The "N" word

Coriolanus · 10-03-2010 10:34PM #1

So, was listening to a bit of Jay-Z and it can't be helped but notice the amount of supposedly racist epitaphs that he, and I'm sure plenty of other black people use.
Last time I checked though, it was a taboo word, definitely racist to use.

So, should we all be able to use it? Should no one? Maybe just black people? Does it depend on the motive of the user?
What about other racist terms? Why are some worse than others?

brendansmith · 10-03-2010 10:36PM

We ARE allowed use it.

Go ahead, go nuts.

alwaysadub · 10-03-2010 10:37PM

Only those of the targetted ethnicity should be allowed use them.

er why have you hidden the poll results?

admiralofthefleet · 10-03-2010 10:38PM

None of us should be allowed use them.

nevore?

Pherekydes · 10-03-2010 10:38PM

brendansmith wrote: »

We ARE allowed use it.

+1.

Just say NO.

Dunjohn · 10-03-2010 10:39PM

The idea is that it can't possibly be racist if it's said by somebody it could also apply to. When that happens, it becomes similar to a "brotherhood" term.

Like how Irish people call each other paddies all the time, but every now and then you hear about some thin-skinned expat suing a British workmate who dared to say it.

sron · 10-03-2010 10:41PM

If you're going to discuss the word you may as well write it as '******', but I suppose you'll only see asterisks here.
It's really not offensive unless you use it an offensive context: Saying,"How do you feel about the word '******'" is not racist.

MikeC101 · 10-03-2010 10:43PM

People Who Annoy You

(it was begging to be posted!)

we'llallhavetea_old · 10-03-2010 10:44PM

hmmm, i would never call a black person a "n****r", but to my friends i would often say "sup niggggaaaaaa". i suppose it depends on how you use it, but even still, its an offensive term and black people have the right to be offended by it.
the one i don't understand is why is it offensive to call a person from pakistan a "p**i"? its just shortening the word pakistani, like brit for british. anyone?

My name is URL · 10-03-2010 10:45PM

None of us should be allowed use them.

The sooner the word is loses it's status the better.. if the thread was about the word 'Paddy' being used by the English people would say we should get over it.. so should the people (of all races) that get outraged by the N word

Herb Powell · 10-03-2010 10:45PM

None of us should be allowed use them.

NIGGA
f**k double standards.

4zn76tysfajdxp · 10-03-2010 10:47PM

Dunjohn wrote: »

Like how Irish people call each other paddies all the time

What? Really? I've only ever heard it in relation to someone named Paddy.

Precious flower · 10-03-2010 10:49PM

Herb Powell wrote: »

NIGGA
f**k double standards.

Tupac came up with that as far as I know, maybe I'm wrong. It means Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished. I love Tupac!:D Hehe!

3hn2givr7mx1sc · 10-03-2010 10:49PM

Dunjohn wrote: »

The idea is that it can't possibly be racist if it's said by somebody it could also apply to. When that happens, it becomes similar to a "brotherhood" term.

Like how Irish people call each other paddies all the time, but every now and then you hear about some thin-skinned expat suing a British workmate who dared to say it.

Well, tbf there's a lot of people called Paddy here.:p

Minstrel27 · 10-03-2010 10:50PM

None of us should be allowed use them.

Damn naggers

Pete M. · 10-03-2010 10:53PM

unless you is jive talkin wigga, you betta reconsida referrin to any of your homies as nigga unless you is one, ya dig.

Delirium · 10-03-2010 11:01PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BIGvWKNRmA

stovelid · 10-03-2010 11:04PM

None of us should be allowed use them.

The cultural reclamation of the N word will be incomplete for those of us who grew up in the 70s and 80s until we hear rappers sardonically address each other as nig-nogs.

SV · 10-03-2010 11:06PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui6-Wc0PDc4

explains it for all ye crackers out there!

Bolag_the_2nd · 10-03-2010 11:19PM

Only those of the targetted ethnicity should be allowed use them.

hate that word, its right up ther with the C word for me

kowloon · 10-03-2010 11:19PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypmLeuWeNpc

OutlawPete · 10-03-2010 11:27PM

alwaysadub wrote: »

er why have you hidden the poll results?

I think most people don't intentionally mean to make their Polls private, it's just the default setting.

Maybe the default should be the other way around?

CSF · 10-03-2010 11:27PM

we'llallhavetea wrote: »

hmmm, i would never call a black person a "n****r", but to my friends i would often say "sup niggggaaaaaa". i suppose it depends on how you use it, but even still, its an offensive term and black people have the right to be offended by it.
the one i don't understand is why is it offensive to call a person from pakistan a "p**i"? its just shortening the word pakistani, like brit for british. anyone?

Its all to do with the connotations and the stigma attached to a word, a word becomes an offensive word, when it is used to belittle other groups of people. If n$gger was just a word that described black people, in a non-offensive way, nobody would care, but it isn't. The same applies with the term Paki. Its not the same as Brit for British, because Irish nationalists aside, its just a word used to describe British people.

Which leads me to my point on the OP, any word is ok to use to anyone, assuming the person its said to and anyone within ears reach is comfortable with its usage. But I certainly wouldn't be risking that the recipient will be comfortable with it, because pleading ignorance really isn't an excuse if the person is offended.

InKonspikuou2 · 10-03-2010 11:29PM

None of us should be allowed use them.

I don't use it now but i went through a phase when i used nigga for a while. It was back when i went to high school in the US and played basketball. All the black dudes and other hispanics on the team used the word and sometimes it would just come out when i'd be talking. Because i'm latino i got a pass on it. There were white people in my circle of friends who got away with it too depending on the context. Never really seen as a big deal amongst us. But i have seen parties turn bad when some white guy would use it thinking it's cool and it would turn into a riot.

The whole thing is stupid though. Yeah it comes from a bad origin but when you use it so frequently and colloquially you begin to trivialize it's meaning. White people buy more hip hop albums that any other race in the US. So when you have a race that isn't supposed to say it being exposed to it by somebody they may idolize. It's not gonna take much for it to be used by them. If you put it out there so blindly. Then be prepared to have it thrown back at you.

Ash.J.Williams · 10-03-2010 11:31PM

Dunjohn wrote: »

The idea is that it can't possibly be racist if it's said by somebody it could also apply to. When that happens, it becomes similar to a "brotherhood" term.

Like how Irish people call each other paddies all the time, but every now and then you hear about some thin-skinned expat suing a British workmate who dared to say it.

Or abroad when a load of rowdy irish walk into the pub ya think "ah here come the paddies" but an English guy shouting "oi paddy" would be an entirely different matter!

m@cc@ · 10-03-2010 11:31PM

I've managed to get through life so far without feeling the need to use it. It's not about whether you should be allowed to use it, it's about why do you want to?

Bolag_the_2nd wrote: »

hate that word, its right up ther with the C word for me

You're talkin' about CUNT, right?

JPA · 10-03-2010 11:32PM

Stupid thread is stupid.

bertie4evr · 10-03-2010 11:34PM

Only those of the targetted ethnicity should be allowed use them.

What's wrong with cunt?

MIN2511 · 10-03-2010 11:35PM

None of us should be allowed use them.

Why is it okay for black people to use nigga that's retarded as far as i know! If someone calls me a nigga i don't get offended....

I lie; call me a nigga in a derrogatory manner and i'll be very pissed off!

Bolag_the_2nd · 10-03-2010 11:35PM

Only those of the targetted ethnicity should be allowed use them.

m@cc@ wrote: »

I've managed to get through life so far without feeling the need to use it. It's not about whether you should be allowed to use it, it's about why do you want to?

You're talkin' about CUNT, right?

yes [EMAIL="m@cc"]m@cc[/EMAIL]
well done!

bazmaiden · 10-03-2010 11:40PM

None of us should be allowed use them.

MIN2511 wrote: »

Why is it okay for black people to use nigga that's retarded as far as i know! If someone calls me a nigga i don't get offended....

http://www.r-word.org/

The "N" word

Racist terms: 265 votes

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