The N-Word
 

My last post was deleted because I used inappropriate terms. If I offended anyone, then I'm very sorry. I simply wanted to make a point.

I feel like there's a double standard that's been set not only on this forum, but in the society I now live in. Terms such as "crackers" and "white trash" are considered completely offensive, but words such as "negro" and "nigger" are seen as all right to use - in many races.

"Nigger" is used in a lot of today's popular music, and many feel that this is a sign to say it to one another. Black to black, black to white, white to white - and white to black. Do you think that the word "nigger" is okay to be used in any situation?

What about the word "negro"? "Negro" was once used to describe the black population, but since the 1960s, it's been considered a racial slur and extremely derogatory.

If you see or hear a racial slur used, what do you do? Do you use racial slurs, and if so, why?

EDIT: Everyone, thanks for all of the opinions! I really enjoyed learning about people's opinions, thoughts, ideas, etc. Unfortunately, I think I've been spending too much time on here defending myself and my opinions... almost 5 hours a day now, it seems... whereas real life is waiting for me! I'm going to study abroad in Japan in a couple of weeks, and I really hope I don't spend 5+ hours a day on a forum while I'm there. x_x

Thanks to everyone who I had a great conversation with. I feel kind of bad for abandoning my own thread, but please continue the thread without me.

being black

I feel thats a terrible word all together, I don't use it, or if it slips out I feel bad. It's really a degrading term. It wasn't used as a term of endearment originally....and now we (black people) take it and use it. and it's everywhere in the media >.>
music N word this and that >.>
And what is really worse as now it's spreads, now hispanics use it (in my town) and it's just not right.

Haven't you learned that words that might offend others are not always deleted? It depends on if the word is used in a derogatory manner and if the discussion warrants it. Sure some questionable ones have been left up, but if you want to post here you better have thick skin and be able to not take it personally. If someone pisses you off and directs it at you, let them have it ban or no ban.

No, it's not. And what's worst is that I know people who feel that, because they're black, they have the right to use this word. Then, if they hear a white person use it, they flip out.

All right, thanks for your opinion on that issue. How do you feel about racial slurs?

I wish the word could just be eliminated completly XD

I was once walking with a co-worker of mine and we were trading jokes about each other back and forth, being asian it resorted to names such as gook, "luv u long time" and so on. i didn't care but as soon as i said "i'm tired, can i just call you a n****r" he tries to punch me in the stomach. he missed because i am a highly trained ninja.

there's years of background on any racial slur, sure it's offensive, but it seems like the n word is taken to heart a whole lot quicker. (i know it depends on the individual)

There will always be racial slurs. If it is directed at you, you have the right to speak up for yourself. If it is just thrown out there, I just ignore it because you can't teach ignorant people anything because they think they know everything any way. It's just wasting time.

That could have to do with the history of the USA.

The Japanese most certainly have not had their fair treatment in the USA. Neither have the Chinese. I can't say much for the other Asian backgrounds, but I know for sure that the Japanese and Chinese didn't have such a great life here in the USA.

People of African descent, however...

We've essentially been destroyed. I'm not trying to play the "who was more of a victim?" game. It's just a fact. From Africa, across the Middle Passage, into slavery, and for decades of torture, destruction of culture, and being "coloreds", "negros", and "niggers"... "Nigger" just tends to heave up a hell of a lot more painful history that other ethnic slurs, simply because black people have had more of a painful history than other races.

Besides the Native Americans. They've been screwed, and still are being screwed today.

I think that the Black Power Movement may have made that clear, and so that's usually why - for people who find the word offensive, anyway - people tend to have such a violent reaction.

I disagree. If people always thought that it was "just wasting time," then we would've had absolutely no progress in race relations.

I think it is unfortunate when any word, regardless of history, is used to insult a person or group of people.
I also feel it is unfortunate when a word`s meaning is gradually changed over time to something offensive due to usage - making that word impossible to be used without offense.

From what I understood, it's ok for a black person to call another black person that, but not for anyone else.

correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm so happy you posted. Can we talk about why the word "negro" is offensive, please?

Rewind: 1960s, when "colored" and "negro" was used casually in day-to-day life. My mother is from this era, and she grew up using the word "negro." She also grew up in a time when she couldn't use the same water fountains or bathrooms or go to the same schools as white children.

That was then. To call another person a "negro" brings in the idea that the person is inferior, and shouldn't be able to use water fountains or bathrooms or go to the same schools as white people. To say that I'm a negro takes me back to "then," when I didn't have the same rights - when people didn't think I should have the same rights.

Now, I do. Now I'm (basically) seen as an equal human being. I'm black, a person of African descent. To say I'm a "negro" is extremely offensive and derogatory, and it's not just me and my paranoia. It's a cultural thing, across the USA. (Except for wherever it is the KKK and the Neo-Nazis dwell.)

Okay. I just had to get that off of my chest. I personally don't think that it's a bad thing a word comes with historic connotations, and that its meaning can be changed over the generations. I personally wouldn't want to be referred to as a nigger. While at one point it was used to refer to the entire black population, originally it was a white slave owner's little pet.

I'm not a white slave owner's little pet.

It's amazing how much language effects people.

It's like saying "Gosh darn it" over "God damn it".... They essentially mean the same thing -- you imply the same meaning.


Same thing with the word "black". I find "black people" equally as offensive, considering African American's* (p/c :cool: ) aren't actually black

The very word 'negro' or 'nigger' are early variants of neger, negar -- which derive from the Spanish and Portugese word 'negro', or "black."


*The term "African American" is ridiculous and long-winded -- and in itself is racist because it segregates what type of "American" you are.

That's... an unfortunate double standard.

I'm extremely PC (and proud of that), and I know that people who study race relations and all that jazz will say that "nigger" is offensive no matter who uses it. I also know some black people who say "nigger" to each other and degrade each other, and that when a person of another race uses it, they freak out.

It's not right, period.

As I understood, "Nigger" came from "Negro" and "Necro"

basically describing black as nothing....

every race had their fair share of hardship. but it's made USA more diverse and mixed with culture.

my last post about being called gook and calling the offender nigger. i'm trying to say that both should be on the same level, both are racial slurs.

by the way, gook is a vietnamese racial slur ;) not japanese or chinese. it means poop in vietnamese.

If you read what I said, "neger" and "negar" evolved into the 'N-word' -- All these words came from "negro."

I also don't like the word "black." It has the connotation of evil and darkness, whereas "white" has the connotation of purity and innocence. Unfortunately, I can't go around making an entirely new language... but hopefully language will be broken down eventually so that we can just refer to one another as "people."

You're also right about "African American." It's basically saying that black people in American have a double identity, where as white Americans are just... Americans. I think "African American" is slowly becoming outdated, though.

I read, i just didn't want to to type more than i have to

Oh, that's good to know. Not that I'd ever use it. :/ I wasn't saying it was Japanese or Chinese, though. I was just saying that, based on my knowledge of Japanese and Chinese history in America, people with Asian backgrounds haven't had it easy in the USA.

Both should be considered just as terrible, yes. In my book, they are equally bad. I'm just telling you why, socially, people tend to think that "nigger" is worst.

You act like black people, or of African descent (which no longer makes sense since I met a white African the other day), were the only race ever enslaved. There are still slaves of all races to this day. And unless you are still a slave, you have the same opportunities as I do in America and thanks to "Affirmative Action" in some cases better than others. So how have you been destroyed? Again, we all make our own opportunities.

I don't think their history is more painful than others, they just choose to keep reminding everyone of it. Why is it OK for a black person to use the "N" word but if a white does it they are a racist? It would be better if we just left the history in the past and everyone quit playing the victim game and quit using all racial slurs.

i agree, people do think nigger is the most terrible slur out there. yet it's in music and everyday "gangsta" greeting everybody uses. it's evolved into the unknown to who can and can't use it :)

I agree entirely on "nigger" as there really is no place it can be used without being offensive...

However, about "negro" - I think you should contact these places, apparently they haven`t received the bulletin.

UNCF
The Official Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League Website
African American Women's Organization | National Council of Negro Women | NCNW
National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. Official Website
National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. | A Mighty River

And those are just the first Google page.

I agree that the term "negro" can be and often is used in a derogatory manner. However, I disagree that it is always meant to be so - if that were the case these would be horrible groups!
I took the action I saw fit (contacting the user) in regard to the term`s use. The end.

If you're black you can use it. If you're another race you're a dead man.

I believe its really fucked up, its seems that some people take serious offence to it and some others really dont, as seen is hip-hop/rap music ect. the term "nigger' isn't being used though. Thats what I've failed to see mentioned in this thread. "Nigga" what what is being used, and in completely different sence(sp?) I have some black friends(I dont give a shit if you think its politicly incorrect) and we joke around with it, 'nigga this, nigga that" but in the end of the day, we both know that theres no problem with "nigga" being said. Thats just one side though, then you have people that dont like the word, I respect that, and just call them by their names. Not a big deal/.

tl;dr
double standards exist in this country, fucking deal with it people.

Please don't take this as me trying to bring up that other discussion. I'm not. I'm over that. I'm actually a little bored by it now. I just really want to make sure that people understand that the word "negro" is offensive. I don't even mean it in a mean way either. I just wouldn't want anyone to go around, using the word "negro", and then get punched in the face for it.

As for the groups, those are historical groups. Their names are symbolic of the positive change and progress that's been made. Their names show history. There's already been a lot of debate over the names, and whether they should be changed or not. The groups you see there refused to change it.

To me, it's kind of like the idea that people can't read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or To Kill a Mockingbird because there are ethnic slurs used in them. Those books preserve American history and are symbols of race relations today in America. They both freely use the words "nigger", but I don't find that offensive because they were written in a time when "nigger" was acceptable. They're available today because it's something that we can learn from. I feel the same way about the NAACP, UNCF, etc.

Considering I cant chat about it in the thread it was posted in.

Stop being butthurt, you annoy too many people by doing so, suck it up, theres worse things on the internet, trust me.

Talk to the KKK and tell me the word negro is meant to be used as an offensive term while used in an intelligent conversation.

The word negro is used in Spanish...alot, so yeah, I say it often. :P

I kinda feel the difference between the way it is used in the spanish language and the way it's used other times is that The E is enphasized more. :P

I'm sorry that it doesn't make any sense to you. Because of the context - the fact that I'm speak of black people who have been taking from Africa as slaves - I meant, "African descent" as in black people here in the USA.

Why have we been destroyed?

http://vincentyettes.files.wordpress...tillcasket.jpg
(WARNING: The above is an image that really isn't for the faint of heart.)

Emmett Till, an example who why black people have been destroyed in America. Don't know who he is? Look him up.

According to an article:

Here's another interesting link: Statistics of Racism

In my opinion, it isn't all right for anyone to use "nigger." The black people who say that they can are victims of ignorance. I also don't believe that any of this should be left in the past.

Do you think that the Holocaust is something that should be left in the past?

Perhaps it would make you more comfortable if we forgot. Perhaps it would make Neo-Nazis more comfortable if we forgot about the Holocaust. Either way, it's not going to happen because it's a part of our history and it's been ignored for too long. It's something that we still need to learn from today.

If you didn't like being reminded of our history, then why did you come into and reply to this thread?

A couple of other things for you to glance through:
Racism 2009
You may be more racist than you think, study says - CNN.com

Any words/expressions can be seen as an insult/accompliment. There are people who will be extremely offended if you call them "cute", and others who will be all excited if you call them "ugly". Thats the same if you call a black person "black". Eather he will freak out, or will accept it since hes proud of the color of his skin. Wherever if the concept/context of it is negative/positive, different people take it differently.

I have this best childhood friend, who is black, who i kindly call "Preto" (Black, in portuguese) and he doesnt realy mind if i call him that. Why so? Because thats what we are, friends. He knows my intentions are not to insult him, and even if my intentions were to insult him, he would probably reply: "Yeah, im black and im proud of it, thanks for the accompliment."

People tend to follow "clichés" to the extreme... Just be proud of your color and if people calls you Dark/Black/Preto/Negro, just dont take it negatively EVEN if its in a negative way. If you are "black", be proud of it. Its just like if people call me "portuguese guy" or something like "F*** you portuguese guy". I dont take neather positive/negative. Im portuguese, i have no problems on people calling me so. Now the "F*** you", that would not be polite.

Edit: If black people continue to follow such cliches, getting pissed off by such words, people from other races will ALWAYS tend to use it as an insult. Why? Because black people find it an insult.

Yeah, I've found that the older generations still use derogatory terms - not to be racist, but because it's what they grew up using. I know an older person that still calls people from Asian backgrounds "the Orient." x_x

These days, though, it just carries too many implications and is pretty offensive to the younger generations.

To me, it's not the unknown. It shouldn't be used.

There's a huge double standard where black people feel that it can be used in the black community, though. I think I'm going to start reading some articles to figure out why, because I can't really say why black people don't find it just as degrading as if a white person were to use it.

lol yeeeeeah.

I thought "e" was only used with "negroes"? Like plural?

Ugh. I don't know. I don't want to discuss the correct grammar for it. x_x

i fail to see how this supports your theory in how blacks are being destroyed in america...

-African-Americans numbered about 300 million in 2020, making up 100 Percent of the total U.S. population

i changed it a little... would this make you happy?! the origonal 12.8% of population is A HIGH PERCENT of any race. for every 100 people, there are about 13 african americans. so the other 87 will include all the races categorized in white, all the races categorized in asian, and all the races categorized as hispanic, and so on... how is that destroyed? because of the high numbers of african americans there will be a great number that are unemployed (like any race) and that are poor (like any race)

I absolutely agree with you on that. I think the fact that black people find these sort of terms offensive has made them offensive (if you understand what I mean).

Why do you keep bringing topics up like this? Seeing that your previous topics have gone down the drain, I really doubt that this one will be much different.