The N Word.

[Rocketman]

Close this thread if it gets out of hand, by all means. Most likely, someone immature will enter it. BUT, if not, let's have an intelligent, adult discussion here.

A friend of mine argued that the N word has only kept its power over the years because African Americans have insisted on keeping it in the English vocabulary. I can't say I disagree.

While some racist white morons may say the word joyfully and proudly, I don't see why some people's idiotic ramblings can be categorized as "racist" while a black man using the word isn't racist or isn't bad. If a word is a word, it should ALWAYS be that word. If you give it a cute, special rule only to yourself, like using it lovingly between your fellow black friends, it shouldn't be acceptable simply because you added an "a" at the end and removed the "r". If a word is bad, it's bad. Period.

Is a word ever only a word?
Is a word only powerful by the meaning behind it?
Is a word powerful by the letters it needs to spell it?

For example, if I were to ask you to think of an image in your head when I say "poop," "crap," "dung," "feces," or "excrement," the same sort of image would enter your mind: that which involves the #2 bowel movement. If I said "****," which I can't type here on SuperHeroHype for reasons I can't explain, doesn't that same image enter your mind? Isn't it hypocritical to claim that **** is bad while poop is not? Isn't the same meaning behind the word?

Using that example, I think a word can only ever be just that: a word.
Words are words, and the meanings behind the words only have meaning when someone puts meaning behind them. Just like the difference between "Butt" being an okay word, and "Ass" not being an okay word, is strikingly confusing to me. The only different meaning behind "ass" is that it's "a dirty word." When did that happen? And when did the "N" word become off-limits to the point where it's almost a Federal Law now?

Take Michael Richards. His career was absolutely pulverized for the rest of his life because he said a word. He said a word. Does anybody find that odd? What if the word "Apple" had a discriminatory effect on me because my great-grandmother used to beat my grandfather with apples when I was little, and I overheard someone on the street call me "Apple Boy," even though I personally was never beaten with apples... Should the person who called me "Apple Boy" be considered a bad person? In this situation, Yes, "Apple" is a discriminatory curse word that should end a celebrity's career if he/she says it on YouTube. But that'll never happen it, will it? You know why? Because people who have grandparents who were beaten with apples when they were children realize that "apple" is just a word, and it means nothing. It's the meaning behind the word that gives it power.

So, I stand by my theory, and I don't care if you'd consider me racist. I'm not racist. I just have an understanding of the English language, I studied it, got a degree in it, and now I practice it as a profession with studies in linguistics and grammar. Words are words. And the only people who are continuing to give power to the N word are African Americans.

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

White people should not use the Nword. Straight up. I say it when im with my friends. With Blacks, when blacks use it is a word but when whites use it becomes something other than a word. It becomes a reminder back to days when black weren't considered human and equal.

 

[tzarinna]

Nothing good will come of this.

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

If we can talk about Religion, politics, abortion, gay rights, Batman vs Superman, etc without killing each other then we can talk about the Nword.

 

[Gotham Knight]

Nothing good will come of this.

Wrong. A bunch of immature and lame joke attempts will come from it, in order to gain e-rep.

(OK, you're are right now that I think about it.)

 

[SuperFerret]

White people should not use the Nword. Straight up. I say it when im with my friends. With Blacks, when blacks use it is a word but when whites use it becomes something other than a word. It becomes a reminder back to days when black weren't considered human and equal.

Wow.

 

[Boom]

During World War II, the Nazis labelled homosexuals with a pink triangle. Today, homosexuals have taken that symbol of prejudice, injustice, and bigotry, and turn it into a symbol of pride. They took something with a negative and hateful connotation and took ownership of it. They made it theirs. In that way, they claimed power over it.

As far as I understand, much is the same with black people and the "N" word. Of course, I know plenty of black people who hate the word, and are just as offended by hearing other blacks throwing it around casually.

But as far as white people using it goes, come on. When has a white person ever used the word in a positive way? It's either used for blatant racism, or a racist joke. Coming from a white person's mouth, the N word will always carry a negative connotation.

 

[SuperSoldier985]

The word is at a point of no return as with many other curse words.

It'll probably be another few hundred years or so before a lot of our current curse words start losing some of their power and that's all it really is. It's a word with a lot of dangerous power and no matter how ridiculous the notion of it is, there's no getting around that the word is what it is and we'll have to deal with what it means and why it's inappropriate to use.

 

[Boom]

I go off on rants about the F word all the time. In this day and age, it's essentially an amplifier now.

Ex:
"You should try that pizza. It's delicious."
"You should try that pizza. It's ****ing delicious."

Now, which one of those examples really makes you want to try the hypothetical pizza ?

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

Wow.

Im being real though cause as a member of the black community, I only know 1 person who doesn't use it. I know people that use it like a noun, some that just say it in passing you know. Its a word thats so ingrained in our cultures vocabulary and I would be a liar to say I dont use it.

 

[Rocketman]

If we can talk about Religion, politics, abortion, gay rights, Batman vs Superman, etc without killing each other then we can talk about the Nword.

Amen.

 

[Gotham Knight]

Im being real though cause as a member of the black community, I only know 1 person who doesn't use it. I know people that use it like a noun, some that just say it in passing you know. Its a word thats so ingrained in our cultures vocabulary and I would be a liar to say I dont use it.

But if it's an offensive word, why should anyone be allowed to use it?

 

[SuperFerret]

Im being real though cause as a member of the black community, I only know 1 person who doesn't use it. I know people that use it like a noun, some that just say it in passing you know. Its a word thats so ingrained in our cultures vocabulary and I would be a liar to say I dont use it.

No, you're not being "real", the "R" word you're looking for is "racist".

These people can say this, and these people can't, and we'll designate who can and who can't due to their skin color.

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

Because you try as a culture to take something offensive and you try to change the word into a word. But really when it's outside your people's hands it can still be turned around to be used for hate. Simple as that. I mean it's everybody's Nword. Gays call each other Fwords. Mexicans call each other something Idk lol. Everybody does it. But when people use that word in a context thats hateful and vile and degrading then its wrong.

 

[Gotham Knight]

No, you're not being "real", the "R" word you're looking for is "racist".

These people can say this, and these people can't, and we'll designate who can and who can't due to their skin color.

Real talk.

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

No, you're not being "real", the "R" word you're looking for is "racist".

These people can say this, and these people can't, and we'll designate who can and who can't due to their skin color.

How can I be racist to my own people? Im not Uncle Ruckis.

 

[Gotham Knight]

Because you try as a culture to take something offensive and you try to change the word into a word. But really when it's outside your people's hands it can still be turned around to be used for hate. Simple as that. I mean it's everybody's Nword. Gays call each other Fwords. Mexicans call each other something Idk lol. Everybody does it. But when people use that word in a context thats hateful and vile and degrading then its wrong.

So you're fine with a white person saying it, as long as it's in a non hateful and vile context?

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

Im fine if they say it when their not around black anyway they want to. Freedom of speech. But like I said earlier I dont think whites should use because when they use it, it just brings back reminders of what the word originally meant.

 

[Gotham Knight]

Im fine if they say it when their not around black anyway they want to. Freedom of speech. But like I said earlier I dont think whites should use because when they use it, it just brings back reminders of what the word originally meant.

It's not freedom of speech if you're only limited to saying it to a select few people. Do you really think if your ancestors were to rise up from the grave and speak to you. They'd be fine with you using a word that was born in order to demean and hurt them? "Oh, well you're black, so it's all good. However if someone with a lighter skin color says it, then that's just wrong."

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

If a white person says the Nword around black people, they should run cause they will get their ass beaten. Thats why whites shouldn't say it in front of blacks.

 

[SuperFerret]

Because you try as a culture to take something offensive and you try to change the word into a word. But really when it's outside your people's hands it can still be turned around to be used for hate. Simple as that. I mean it's everybody's Nword. Gays call each other Fwords. Mexicans call each other something Idk lol. Everybody does it. But when people use that word in a context thats hateful and vile and degrading then its wrong.

Okay, we're going to take that last sentence and examine it.

"When people" - meaning "any person".

"use that word" - meaning "the N-word".

"in a context that's hateful and vile and degrading then it's wrong" - meaning "using the word in an offensive manner".

That's agreeable. Nobody should use the word in an offensive manner.

Now, if a black person says "That stupid (N-word) mother****er" that should be unacceptable, because it's being used in an offensive way.

And then if I, as a white man, say "I'm going to hang out with my (N-Words) tonight" that should, by the definition of your last sentence, be acceptable, as the word isn't being used in an offensive manner.

Skin color shouldn't matter. If the word can't be said by one group of people based on their skin color, then it's not fit for anyone to say.

 

[Gotham Knight]

If a white person says the Nword around black people, they should run thats why whites shouldn't say it in front of blacks.

I can't tell if you're pulling my leg right now. Can you answer my question from earlier?

 

[Master Chief]

If a white person says the Nword around black people, they should run cause they will get their ass beaten. Thats why whites shouldn't say it in front of blacks.

Yeah, I saw Die Hard 3.

 

[SuperFerret]

How can I be racist to my own people? Im not Uncle Ruckis.

 

[Bat-Mite]

During World War II, the Nazis labelled homosexuals with a pink triangle. Today, homosexuals have taken that symbol of prejudice, injustice, and bigotry, and turn it into a symbol of pride. They took something with a negative and hateful connotation and took ownership of it. They made it theirs. In that way, they claimed power over it.

As far as I understand, much is the same with black people and the "N" word. Of course, I know plenty of black people who hate the word, and are just as offended by hearing other blacks throwing it around casually.

But as far as white people using it goes, come on. When has a white person ever used the word in a positive way? It's either used for blatant racism, or a racist joke. Coming from a white person's mouth, the N word will always carry a negative connotation.

There is a difference between turning a negative symbol into a positive one and continuing to use a word that you claim is EXTREMELY offensive... unless you or someone that looks like you is the one saying it. For example, the pink triangle is strongly associated with the gay community, but being a gay man, if I saw someone that I know is straight with that symbol, I'm not going to get offended. I might engage that person in conversation about it in case they aren't aware of its meaning, because I wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea and bring about an embarrassing situation for them (i.e., a person of the same gender hitting on them), but I'm not going to get offended and demand that they never wear that shirt again because I somehow "own" that symbol.

That is quite a bit different than this situation: There are three friends, two are black, one is white, all are very affectionate towards one another. The two black guys regularly call each other the N word and one day, the white guy, wanting to fit in despite the fact that saying the word makes him uncomfortable, calls one of the black guys that. They both get angry and tell him off. He knows it's an offensive word, but at the same time, they are all friends and he doesn't understand why he can't say it and they can, as they know that he isn't a racist and doesn't mean it as an insult any more than they do. They tell him in no certain terms that he can't say this word because he is a white man. He can't say it because of the color of his skin. That is RACISM. And it is why there shouldn't be a double standard when it comes to words like this. The word is either offensive or it's affectionate. It can't be both... now, the way that it is used may make it that way, but the skin color of the person saying it can't magically make its meaning change. The bottom line is that if a word like this with such a painful history associated with it is going to cause so many problems, nobody should use it at all, and that way nobody gets hurt by it.