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

reply to post by LifeIsEnergy


I think it is ignorant to say that the use of the word is because ignorance and a lack of self worth.

It is beautiful when people no longer have, feel or like to carry the weight and use it in a positive way again.

First : Because of the offensive ( IMO ) assumption about someone else's feelingg, reasons and state of mind.

Second : Because It is you that still lingers in the past.

Third : Because the result will be that the weight will never disappear.

Feelings and memories will always be part of someone. Why do you think it is OK to place the burden of a negative word on people that do not share this history.

Yes. I do understand that the story of the march to freedom of black, colored, African American folks should be remembered. Not that it helps as people like to make their own mistakes again eventually. To keep a word loaded will not help in anyway. Instead it will stay and get used in an offensive way.

I would think it would be better to remove the weight that makes it offensive instead of holding on to it.

...its awful dang sanctimonious of a white person to presume that a black who uses the n word doesnt understand its negative orientation or that they're naive about slavery or the civil rights movement or anything else about black society...

...blacks calling each other the n word is a movement - a fairly old movement - designed to take the sting out of the n word due to the incessant use of it by whites - and - the movement has been very successful...

...non-blacks who take issue with blacks using the n word (or any variation of it) have bigger issues than not understanding modern day black society...

reply to post by Wyn Hawks


I wholeheartedly agree with your post, rappers etc using the word Nigger is analogous to gay people using the words queer or fag, it's a way of reclaiming the word and turning it from an insult to a positive and changing the meaning to something along the lines of brother or comrade.

reply to post by LifeIsEnergy


Just to clarify, I don't ever call my African American friends "nigga" or "nukka", they call each other and occasionally even me that. As for telling them to chill out with using that word---I don't think that is really my place. Who am I, or you for that matter, to try to control the words that come out of someone's mouth?

In order to emphasize that we are advancing a universal truth rather than a point of personal privilege, let us make our assertions, first, in broader terms rather than the particular: those who are or have been the victims of some form or other of social oppression—racial, religious, gender, et. al—forever retain the right to use, in whatever way they want, the epithets used against them in advancing that oppression. Those who were not and are not the victims, do not (except under special circumstances, which we will talk about in a moment).

That seems simple enough.

In other words, Korean-American comedian Margaret Cho can make all the jokes in Asian dialect because she is of Asian descent, but comedian Rosie O’Donnell cannot. Ms. O’Donnell, on the other hand, is free to joke at will about lesbians, while for Ms. Cho (unless she is lesbian; I don’t know her well enough to determine), that is forbidden territory. So it is, also, with my Native American brethren, who can ridicule Uncle Tonto all they want. I would do so at my own risk.

There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. The first is the “walk a mile in my moccasins” exception—those who are willing to accept the burdens of the oppressed are also made benefit to whatever perks may accrue (Johnny Otis, the Berkeley native musician who gave up his Greek ancestry early in life to identify himself exclusively as African-American, heart and soul, comes instantly to mind, here). The second exception are those who use ethnic epithets in their humor, for example, as methods of healing rather than hurting. The comedian Richard Pryor had the knack of it, almost always beginning his routines by ragging on himself—by the time he moved on to black people in general (who he almost always referred to as “'n-word's”) and then, finally, to other groups, the effect was more often than not to show the universal humanity in all of us, rather than an emphasis on the differences.

Debating the Use of the Word Nigga

As one friend, who's black, put it, "The use of the word 'nigga' is taking control of ignorance and over-exaggerating the word to strip it of its negative connotation."

Wut's Up Wit Dat "Nigga" Word?

I think it all boils down to this---some black people are easily offended or still offended by this word. That's alright, I can see where they are coming from. However, some black people are not and even use it amongst themselves as a term of endearment. Should they stop using it because it offends some other people? Or should they have the right to say whatever they want? Perhaps MLK and Malcolm X would not want our young black generation saying that word in today's society, but I think they would be more passionate about the young black's right to free speech if this word were to be banned in some way.

This word is a part of history. I think we should recognize and respect our history, lest it repeat itself. Bring everything into the light and educate our youth about the trials and tribulations of the blacks in this country, take the dirtiness out of the word and people will lose fascination with it. What if I said "negro" in a historical context? Would that offend you? Say, if I was reading a passage from Huckleberry Finn? Just curious.

reply to post by Esoteric Teacher


I may not have been posting here for long, but that's the funniest thing I have ever seen on this forum!

Lets go further, let's ban all bad words. Anything that is deemed offensive, and if words become offensive, let's ban them too. Even if the word offensive becomes offensive, we should ban it!

"Nigga" is offensive. It's disrespectful and offensive.

The thing is, you don't have a right to not be offended.

First amendment rights. Live with it, grow some thick skin and move on.

reply to post by WolfofWar


the word that is offensive is: WolfofWar.

ban that bad word first, but not before January First, 2013.

reply to post by Esoteric Teacher


You honor me.

truly you do

Words are hollow vessels, they are powerless unless given power by those they're directed at.

reply to post by WolfofWar


i like your style Wolf. there is a place for you in my world when i am done with taking it over.

(seriously, don't put me in charge Wolf! ..there is not enough headache pills in the world)



[edit on 22-8-2010 by Esoteric Teacher]

no op u're right we both fought and died for dis nation white and black ha ha we made this together too bad the klan ain't learn dat

reply to post by State of Mind


u dnt have to control it but if u grown and respect the conseqences u'll neva say nigga or craxker again ignorance ran rapid lets be brothers an sisters

Originally posted by Sinter Klaas
China and Japan would probably been used and abused in the same way, if they were not as developed as they were.

By all means... I did not intentionally offend anyone. You can blame my lack of knowledge for my simple use of words,but they were never meant to be taken in a negative form.

Ahhh... no offense taken here... you promote good discussion.... I know that China was kept in line by growing lots of opium... and smoking lots of opium too...

Black People are the last minority
Here's an article I wrote ithp.org...
leave me a comment if you want at the site

Black people are the only true minority; because black people are the only minority that did not choose to be here. Everybody else knew what they were getting into. Let's break down the decision of every non-white person that decided to move to America. You are travelling to a land that was once inhabited by a native people. None of these people exist anymore, because they were dominated by asshole white people. These same asshole white people, were so lazy, that they brought people from across the ocean in chains to do their work for them. Now these same asshole white people run the entire country, and you have decided to come here. Do you think they give a # about your culture, your traditions, your language, and your equal rights?

What'd you expect? A red carpet to opportunity. And it's not just America. If I moved to Mexico with 5 kids and 7 dollars, I don't think they'd bust out the mariachi band and throw me a parade.

In addition: Asian people aren't a minority, because they have too much money. You hit a certain tax bracket and sorry, but you're not a minority anymore. If we went to war with Japan again, there would be no round-up of the Japanese; we need them out here making money. The only people going to internment camps are the NRA, because we don't need those jackoff idiots firing off rounds at the Japanese when they're trying to work. Mexicans are 5 years #ing away from not being a minority.

And back to the Native Americans. I do feel bad for them, but they had it coming. If you're living on land with as much natural resources as America, you have to at least be aware that somebody is going to come and try to take that #. You've got wood, coal, iron, copper, oil, but you haven't advanced beyond the bow and arrow?

Yes, I know, I'm an asshole for even thinking about this

Ahhh.... Whatever. Some one said it is ignorant for me, a White person, to say young Black people are ignorant for using that word. Well, let me tell you, so many of my friends ARE IGNORANT to this subject and that is why their community has falling apart, and unless you also are as active as me and have studied Black history since a child and lived in the Ghettos most your life, then who are you to have an opinion upon this, or upon me. Go to the projects on the southside of Chicago, or to Flatbush in Brooklyn, or in Oakland or in Atlanta or wherever and ask 10 young black kids who Marcus Garvey is, or who Fredrick Douglas is, or who Booker T. Washington is. If any of them can give you a good description of who these people were and what they did, I bet you they won't be the kid who goes around calling their friends "nigga". I am not hear to fluff anybody's ego, or make friends to be cool, I did that for too long. I am here to change what needs to be changed. Enough said.

I never said we should ban anything, I said we should be aware of what we are taking part in. You can try and justify it all you want and claim it is being used to empower themselves, but that really only shows your level of understanding about this topic my friend. With that logic, say you dislike me calling you stupid or ugly, does it make sense for you to then go around calling your friends stupid and ugly? Will that make you feel better? If not, then your proving my point. If so, your still proving my point because that would be ignorant of you to do. Enough said.




ETA: Sorry if I came of heated or P'd off, I never have got angry or this riled up on ATS, but this subject is one that I hold passionately close to my heart. The use of this word amongst the Black community is an epidemic, and just because most don't see it as such, even a lot of Black people, doesn't mean it isn't true. Ignorance is wide spread across America, but it is affecting the Black community the worst. Just look at Hip Hop.

[edit on 22-8-2010 by LifeIsEnergy]

First of all, why do you think ALL black people use the N-Word?

Second of all, comedians and athletes don't speak for ALL black people.

Third of all, some people can say things others can't. For example, my ex wife always called me sexy. Would it be alright for my neighbors wife to call me that? I mean really, what if your sexy neighbor called you sexy in front of your wife? Would that not offend your wife?

Some words are just off limits to others even though some use it amongst themselves. No offense but if you called your brother an idiot would you appreciate some stranger calling your brother an idiot?

Originally posted by LifeIsEnergy
Ahhh.... Whatever. Some one said it is ignorant for me, a White person, to say young Black people are ignorant for using that word. Well, let me tell you, so many of my friends ARE IGNORANT to this subject and that is why their community has falling apart, and unless you also are as active as me and have studied Black history since a child and lived in the Ghettos most your life, then who are you to have an opinion upon this, or upon me. Go to the projects on the southside of Chicago, or to Flatbush in Brooklyn, or in Oakland or in Atlanta or wherever and ask 10 young black kids who Marcus Garvey is, or who Fredrick Douglas is, or who Booker T. Washington is. If any of them can give you a good description of who these people were and what they did, I bet you they won't be the kid who goes around calling their friends "nigga". I am not hear to fluff anybody's ego, or make friends to be cool, I did that for too long. I am here to change what needs to be changed. Enough said.

I never said we should ban anything, I said we should be aware of what we are taking part in. You can try and justify it all you want and claim it is being used to empower themselves, but that really only shows your level of understanding about this topic my friend. With that logic, say you dislike me calling you stupid or ugly, does it make sense for you to then go around calling your friends stupid and ugly? Will that make you feel better? If not, then your proving my point. If so, your still proving my point because that would be ignorant of you to do. Enough said.





[edit on 22-8-2010 by LifeIsEnergy]

But what makes you think all young black males use that word? Because you watch HBO? It's called stereotyping. First play in the racist playbook.

You think Obama and Erik Holder go around the white house calling each other the N Word? OR that black fathers and black sons run around the house calling each other the N word.

It's all made up in the white media. Just another divisive tool used to squash equality in this country.

reply to post by intrepid


Spoken like a true white guy. Have you gone through the things you mentioned? Then don't go around preaching to others about what they can and cannot say. This is a free country, where everyone has the right to be an asshole.

Get over it. That word isn't going anywhere. I find it hilarious considering the roots of it. And now others want to bury it because nowadays it doesn't have half the meaning nor context in which it's used?

Please, that's one genie that's not going in the bottle. Now do what black people HAVE been doing.. suck it up. Or are you just upset that one group can use it freely while another can't, because THAT'S what i personally think.

Times have changed and things aren't what they used to be. You know, like black men being lynched for dating or even whistling at white women (like that black kid supposedly did)... do you think that archaic line of thinking is valid today too?




[edit on 22-8-2010 by cenpuppie]

the letter "N" is used 6.6544% in the dictionary for words. Don't like it called the "N" word; it should be labeled a racist term like the rest of the racist terms in the world. What is the "C" word or the "G" word then? Got a few ideas, as you do. We are so PC in this country the first ammendment bleeds tears. We choose are words wisely to avoid trouble at work, or a beating on the street. I will choose my own words and be accountable for those words without help from the media with their PC, anti first ammendment terms.

Originally posted by WolfofWar
Even if the word offensive becomes offensive, we should ban it!

Just a little note on the power of words. The power of words should never be underestimated. Before any invention can come into existence it is often first spoken. It starts out as an idea in the form of thoughts of words in the mind and then these words are usually spoken and through discussion action is taken with the body to bring the idea into existence (invention).

So words must be thought or spoken before anything can come into existence.

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”