Racial Slurs

[ichliebekase]

N----- means ignorant person whether black or white. That's the dictionary definition and that's how I use it. But not everyone goes up to their best friend and calls them ignorant.

[TC_Halogen]

I have no issue with racial slurs being said towards me. To me, it often seems like those who are racially sensitive are racists themselves. While that sounds like an illegitimate argument, I tend to put things in perspective: those who don't care about the slurs and their meaning typically have no intent in malicious use of the slurs. However, those who actually DO tend to get incredibly fussy when hearing a slur, and more than likely are guilty of using some themselves.

While I am technically making an assumption, I feel that it's alright.

[kommisar]

That's actually quite true. I used to get offended when people called me a french frog and I'd use similar terms to insult the english. As time went on, I learned to deal w/it.

[Nyokou]

Yo *****s

What's going on in this thread?

Anyway, seriously, who cares. I don't know anyone who actually gives a damn about this kinda stuff honestly. No one really finds it offensive anymore except maybe older people.

[Gun92]

Originally Posted by Mans0n

From my perspective ( because I'm half black) I'd say it's still a big deal because of slavery, and the way white men treated blacks for hundreds of years.

Remember it was only in like the 60's that black people obtained equal rights as everyone else. so When looked at this way it really hasn't been long enough for it to not be a big deal still, though maybe in a few hundred years

I hate when people use that logic. You yourself personally were not affected by those actions of people a long time ago. People who claim that they are offended because of slavery and what not is such a lame excuse, unless you were in fact, part of the whole thing, then I understand. I know I won't go around shouting the N word at the top of my lungs but the only reason people go around saying things like that is because certain groups make a big deal out of a word. We all like to do what we are told we can't.

[Nyokou]

I agree with Gun.

My best friend (who's black) always gets into arguments with her mom, telling her mom she's an ignorant stupid black person because she complains about slavery when it's not even something she experienced.

I think it's hilarious when they argue.

[Mans0n]

Here in cali there isn't much racism where i live, because of a number of factors. Though racist jokes and racial slurs happen but in good nature. I only have a problem when people say the actual n word, as in using it on a person of color. That right there really makes me mad.

woah, your the one making a big deal of it bro. All i said was my opinion. there are people who have a much stronger opinion than mine on the n word, believe me. And while it didn't necessarily affect my life, it affected my ancestors, which alone is a good enough reason. though In the end it really doesn't bother me much becuase while i may be half black, im also half white.

And gun, you would most likely think the same way if your past family was treated harshly and put into slavery for just being a certain color, would you not agree?

Though it doesn't matter because it was all an issue before the 60's, so now everything is cool. Though when you compare how long black people were in slavery against how long they've been free, then you can see why some still get heated over the subject.

[Coolboyrulez0]

I'm fine with words like ****** when used in literature due to the common usage of those certain words when associated with a specific time period.
[We read it out loud in history, and Literature and Language. No one, blacks included, are offended of course -- the way it should be.]

Otherwise, I choose my words more prudently than that. It's just a negative word due to its past.

[Mans0n]

Ohh and a side note: someone calling another person ignorant because of their opinion on a matter, is most probably the true ignorant one.

think about it

[Patricoo]

Originally Posted by kommisar

maybe where you live there's more prejudice, but around here it's pretty well accepted. slavery was a big deal centuries ago but I guess Canada has a different history (a good deal of african americans took refuge here before the civil war)

...yea and then many of them were unhappy because, even as free people, they had less rights then a free black man in northern America. England only abolished slavery to undermine America's reliance on it and enact their own 'divide the tribes' strategy of imperialism.

So TAKE THAT! Yea okay, that sounds like I'm on the racially insensitive side... I'm just trying to say passive-aggressive racism is still 'a big deal.' Which leads into...

Originally Posted by Gun92

I hate when people use that logic. You yourself personally were not affected by those actions of people a long time ago. People who claim that they are offended because of slavery and what not is such a lame excuse, unless you were in fact, part of the whole thing, then I understand. I know I won't go around shouting the N word at the top of my lungs but the only reason people go around saying things like that is because certain groups make a big deal out of a word. We all like to do what we are told we can't.

Imagine if there was a single word which was the staple noun that defined two centuries of active oppression, slavery and discrimination. Discrimination which still exists today in a passive-aggressive form. Its not that you don't get it, its that you can't get it. Not all blacks are required to freak out over it, but those who do are justified in doing so. Especially considering those people more often offended use their ancestors to better identify themselves, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Its all a matter of context and preference. The more you're in tune with your ancestors, the more insulted you're going to be when your heretige is insulted. For instance, I'm Jewish but I relate more to my Irish Catholic side. So I'm almost completely unaffected by jewish jokes.

[fido123]

Originally Posted by ichliebekase

N----- means ignorant person whether black or white. That's the dictionary definition and that's how I use it. But not everyone goes up to their best friend and calls them ignorant.

Definitions of ****** on the Web:

(ethnic slur) extremely offensive name for a Black person; "only a Black can call another Black a *****"
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
****** is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people, and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******
The ****** is a play by American playwright Edward Sheldon (1886 - 1946). It explores the relationship between blacks and whites in the melodrama of a politician faced with a sudden, personal dilemma. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_******
******: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word is a book by Randall Kennedy about the history and sociology of the word ******. It was published in 2002.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_(2002_book)
****** was a black labrador retriever dog belonging to Wing Commander Guy Gibson, and the mascot of 617 Squadron. ****** died on 16 May 1943, the day before the famous "Dam Busters" raid, when he was hit by a car. He was buried at midnight as Gibson was leading the raid. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_(dog)
****** (also known as ******; An Autobiography by Dick Gregory) is the autobiography of comedian and social activist Dick Gregory.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_(1964_book)
The untitled ninth studio album by American rapper Nas was released by Def Jam and Columbia Records on July 15, 2008 in the United States, with earlier dates in some other countries. Its original title—******—was changed due to controversy surrounding the racial epithet. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_(album)
A dark-skinned person, especially a person of, or primarily of, Negro descent; A person of Negro descent who acts in an unapproved manner, usually as a badass; Informal term of address
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/******
******ly - In the United States, there have been several controversies concerning the word "*****rdly," an adjective meaning "stingy" or "miserly," due to its phonetic similarity to the racial slur "******." However, the two words are etymologically unrelated.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******ly
******ly - ******like
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/******ly
(1909), made into the 1915 motion picture of the same name (aka The New Governor) produced by William Fox
www.ireference.ca/search/Edward%20Sheldon/

Nope...it's nothing but a racial slur for a black person.


I agree with Patricoo.I'm a big believer in it's what you mean, and not the words that come out of your mouth, but there is a harsh RECENT history associated with that word so I don't use it. I can see why black people would get offended. It's only been a few decades since black people didn't have equal opportunity, and that's why you see a lot of black people regardless of age in poor situations. Although these days we all have equal opportunity, it's easier for a lot of us to use that opportunity than people living in slums.

[LoneW0lf]

Originally Posted by fido123

Definitions of ****** on the Web:

(ethnic slur) extremely offensive name for a Black person; "only a Black can call another Black a *****"
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
****** is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people, and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******
The ****** is a play by American playwright Edward Sheldon (1886 - 1946). It explores the relationship between blacks and whites in the melodrama of a politician faced with a sudden, personal dilemma. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_******
******: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word is a book by Randall Kennedy about the history and sociology of the word ******. It was published in 2002.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_(2002_book)
****** was a black labrador retriever dog belonging to Wing Commander Guy Gibson, and the mascot of 617 Squadron. ****** died on 16 May 1943, the day before the famous "Dam Busters" raid, when he was hit by a car. He was buried at midnight as Gibson was leading the raid. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_(dog)
****** (also known as ******; An Autobiography by Dick Gregory) is the autobiography of comedian and social activist Dick Gregory.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_(1964_book)
The untitled ninth studio album by American rapper Nas was released by Def Jam and Columbia Records on July 15, 2008 in the United States, with earlier dates in some other countries. Its original title—******—was changed due to controversy surrounding the racial epithet. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_(album)
A dark-skinned person, especially a person of, or primarily of, Negro descent; A person of Negro descent who acts in an unapproved manner, usually as a badass; Informal term of address
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/******
******ly - In the United States, there have been several controversies concerning the word "*****rdly," an adjective meaning "stingy" or "miserly," due to its phonetic similarity to the racial slur "******." However, the two words are etymologically unrelated.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******ly
******ly - ******like
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/******ly
(1909), made into the 1915 motion picture of the same name (aka The New Governor) produced by William Fox
www.ireference.ca/search/Edward%20Sheldon/

Nope...it's nothing but a racial slur for a black person.


I agree with Patricoo.I'm a big believer in it's what you mean, and not the words that come out of your mouth, but there is a harsh RECENT history associated with that word so I don't use it. I can see why black people would get offended. It's only been a few decades since black people didn't have equal opportunity, and that's why you see a lot of black people regardless of age in poor situations. Although these days we all have equal opportunity, it's easier for a lot of us to use that opportunity than people living in slums.

That is what the word first meant. Racists just changed into a racial slur against blacks.

[rushyrulz]

You invent new words to replace racial slurs so that the people in your group who accept the use of the word get the inside joke and understand while people outside of your group don't understand it and think it's part of normal conversation. For instance:

Look at that group of Canadians over there.
= Look at that group of <insert slur here> over there.

Nobody gets offended!

[kommisar]

well, back in the early 1800's what was better: being a slave or being hated?

[Reincarnate]

Originally Posted by Gun92

I hate when people use that logic. You yourself personally were not affected by those actions of people a long time ago. People who claim that they are offended because of slavery and what not is such a lame excuse, unless you were in fact, part of the whole thing, then I understand. I know I won't go around shouting the N word at the top of my lungs but the only reason people go around saying things like that is because certain groups make a big deal out of a word. We all like to do what we are told we can't.

Man this is ignorant as hell.

Black people today have still gotten the crap end of the stick because of stuff like slavery. When you hold back an entire race of people for a few hundred years, it's going to be damn hard for such generations to catch up. It definitely matters.

[fido123]

Originally Posted by LoneW0lf

That is what the word first meant. Racists just changed into a racial slur against blacks.

Originally Posted by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******

The word originated as a term used in a neutral context to refer to black people, as a variation of the Spanish/Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger, meaning the color "black".[1][2][3][4]

Nope

[GG_Guru]

Oh hai I'm black and you guys are right, I believe that the n word can be quite offensive, but I also believe that it is something that we have to accept. We ARE ******s and even though it is a derogatory term, there is nothing me or anyone can do about it. There is an upside and a downside to being black, but its just a fraction of problems that people normally have to deal with everyday. Racial slurs do not end the world, I believe that there is more to humanity than that.

[Reincarnate]

I echo Chris Rock on this issue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzFTLKWvfE0

[Patricoo]

Originally Posted by rushyrulz

Look at that group of Canadians over there.
= Look at that group of <insert slur here> over there.

Nobody gets offended!

Until the Canadians find out! Then they'll get pretty offended!

Thank goodness no one cares about Canadians. Thats probably we just use 'Canadian' as an insult.

Originally Posted by kommisar

well, back in the early 1800's what was better: being a slave or being hated?

You mean whats better: forced labor or institutionalized poverty. You really want that hallow victory? Sure. Here you go. Take it. I'm sure the runaway slaves felt the same way.

[krunkykai22]

To all of those that say the N word can be offensive. If you are of African American decent, and just black in general, why is it offensive when a white person calls you the N word, but its okay to go around sayin, " yooo n**** what's up?"

Ever see the movie Coach Carter starting Samuel L. Jackson? Watch it, it's a good movie.

It's a term used to insult African American ancestors. It's a term that was derogatory in the manner that wealthy Caucasian men and women used to talk down to their slaves. Why would this word be used in present day to say Hello? It's complete and utter bullshit if you ask me.

I live in the center of Philadelphia. Surrounded by African Americans. All I hear sometimes when I open my window to smoke is N this and N that. It's ****ed up. If you don't use this word in that sense than disregard my question to you. But, GG_Guru, yes I'm pointing you out, I have seen you use this word like that. Don't take offense when YOU sir are using the word commonly. I don't give two shits what it means when you use it like that. Call me a racist I don't give a shit. Hold a grasp on your words.

To others, yes the definition of N***** is an igorant person. PERSON, not just white or black, could be blue, yellow, orange, etc. etc. Look it up in Webster's Dictionary. Enough said.