Should it still be called a racial slur?

[Docker2.0]

Latinos and blacks are basically fingers on the same hand. Historically, we've all been oppressed by the man. Hard to explain but if a latino(a)called me the n word, it doesn't bother me, never has really. But if a white co-worker called me that, hello lawsuit!

 

[Lantern Venom]

I'm talking about the N-word.
As I always see it used as a form of hello now. With "what up my ******" being used all the time. Heck I'm a white guy and a black guy said that to me awhile back.

So really is it still a slur if its used so casual now?

It's still a slur and will be for generations to come. Whether it's the N-bomb or some other racial slur, I don't like any of them even if they aren't directed at me or my particular skin tone. Also, I don't like the fact that hip-hop artists use the slight variation on that word and think it's fine. The N-bomb doesn't need to be accepted, it needs to die.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

As long as bigots abuse the word it will be a slur. Every time they say it it opens wounds of a long and brutal history of pain, tyranny, and humiliation.

Sorry the term cracker and honkey does not even come close in terms of misery and history. Maybe if whites where enslaved and oppressed for hundreds of years by blacks the slurs would have equal weight.

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

Only black people get to call each other the ''N'' word. White people can't say it and I find that racist. Can't say something due to my skin color :P

 

[November Rain]

The way the system is at the moment in time doesn't work

You cant have this fine line where it's acceptable for one batch of people and not for another. Just because someone who is oppressed calls someone else who is oppressed 'oppressed' shouldn't make them feel less oppressed'

Say, if a fat woman called you fat (and you were fat), it shouldn't be less insulting than whether it comes from a skinny woman. So it's not the words themselves, it's the feeling of oppression that comes with it.

And there is only two ways to deal with that feeling

Reduce the amount of oppresion the term means by allowing everyone to use it and deglorify it to the use of like f**k. It will lose its stigma and overall racial effect. so it becomes the black cracker, which carries as much insult as the pope on easter sunday.

OR

Ban its usage from all walks of society and don't make it EVER acceptable to be used, like half caste or the term 'nazi' in germany.

I'm sorry but black people can;'t have their cake and eat it. They don't want to be called ******s but will go out of their way to abuse whites and chinese and other races without any blacklash. They aren't immune and aren't the only society to have had it rough over the millenia.

 

[AndThePickles]

It's still a racial slur, depending on whether it ends with "a" or "er," and the context it's used in. I've pretty much given up on being offended when Filipino-Americans say it. I don't say it, myself. I don't buy the whole "using it affectionately robs it of its power" thing, especially since we still take offense when white people try to say it in the same inoffensive context.

I agree with this.

How come i can get called a whitie, cracker, honkie and various other names. But i can't say one damn word?

I think those can be used offensively, as well. I don't think you should respond back with racial slurs, but let it be known that you don't appreciate being insulted. I personally find "cracker" to be quite offensive, as it's referring to slave owner's cracking the whip, and some also say referring to "cracking necks" aka lynching.

 

[Shemtov]

The way i see it its like this:
A black Guy says to another black guy a "Whats Up, ******". The second guy doesnt like being called a ****** and punchs The first guy out. Then he gets carted off to jail.
But if a White guy says "whats up ******" to a black guy, and he gets his lights punched out, The Black gets out scott free because of "provacation" and can even press "Harrasment" charges on the white.
Now whos being racist against whom?

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

The N word was created by white people to put down African Americans and humiliate them. It should not even be used by one African American to another.

 

[Motown Marvel]

whether it ends with -er or -a, no matter who is saying it, its a racial slur and should be treated as much. the whole "flipping it to be a positive" thing is b.s. it shouldnt be a positive!! it's sting should not be diminished. it cant be diminished. it needs to be remembered why this word exists. its just an ignorant excuse. any black person who is proud of their culture, and heritage, and their struggle should not stand for this word in any form.

 

[chamber-music]

How come i can get called a whitie, cracker, honkie and various other names. But i can't say one damn word?

Because whitie, cracker, or honkie isn't that offensive I guess. I can never take someone serious when they say that to me as they just sound silly. Whoever came up with those wasn't really trying.

Its funny in the UK those words are not a racial insult because their American social context so I person word not be offend. There are not really any racial slurs for white people over here.

 

[Lord Valumart]

Its funny in the UK those words are not a racial insult because their American social context so I person word not be offend. There are not really any racial slurs for white people over here.

thats cause we focus more on the whole other part of the country thing rather than skin colour...

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

lol @ whites angry that blacks get to exclusively use the N-word.

whites had the right to use it but lost that right after it was abused for hundreds of years. You can't use the N-word and your white. Get over it.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

whether it ends with -er or -a, no matter who is saying it, its a racial slur and should be treated as much. the whole "flipping it to be a positive" thing is b.s. it shouldnt be a positive!! it's sting should not be diminished. it cant be diminished. it needs to be remembered why this word exists. its just an ignorant excuse. any black person who is proud of their culture, and heritage, and their struggle should not stand for this word in any form.

It works to some extent. Blacks can listen to the N-word all ****ing day and it has no effect. The N-word has become a rallying cry for blacks. Nullifying the insult and making a source of unity. Stroke of genius if you ask me.

 

[Motown Marvel]

lol @ whites angry that blacks get to exclusively use the N-word.

im not angry about it. i pity those who are so ignorant to use it.

whites had the right to use it but lost that right after it was abused for hundreds of years. You can't use the N-word and white. Get over it.

whites had the right to use it? when was this?

It works to some extent. Blacks can listen to the N-word all ****ing day and it has no effect. The N-word has become a rallying cry for blacks. Nullifying the insult and making a source of unity. Stroke of genius if you ask me.

its not a matter of it working or not. the fact is it SHOULDN'T be a positive. it SHOULDN'T be a rallying cry. it should ALWAYS be offensive. the people who fought against racism, and this word, gave their lives in defiance of it, and would be brought to tears over the idea of other blacks using it, no matter the intent. in my opinion, to diminish the sting of the word is to diminish their struggle. if black people are in need of a "rallying cry" (for what, i dont know) thats cool. but find another way to do it that doesnt diminish the heritage and ancestors.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

im not angry about it. i pity those who are so ignorant to use it.

Some do seem angry about it. and blacks can use it if they so choose. It's their word now and use has been altered from an insult to a term of solidarity.

whites had the right to use it? when was this?

when it was first invented it was probably a non-issue. Blacks weren't even considered human.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

its not a matter of it working or not. the fact is it SHOULDN'T be a positive. it SHOULDN'T be a rallying cry. it should ALWAYS be offensive. the people who fought against racism, and this word, gave their lives in defiance of it, and would be brought to tears over the idea of other blacks using it, no matter the intent. in my opinion, to diminish the sting of the word is to diminish their struggle. if black people are in need of a "rallying cry" (for what, i dont know) thats cool. but find another way to do it that doesnt diminish the heritage and ancestors.

It only diminishes your heritage if you allow it to diminish your heritage. The words power is in its intent. That intent changes when it is used in solidarity.

 

[TEDDY]

I'm talking about the N-word.
As I always see it used as a form of hello now. With "what up my ******" being used all the time. Heck I'm a white guy and a black guy said that to me awhile back.

So really is it still a slur if its used so casual now?

No, it's not a racial slur. Cause, you know, ALL black people use the N-word nowadays. It doesn't offend them in the least so long as you change the two letters at the end. It's kinda like their "and" or "the". They just can't phrase a sentence without using the N-word. I believe the great Dr. King used the phrase like it was going out of fashion.(I believe he also used the term ***** to describe his wife. It's cool though cause he wasn't calling her a female dog. He was referencing women in general.)



Yes, it's a racial slur. Just cause some say it and think it's ok doesn't mean it is. Does anyone really need to be told this?

TEDDY!

 

[Motown Marvel]

Some do seem angry about it. and blacks can use it if they so choose. It's their word now and use has been altered from an insult to a term of solidarity.

anyone who is angry about not being able to use it is just as stupid as those who use it. and i would believe that it's "solidarity" is quite limited.

when it was first invented it was probably a non-issue. Blacks weren't even considered human.

whether it was socially acceptable then or not, doesnt make it acceptable. it was always used as a slur against the black race, and that is never right.

 

[C. Lee]

For the purposes of this board...it is still considered a racial slur.....so it's use is not allowed when talking to someone or as a joke.

 

[Motown Marvel]

It only diminishes your heritage if you allow it to diminish your heritage. The words power is in its intent. That intent changes when it is used in solidarity.

but if its intent relies on the color of the person using the word, then it still creates separation among races, and its flip towards positive will never be complete.

 

[chamber-music]

thats cause we focus more on the whole other part of the country thing rather than skin colour...

Yep we just hate on whoever is next door to us. If your from Liverpool you hate people from Manchester. If your from the north you hate people from the south. If your scottish you hate the English and no one really cares about the welsh

 

[Cunning Stunts]

To me it's kind of like when fat people can call themselves fat, but if another person mentions it, they go berserk.

If you don't want it used by people of other skin color, don't use it yourself. They're not "two words." It's one word that ends in 'e-r', and a bastardization of the word that ends with 'a'.

That said, I jokingly say it around my friends (both black and white), maybe when telling jokes or whatever... But I'd never use it AGAINST someone as I'm not actually racist (I don't think race is something to be used against another as we cannot control the race of which we were each born, and I'm going to make a rare blanket generalization in that only idiots believe otherwise).

 

[Cunning Stunts]

but if its intent relies on the color of the person using the word, then it still creates separation among races, and its flip towards positive will never be complete.

But what people don't seem to get is that words mean only as much as you LET THEM mean. I don't get offended when someone calls me ugly, because what is "ugly"? A series of noises that came out of someone's mouth that are just used to indicate a definition that we have come to accept.

Now if someone came up to me and punched me in my face, then I'd get angry. But just insulting me is in no way going to change the way my day goes, how good I am at my particular field of work (unless of course, that person is a modeling contractor and tells me I'm too ugly to be a model... But that kind of thing is the obvious exception, as it changes your life in ways), how close I am with my closest friends, etc.

 

[TNC9852002]

The derivative of the original racial slur (ending with "a") or the famously original slur itseld (ending with "r") are TOTALLY DIFFERENT words, if some people haven't noticed by now.

They should still be considered wrong and politically incorrect, but I don't understand why it can't be used at ALL. I mean, people are now afraid to even use the words in a damn sentence! I say, why the hell not? I think we need to acknowledge that times have changed and people have been educated past those times to know when and how words should be used.

Personally, I don't use the word at all unless I'm having a private thought, but it never comes up otherwise and it's just a word.

I think the media and entertainment industry is just making it worse than it really is.

I'm Black BTW.

-TNC

 

[Cunning Stunts]

The derivative of the original racial slur (ending with "a") or the famously original slur itseld (ending with "r") are TOTALLY DIFFERENT words, if some people haven't noticed by now.

They should still be considered wrong and politically incorrect, but I don't understand why it can't be used at ALL. I mean, people are now afraid to even use the words in a damn sentence! I say, why the hell not? I think we need to acknowledge that times have changed and people have been educated past those times to know when and how words should be used.

Personally, I don't use the word at all unless I'm having a private thought, but it never comes up otherwise and it's just a word.

I think the media and entertainment industry is just making it worse than it really is.

I'm Black BTW.

-TNC

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