the past 3 or 4 decades. The Black community needs this to happen right now, but very soon even the White community is going to drastically need this to happen. Enough with the entertainment persona's, our country and world is fallen apart! We need revolutionary's!

What's your opinion?

reply to post by State of Mind


Well, I still do feel Black Americans have had a harder struggle then homosexuals, in fact harder than anyone else, maybe even Native Americas, but after giving it some thought I think your right that it is hypocritical for me to say the word "Nigga" is worse than "Fag" as they are both hurtful, making them equally wrong. Thanks for being so passionate and standing on my head over this, I learned something new about my position on Human Rights.

[edit on 23-8-2010 by LifeIsEnergy]

reply to post by LifeIsEnergy


The word nicca is a term most recognizable to urban youth. When it is said by a peer then the word is a term of acceptance but in the mouth of a, lets say, white cop it is the most disgusting and demeaning word you can use. The connotation is not to induce images of being a slave but rather being a criminal by design but because of the lesser station in life the person being called the N word displays by talking, dressing and acting in a certain manner; hip hop.

Now when a respectable black lawyer is called the N word by, lets say, a white cop it basically becomes in the lawyer's mind, besides a potential lawsuit, a sign of the lack of education in the white cop. I've been called a nicca by black cops and I was just as surprised when the white cop said it to me. But anyway back on topic, the N word is not so touchy subject as say it is undefined in today's world definitively but the urban youth have made it positive. When an urban youth does something good his peer will say "my nicca" but when he does something dumb the same peer will say " damn my nicca".


If leaders, or aspiring ones, wish to communicate with urban youth, who are most in need, then they need to talk the talk and walk the walk or have their message fall on deaf ears. Obama wont use the N word but Puffy will and henceforth Obama Inc. will recruit Puffy to gain that demograph. The N word isnt ignorance when you hear a street scholar speaking and he uses the N word. Why run from it? its a small issue that doesnt ring as much urgency as other issues plaguing urban youth.


There is a big gap by older folk who know of the times when the word nicca was highly offensive and experienced the violence and hatred behind the and the youth who didnt experience it but know the stories and wish to make positivity from it. Tupac redefined the word nigga as an acronym and said it means... NEVER IGNORANT GETTING GOALS ACCOMPLISHED. Educational systems in America can exist with the N word and a higher level of education would fade out the N word completely on its own.


But to abolish it like it was a reason, or the roots, of slavery segregation and discrimination is preposterous. Demonize something more serious and be taken more seriously is what leaders need to learn. Attacking the word nicca will make the youth feel as if you are attacking them when the enemy is far from the youth. ..... these are just thoughts not organized but hey gather what you can from it and hopefully Ive made my point clear enough to build more upon.

Its not so much what you say but how you say it!
Its not so much the content but the intent.

I disagree with the OP in many ways. It certainly, albeit sadly, does have a place to today's society, which is why the word still survives and thrives.. and evolves.

The idea behind the post seems to come from a moral high ground level of thought, which is fine if the idea behind it were simply social commentary rather than going so far as to offer a solution (to stop using the word). This solution is completely unrealistic and downright offensive to me.

I personally would not tell anyone what to say or not to say. I don't particularly want to impose my will on anyone at all as per the golden rule standard (at least, outside of the bed). Unless of course someone is attempting to impose their ways on me, in which case resistance is needed. (Sound familiar?) The post did bring up the history of fighting and dying, now u would impose new codes of conduct on people outside of your group or race? Isn't this another echo of the same old cycle?

The OP is, in fact, the most well intentioned and truly innocent racist remark I have heard.

Yes, black men and women DID resist, fight, and die for their equality. So it would be very unwise for a white man to use the n-word... ever. It is simply insensitive and naive to do so. There is no double standard here. It is simply bad for white people to use the word and that is true for good reasons which can be easily spelled out and shown. It is simply less bad for a black person to use it as a result of it being used against them. It's really not a bad outcome if you take the weapon from your assailant. If I grabbed your gun somehow and survived while you robbed me, it would be unwise for you to attempt to grab it back, for you may not survive like I did.

People have the right to say anything they want and they must accept the consequences of their words. This is especially true in the case of a group who endured prolonged difficulty obtaining that right.

Lingo is a part of group cohesion. Professionals in many fields develop lingo that they use among themselves to describe their crafts in very useful ways, but they don't use the same lingo in comparable situations outside when speaking to laymen. There is no double standard. Just respect it. In this case I don't know how useful the word actually is since it has racial connotations rather than professional ones, but I think it does have a use and role to play. It is a salutation. It can mean friend, brother, respect, or just recognition of another's existence. It is really not far away in meaning than the word "dude" in its modern understanding. Only "dude" has never been wielded in that derogatory way.

I have always lived in a very inner urban environment that has no noticeable difference in a majority between the white and black population. This environment has always presented me with a social network that has noticeably more black friends and acquaintances in it than white ones. I am white and in my late 20's. I date inter-racially more often than not. Most of my friends salute me with the n-word as a word of friendship and even praise. I do not return the same salutation. No one perceives any paradox because we understand it.

The word will continue to evolve. It is a process that is very unlikely to be sped up externally. Much of its potency has been stripped away from it. Even a dummy knows when a white man is using words because of his racism, and when a black person is using words casually. Anyone of any race can wield derogatory slang against others. The fighting and dying was for a cause that was much greater than just a word, so let's not cheapen that history superficially.

All that being said, and keeping in mind we have the right to say anything we want - a right that should never be infringed upon - a racist should accept the consequences of his racist remarks, so should a naive person (like a white kid using the word to fit in), and a black person has the right to NOT use the word if his opinions/morals dictate that.

reply to post by fonenyc


Right, I most definitely understand the context of how it is used amongst our generation and the younger generation. I also feel your point on connecting to the youth by speaking in their language, and I most def do use my slang when talking to a person who uses it heavy, so I can connect better and make them feel like I am one of them, even though I would rather see them try and speak more proper because it would be easier for them to fully articulate their feelings. Take for instance, I ask a kid how school is going and he replies "ah, its straight, I mean sh#t, it is what it is, nah mean?", I understand the basics of what he is saying which is "It is alright I guess, I don't like it, but I know I have to do it, you know?" and that is fine, but it is not really articulating his problems very thoroughly. Therefore, I have to ask him "well what don't you like about it, what are some of your problems you are having?" and he'll reply "nah, it's straight, I'm just saying, nah mean, it ain't really what's up cuz all I really care bout is getting this fetti nah mean?" and again I know what he is saying but it's like we aren't getting no where in our conversation, just repeating the same thing over and over!

But that can still be worked out with a little more prying, even though I don't have the time or the patients always. My concern is more so over the words they are choosing, like "nigga" and other curse words, because those words derive out of hatred and even if, like you are saying, they have turned them into words of admiration, the root of the meaning still is negative and constantly using negative words leads to negative thought patterns and actions. If girls continuously call each other "bi#ch" when referring to each other or themselves, like "what up bi#ch" or "I'm that bi#ch!", sooner or later they will truly see themselves as a bi#ch and act accordingly. And imo the same goes for the word "nigga", sooner or later they will truly see themselves as a "nigga", which is a label for a ignorant/lesser human being.

I also feel what your saying about the youth being more liable to listen to Puffy than Obama, because they can connect with Diddy better, but to me that is a sad thing and shows a level of ignorance amongst our youth that should not be acceptable. Maybe your right, maybe if Obama were to 'talk the talk' then he could reach these kids better, but then who is going to respect him besides these kids and people in the projects? Is Vladimir Putin gonna call up the White House like "wut up B! wut dem nukes lookin like? I got some hot sh#t ready fo dat azz if u keep testin my G'z"

Good point but still that level of slang to me is "ghetto" and that mentality is a lack of education.... a child who tells " itz ahite nah mean Im just chilling doing the damn ting" well thats a child who doesnt want to get into specifics... ask em about something they care about and imagery displayed in the metaphor which is possible through hiphop slang gets impressive.... ask em about making money... you will hear similes, metaphor and a general understanding of the value of money... why try to push children to be conformists and not encourage them toward their interests to be developed as their strengths? Yes they should have an expanded vocabulary to meet on a level playing field for etiquette sake but how can that be possible if they have made the choice to be one way and are not respected or accepted for it.... I see children adopting their own "ego" and forging their identities opposite of what they are told it should be when they sense some form of injustice in the world they perceive, nah mean lol. And i think with time and exposure these children can develop more than menial existences in this life by choosing their own path unobstructed and make meaningful contributions to society. Generations and trends and etc fade with time and the premise of life is to evolve; why is slang any different than "proper english"? proper english isnt what it was then even.... build with the children on their terms because we want to help them not help us... but then again we do seem to want to help to assuage some regret we have accumulated over time... but i believe in the freedom to choose... and support the youth

reply to post by spec2


I aspire to one day write like you did in your last post on this N word business... wow very to the point and I think you just summed the true winning argument... case closed class dismissed lol

reply to post by fonenyc


Yes, good points back at ya. I also believe in freedom of choice, and I was one of these kids who rejected everything people told me because I was searching for my own identity that could better describe the conditions I was living in. However, I am on the fence about the whole encouraging them in whatever their passion is, if it is detrimental to themselves and their community. Even though as a kid I would of loved nothing more than to have my family and "mentors" encourage me, and that may of saved many of the years we lost together due to my rebellion, but now that I am older I know I was heading down the wrong path and understand why my family and others did not encourage me. If possible, could you think of some ideas of how to walk this fine line of encouraging their passion and allowing them to keep their sense of self but without aiding them or pushing them further towards a negative lifestyle?

On a different note, here is some real Hip Hop my buddy just sent me. It's crazy! For all you overweight people out there, even though I am skinny as all hell, I feel your pain and this is inspiration at its best! He is a Chicago rapper who used to go by the name of Gemini (now Excel) and is signed to Lupe Fiasco's label 1st and 15th. Enjoy...
11XL by Excel (formerly Gemini)

Originally posted by LifeIsEnergy
reply to post by State of Mind

 

Well, I still do feel Black Americans have had a harder struggle then homosexuals, in fact harder than anyone else, maybe even Native Americas, but after giving it some thought I think your right that it is hypocritical for me to say the word "Nigga" is worse than "Fag" as they are both hurtful, making them equally wrong. Thanks for being so passionate and standing on my head over this, I learned something new about my position on Human Rights.

[edit on 23-8-2010 by LifeIsEnergy]

I'm glad I made a difference, you had some great points as well

reply to post by LifeIsEnergy


Yeah a higher level of education would give them the choice to see their own faults and correct them.... " you can take an ass to the river but you cannot force him to drink" ... the choice is theirs to make and more of them would if they had the necessary tools to do so.... more money in school for programs that help the children to become interested in learning and not jails and medicines to keep the children glued to a seat too numb to learn, think and ask why..... teach them through their interests... teachers should be more versed in "pop" culture.... so they can understand the mentality of the youth they teach and find common ground... teachers should be taught how to assist children through transition of growing up while teaching them because today parents dont have much time to be parents.... allocation of funds from punishment toward parents who fail to find time trying to provide their children with a better quality of life , should be toward rewarding parents and teachers who show an interest in their children's lives... one apple spoils it for the bunch shouldnt be the matra in government..... this recession, and the double dip on its way, is going to make it difficult to do these things so the time is NOW!

[edit on 24-8-2010 by fonenyc]

reply to post by fonenyc


Great stuff! Many of those things we are already doing, but could you explain further on this idea "allocation of funds from punishment toward parents who fail to find time trying to provide their children with a better quality of life , should be toward rewarding parents and teachers who show an interest in their children's lives... " What do you mean by allocation of funds from punishment towards parents? And how would you go about doing this in your opinion?

Thanks!

reply to post by LifeIsEnergy


Simple really, more money for libraries, computers for these libraries, newer books, afterschool programs, teaching aides, computers for schools in poorer districts, new desks and seats, etc..... and less money toward the "weeds" of parenting like ACS(child services aimed at taking children away and charging parents with crimes) etc..... i think if we were to strike at the root of the problem which is the lack of quality education and the tools of education in poorer neighborhoods children would stray more from negativity and escapism and more toward learning and the feeling of empowerment knowledge gives and the freedom of knowing which direction to head in.... its simple mathematics really.... so simple I know that there has to be an agenda aimed at poor children and their confused upbringing... that hunger which coupled with desire for a better life causes the desperation which leads to crime and violence in general.... the frustration of being denied coupled with the innocense of not understanding the system can make a "victim" mentality out of any child; and that same victime mentality leads to anger and hostility toward the system, yet at the same time would cause a child to hate itself for lack of explanation and subconsciously make them feel as if they deserve it.... which validates their criminal agenda.... I wish we could all agree that the children need to be saved

This issue about the 'N' word just being a word or not, obfuscates the issue. The issue is that many people are offended and hurt by the connotation of this word (just as they are about flying confederate flags in their faces). I know for a fact that many of my relatives here in the south do these things for provocation. So concerning the word, do we want to BE RIGHT or rather should we want to DO RIGHT (I will choose the latter).

reply to post by fonenyc


YES! Education is key. Why cutbacks and under funding in the most important aspect of society? Do you know what it costs per day to house an inmate? Just under $300/day. Put that money into education. Better society and fewer people in jail.

I've seen some people bring up "Ghetto". That doesn't necessarily mean Black. Check out this video:



Black and White, from the Ghetto. I don't know if 'n-word' is used in the original cut of this song, if it is it's censored here(which is fine by me) but this shows that Ghetto means poor, not Black. The answer? Education.

I believe ghetto is a frame of mind. Like the world is a bigger prison for some who when in prison seem to adapt to that lifestyle because to them it is a controlled environment. Ghetto can be anyone and it is a choice. I have seen people not ghetto living in areas that are considered ghetto. How can you call someone ghetto if they are anything but displaying the qualities of ghetto? Yeah jails are not as necessary when you actually put money into keeping people out of them, education, seems like all the money allocated in regards to prison somehow leaves a trail to tpb enacting stiffer laws and passing harsher sentences...... its a dirt game. Are they saying by building bigger prisons and closing schools that they do not want smarter criminals? is it that they believe it is inherent in our natures to be criminals? or is it that the population and the percentages call for a "preemptive" strike? lol if that is not an act of war what is?

[edit on 25-8-2010 by fonenyc]