IA with Danni, why would you want to use the word? Doesn't make sense.

To me, saying "you can't say that because you're white" is the same as saying "You have to give up your seat on the bus because you're black"

it's all racism, no matter what colour you are and what colour the person is you're meaning it towards.

Edited December 17, 200619 yr by Drew

To me, saying "you can't say that because you're white" is the same as saying "You have to give up your seat on the bus because you're black"

it's all racism, no matter what colour you are and what colour the person is you're meaning it towards.

That's silly. Especially giving the context of the word and the demeaning history behind it from "white people."

I'm not talking about you, personally. I'm more or less talking about why the white community wants to use it. The gist is "Well, black people use it with each other, why am I not allowed to use it? I want to use it too!" The fact of the matter is that there are certain things that white people just shouldn't do and using the N word, either in slur or friend form, is one of them.

As I said, the black community's use of it is more an attempt to take back the word and diminish it's power. However, such a word won't ever diminish in power as long as racism is in existence, and that's not going away any time soon.

I can see what you mean, saying the black community has taken back the word to diminish its power -- I understand the concept. But isn't it counterproductive, just keeping the word around? If blacks banished the word from their lips and thoughts, THAT would diminish its power, because then whites wouldn't hear them saying it to each other and then cast judgments based on perceived hypocrisy.

Edited December 17, 200619 yr by JointStrikeFighter

However, the two are very different. The reality is that there are certain things that different minorities choose to not share with the majority. Minority groups (I'm talking about ALL minorities, not just racial) have to interact with the majority, so there are certain instances where they'd want to have their safe haven; something that's theirs that the majority can't intrude.

Which brings me back to the main question: Why would you (not talking you personally) even want to say it in the first place? Why do you feel that you have the right to say it?

IA with Danni, why would you want to use the word? Doesn't make sense.

It also doesn't make sense to say blacks can use the word but whites can't. Discrimination is everywhere. What if someone not from America hung out with blacks (for whatever reason) who didn't mind him saying the word, but then he said it to the wrong person, away from that familiar setting? No one would care that he wasn't from the country; he'd get beaten up, if not killed. It's hypocrisy and it's dangerous to keep this word around, in any form.

I can see what you mean, saying the black community has taken back the word to diminish its power -- I understand the concept. But isn't it counterproductive, just keeping the word around? If blacks banished the word from their lips and thoughts, THAT would diminish its power, because then whites wouldn't hear them saying it to each other and then cast judgments based on perceived hypocrisy.

The issue is that it really wouldn't stop white people from saying it if they wanted to.

It also doesn't make sense to say blacks can use the word but whites can't. Discrimination is everywhere. What if someone not from America hung out with blacks (for whatever reason) who didn't mind him saying the word, but then he said it to the wrong person, away from that familiar setting? No one would care that he wasn't from the country; he'd get beaten up, if not killed. It's hypocrisy and it's dangerous to keep this word around, in any form.

But who said black people should use that word. It's stupid for black people to even utter a word with such disgust behind it.

Edited December 17, 200619 yr by DruRocks

You can't take power from a word unless you are willing to stop being afraid of it when its said by certain people.

It also doesn't make sense to say blacks can use the word but whites can't. Discrimination is everywhere. What if someone not from America hung out with blacks (for whatever reason) who didn't mind him saying the word, but then he said it to the wrong person, away from that familiar setting? No one would care that he wasn't from the country; he'd get beaten up, if not killed. It's hypocrisy and it's dangerous to keep this word around, in any form.

Well, the history of racism in the U.S. isn't exactly some big secret, so I can say that I doubt someone can claim ignorance. That being said, it'd be totally stupid to regard a friend the same way you'd regard a stranger.

But then that brings me back to the million dollar question that no one seems to want to answer.

You can't take power from a word unless you are willing to stop being afraid of it when its said by certain people.

But why would said certain people even want to say it? Is it so hard to just accept the fact that you CANNOT say it unless you want to get your ass kicked.

when others can say it? Absolutely. It's a double standard.

I personally have no desire to say the word, but you can't pick and choose who gets to say things, and who doesn't. It's racism just in another form. That's why I feel it should just go away.

I don't think anybody disagrees that the word should go away.

tell that to the rap artists that use the word in their lyrics as much as they use the word "The".

Even if the black community didn't say it, it's really not going to stop white people from saying if they wanted to do so. The reality is that the connotation of it from a black person is going to be different than that from a white person, and that's not going to change. Just accept the fact that you cannot and should not use it ever, regardless of the intention.