racism

[FoJaR]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uvJzr0zZvk

as far as i'm concerned, white people should not use that word, no matter what the circumstance.

what do you guys think?

[Anticrombie0909]

Old and load of crap.

Racism is like a swear word- it means nothing until people lend it meaning.

It's obvious that the teacher meant nothing harmful with the word whatsoever. But that hypocrite of a black kid, who most likely refers to himself as a ****** daily, flips **** when the white guy says it.

Minorities that get all up in arms about little things are just as racist as anybody else.

[Chromer]

Now who made the term become the symbol of racism to begin with? My point exactly.

[talisman]

my thoughts are here

http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...ad.php?t=48879

[Grandiagod]

Originally Posted by FoJaR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uvJzr0zZvk

as far as i'm concerned, white people should not use that word, no matter what the circumstance.

what do you guys think?

Yes, because sounds have a specific meaning with nothing assigned to them.

In order for a word to be offensive it has to be used offensively. If someone gets offended otherwise their either dumb or chardish. Which is like the same thing.

[SethSquall]

In my personal opinion I think the kid did say the "N" word. I think his friends deny it to get at a teacher. Even though the teacher sounded so stupid when quoting how some of the students talk he had a point. I just think the teacher didn't notice the line he was crossing. I think the kid knows full well the teacher didn't have any racist meaning behind what he said, he just saw an excuse to argue.

[GuidoHunter]

Originally Posted by Grandiagod

In order for a word to be offensive it has to be used offensively.

Wrong. In order for a word to be offensive, someone (anyone) has to take offense to it. That's it. After that point, the word is offensive, regardless of how harmless it seems. It doesn't matter how many people it offends (though how much you watch yourself when saying that word is a function of that number of such people), either, as something that's offensive to millions is just as offensive as something that offends a dozen.

Was that word used in a deliberately offensive context in that video? No, but since that kid got offended, the word is CLEARLY offensive. What defines whether or not something is offensive? Whether or not somebody gets offended by it.

You don't have to agree with other people on the issue, but to say something's not offensive just because you don't think it is self-aggrandizing and asinine.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Grandiagod]

Originally Posted by GuidoHunter

Wrong. In order for a word to be offensive, someone (anyone) has to take offense to it. That's it. After that point, the word is offensive, regardless of how harmless it seems. It doesn't matter how many people it offends (though how much you watch yourself when saying that word is a function of that number of such people), either, as something that's offensive to millions is just as offensive as something that offends a dozen.

You left out the second part of my amazinly thought out arguement.

Originally Posted by Grandiagod

In order for a word to be offensive it has to be used offensively. If someone gets offended otherwise their either dumb or chardish. Which is like the same thing.

[Afrobean]

Anti is right here. It's the listener that applies an offensive meaning to it. Because of that, it's the listener's fault that they're offended.

If I say "that firetruck is red" and someone is offended by it, does that make me a racist?

ps 1st amendment lolz

[Tokzic]

hey guys

when i say the word "phroghratzipon" it means complete waste of human life that should likely go kill themselves and also takes a shot at your sex, race, and religion

your all phroghratzipons

Now, that is likely much worse than saying the "n-word", and yet I will not get banned for it because no one will take it offensively. Yet, for some reason, a word with the root "black" is considered one of the most lowdown things you can say about a person.

Summary: We give words meaning. They only carry as much power as we choose to give them. Therefore, anyone being offended by six letters in a certain order are being offended purely by their choice.

It's hard to tell what really happened in the linked video, so I really can't choose a side in that case. The fact that teacher does seems pretty idiotic and the kid does seem pretty "oops I did something wrong better act really angelic and I'll get my way here" doesn't help things.

[GuidoHunter]

Originally Posted by Afrobean

Anti is right here. It's the listener that applies an offensive meaning to it. Because of that, it's the listener's fault that they're offended.

Doesn't change the fact that what you said was offensive. Of course it's the offended's fault that he gets offended; that's nothing more than a truism, Afro.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Tokzic

Summary: We give words meaning. They only carry as much power as we choose to give them. Therefore, anyone being offended by six letters in a certain order are being offended purely by their choice.

Again, the same truism.

As for the "we give words meaning" comment, well, yeah, that's very true, and once society as a whole doesn't give such words meaning anymore we won't have any reason for this discussion. The problem: that word is going to have meaning for a loooong time to come, and until it doesn't, it'll still be an offensive word. If you want to take your issue up with someone, do it with society.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[bobbycat73]

races can discriminate against themselves

except for whites because then it would be offensive

and the video is so outrageous

"i like to add the h at the end" "african american please" "can ya lend an african american a pencil"

i have censored the N-word for the weak minded

[Grandiagod]

Originally Posted by GuidoHunter

As for the "we give words meaning" comment, well, yeah, that's very true, and once society as a whole doesn't give such words meaning anymore we won't have any reason for this discussion.

Points to usage of the n word in music and movies.

[duhh_]

it depends on how its used.

if a white friend says "whats up my {censored}?" then its alright because its used in a friendly manner.

if a white guy u dont know says "get the {censored} away from me you dirty {censored}," then its used in a disrespectful manner that requires the said person to get his arse kicked.

[MilfeulleSakuraba]

Originally Posted by Grandiagod

Points to usage of the n word in music and movies.

Both of which are legally required to come with warnings for such language (Parental Advisories for music albums and R ratings for movies).

I think a lot of people in this topic (and a lot of people that were involved in this issue in general) are a direct result of something being offensive is that something must be done about it. In the case of the "phroghratzipon" example, it may be offensive is someone takes offense to it, sure, but that doesn't necessarily dictate that Synth or the government (depending on the ruling body you're talking about) has to do something about it. Of course, they don't have to do anything about the use of the N-word either, but they choose to, for reasons that should at least be understandable to any rational human being.

It may be an unfair double standard, but them's the breaks. The world isn't fair.

However, if it makes you feel any better, SmackDown!'s Theodore Long said "cracka" on air (either this year or last) and the WWE penalized him for it. Lord only knows why UPN let that one slip through the cracks of editing, but that's another discussion entirely.

Originally Posted by MilfeulleSakuraba

Both of which are legally required to come with warnings for such language (Parental Advisories for music albums and R ratings for movies).

Neither the MPAA rating nor the RIAA's parental advisory sticker are legal requirements.

[MilfeulleSakuraba]

Seriously? Wow, didn't know that.

Regardless, including them is very much worthwhile.

[Anticrombie0909]

Originally Posted by MilfeulleSakuraba

Seriously? Wow, didn't know that.

Regardless, including them is very much worthwhile.

Because we all know responsible parents read the ratings and make parental decisions regarding the type of media their children play and watch.

[MilfeulleSakuraba]

I thought it was obvious I meant worthwhile in the "can't say we didn't warn you" sense.

[CypherToorima]

what bothered me the most about the video was when Renee said something along the lines of "You and others might be offended." Who are the others that 'You' didn't cover?