NY case puts N-word use among blacks on trial

[Top Boy]

I use the N word with/around my friends frequently..

If an old white dude called me one he'd catch a upper so quick homie woulda thought he got trolled by Chun Li.

 

[celticsfan9783]

This. While I use it, I try to never use it work. At least with x around people I'm not cool with.

This post tells me you know it's wrong to use the term if you won't use it at work.

 

[mondaynightraw]

I use it daily.

White hispanic if it matters.

 

[createdestroy]

The workplace is not the place for the n-word

 

[createdestroy]

This. While I use it, I try to never use it work. At least with x around people I'm not cool with.

This post tells me you know it's wrong to use the term if you won't use it at work.

just like you don't swear at work, talk about sexual exploits with women at work, drink alcohol at work, fart openly...etc.

work etiquette is not an admission of wrongdoing

 

[celticsfan9783]

The workplace is not No place is the place for the n-word

 

[ravagebx]

Coincidentally, I JUST got hit with a "my n_" at my firm from one of the custodial dudes lol. 

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Considering the horrible historical usage of the "N" word, it's quite amazing to see how it's meaning and usage has evolved through the years. I live in NYC and I frequently see young teens and adults freely calling each other the "N" word. Hell, I even see different people of different races calling each other the "N" word.

e.g. I was walking my cousin who came from Canada to Penn Station the other day, because he had come to visit me for the long weekend and he was extremely shocked to see how often the "N" word gets thrown around. He started to die in laughter when he saw two "preppy" Asian and White kids from the Upper East Side calling each other the "N" word.

Growing up in NYC and being called the "N" word (I'm not black btw) from many different people of different races from my old neighborhood--I've come to accept that in parts of the world, the "N" word has a different human elemental meaning behind it.

I can still understand why some people take offense when they are called the "N" word.

 

[createdestroy]

The workplace is not No place When I'm with my !*****! is the place for the n-word

 

[celticsfan9783]

just like you don't swear at work, talk about sexual exploits with women at work, drink alcohol at work, fart openly...etc.

work etiquette is not an admission of wrongdoing

I don't drink alcohol @ work. That's about it.

 

[frostythepoptart]

Cant stand these threads. Especially when everyone knows the truth but are arguing anyway.

The same way you might call your friend an idiot for doing something but you wont say it to a stranger.

The same way one girl might call another girl a b or a **** but a guy isnt going to cry for his right to do the same

 

[celticsfan9783]

2.
Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc.
3.
a victim of prejudice similar to that suffered by blacks; a person who is economically, politically, or socially disenfranchised.


Unbelievable that a race of people historically discriminated against to this very day would take one of the most hateful words used against them and continue it's use by slightly altering the pronunciation.

Disgusting really.

 

[Magic33]

Why? If you can use it as a term of endearment, why can't another--specifically a rich old white guy living in affluent Westport?

This is exactly why I said you can't eat your cake and have it too.

There's absolutely no logic, whatsoever, in the selective controversy that comes with the N word usage by different races. The word is either degrading, and it usage must be abandoned entirely, by ALL races, or it's non-degrading, and should be accessible to all races. Pick one.
...

And what sort of logic is this?

It really pisses some of you off that you can't make the rules and don't have ownership of everything.

I would never whine about how women might call other women their (b)witches and it's not appropriate and more offensive from me.

 

[deuce king]

2.
Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc.
3.
a victim of prejudice similar to that suffered by blacks; a person who is economically, politically, or socially disenfranchised.


Unbelievable that a race of people historically discriminated against to this very day would take one of the most hateful words used against them and continue it's use by slightly altering the pronunciation.

Disgusting really.

Do you personally desire to use the N-word openly??

 

[Magic33]

Do you personally desire to use the N-word openly??

I think that's what it is from a lot of them.

This is a weekly topic.

I don't even use the word, and don't think we should use the word, but this argument is silly. I think we should stop using the word because we want too, not because of white america.

Can I call your sister stupid since you did? Well if you call your sister stupid, I should be able too.

 

[ravagebx]

I'm curious to hear how some of you think this neutered version of the n-word came into use. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say it went something like this: Racists slavers ------> House/Field n_s use in divisive ways against each other ------> well off blacks discontinue use/ poor and disenfranchised blacks continue use as term of endearment separating themselves from well off blacks (viewed as sellouts) ---------> modern usage by various blacks, those that are poor and disenfranchised as well as those who are well off but want to relate and not be viewed as sellouts --------> non-blacks who view black culture as pop culture and want to be accepted.

I think a greater understanding of how it came into use will help some people understand why it's pretty ridiculous to expect it to stop en masse. It's not like this generation picked the word back up from a dormant state and decided to use it. The n-word has been apart of the black vernacular since slavery. Blacks were calling each other n_s back then too albeit for different reasons and within a different context.

 

[sooperhooper]

That's one of the examples why life is so strange. It baffles me how blacks use this word so openly. I definitely attempt to remove it from my vocabulary entirely. Also, the idea of blacks "owning" a word is the most idiotic thing I've ever heard; if a black person says it, it's all good, but if a white person uses it in the same connotation, all hell breaks lose. Forbidding another person of doing something based on the color of their skin sounds a bit racist to me, ironically. Just one of the paradoxes of life. Work so hard to remove a word, then once it's gone, make the word more popular by your own people.

 

[celticsfan9783]

Do you personally desire to use the N-word openly??

I don't think anyone should use it. It should've died right along with slavery.

The thought of Jews, Vietnamese, Middle Easterners juking derogatory terms and using them to refer to one another. Just not a good look.

The n-word should have civil sanctions.

 

[superantigen]

 Simply stated, you can't have your cake and still eat it.

So they forced us in the kitchen and are now mad that we baked a cake which we don't want to share with them...

I hate these enabling arguments. Ideally no one should say the word, I agree with that. But circumstances have dictated that its become part of black vernacular.

So ignorance and racism, with emphasis on ignorance, is a heirloom that we--black people--must take pride in? Got'cha

Why does that make it ok for non-blacks to use? And more importantly, why do people want it to be ok?

Truth be told, that's not the central argument. Ideally, and preferably, N- word usage should be entirely taboo in any sort of present context.

If we are engaged in some kind of intellectual conversation regarding race in America as it affects those of African ancestry, and are actively evaluating history, then perhaps there's room for digging up that word.

But in the present? While you're sitting on the train going uptown or downtown? In the bus? Walking up or down the street? You think it's appropriate to hear supposedly grown men and women throw that world about recklessly, almost always in the presence of children. There's no education happening in these pockets when one person releases a tirade of N-word phrases. Absolutely none. There's history, but it's of the ignorant kind. The kind where only half the picture is readily available.

I also don't understand how people think there will be some sort of mass paradigm change where the word will suddenly become taboo amongst all blacks and therefore in turn others will magically become less racist. That's not the way the world works.

What would we know about how the world works if we aren't even given ourselves a chance at a new paradigm? It's one thing to have tried and failed, it's another to not even have given an ounce of effort.

Respect is something worth achieving. As a community, we have A LOT of obstacles to overcome. Much of it having to do racism. How can we then make any sort of headway if our platform is mired in hypocrisy?

But I guess that is the way America works. Put the onus on the injured and not the ones creating the hurt. If no one ever uttered the n-word ever again I don't think it would make a hint of a difference as far as racism goes.

It wouldn't quite honestly. Why? Because racism is akin to the Hydra of mythology-- cut off one head and two more sprout out.

Still, though, this isn't reason to fall into despair. You think the activist from the civil rights era believed that their efforts would immediately put a halt to all racism and injustice toward blacks and other minorities? No; but I am willing to bet that they understood that a push against racism and injustice, however little, was a push in the right direction.

It's pathetically self-defeating to say that attempting to end N-word usage is purposeless and hopeless. It really is. Racism and injustice wont be dealt a crippling blow anytime soon, but you don't resign yourself from the fight just because you won't get to enjoy the the victory. MLK didn't enjoy the fruits of his labors. But thanks to him, you and I, and many others can make headway towards futures unimaginable and inconceivable to black men and women 60-70-80 years ago.

Slowly eradicating usage of the N-word from black vernacular and the greater American lexicon, outside of an educational context, wont end racism, but it'll make for a less racist future for the next generation and those after that. It's the least we can do. Let that be our gift and legacy to the future.

A racist will find a way to be racist until we change the prevailing mentality in America where skin color affects perception of a person.

Well it's a fine job we're doing when we continuously acknowledge each other, in the present, using a historical term intended to highlight our inferiority to whites.





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[primetime21]

edit

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Glad this black-hispanic (I'm looking at a certain NTer now) got what he deserved.

...

Never gets old

 

[Magic33]

That's one of the examples why life is so strange. It baffles me how blacks use this word so openly. I definitely attempt to remove it from my vocabulary entirely. Also, the idea of blacks "owning" a word is the most idiotic thing I've ever heard; if a black person says it, it's all good, but if a white person uses it in the same connotation, all hell breaks lose. Forbidding another person of doing something based on the color of their skin sounds a bit racist to me, ironically. Just one of the paradoxes of life. Work so hard to remove a word, then once it's gone, make the word more popular by your own people.

 

[primetime21]

I don't think anyone should use it. It should've died right along with slavery.

The thought of Jews, Vietnamese, Middle Easterners juking derogatory terms and using them to refer to one another. Just not a good look.

The n-word should have civil sanctions.

Mexicans call each other "wets"(short for *******) and coconut and other bad slurs in Spanish and gays call each other queers **** etc and Jews tell each other special Jewish jokes amongst themselves so why can't black people use the N word? I don't really use the word btw.

 

[superantigen]

Why? If you can use it as a term of endearment, why can't another--specifically a rich old white guy living in affluent Westport?

This is exactly why I said you can't eat your cake and have it too.

There's absolutely no logic, whatsoever, in the selective controversy that comes with the N word usage by different races. The word is either degrading, and it usage must be abandoned entirely, by ALL races, or it's non-degrading, and should be accessible to all races. Pick one.
...

And what sort of logic is this?

It really pisses some of you off that you can't make the rules and don't have ownership of everything.

I would never whine about how women might call other women their (b)witches and it's not appropriate and more offensive from me.

Ohhh so you want to take ownership, and be the arbiter, or ignorance and racism?

Surely, you'll understand if I choose to disagree with you.

I'm not for anyone owning racism our deriving power from it. I'm for the complete destruction of any and all vestiges of a racism.



...

 

[Magic33]

I don't think anyone should use it. It should've died right along with slavery.

The thought of Jews, Vietnamese, Middle Easterners juking derogatory terms and using them to refer to one another. Just not a good look.

The n-word should have civil sanctions.

Slavery didn't end segregation, and the ending of segregation didn't end racism and discrimination...

Maybe you should spend more time worrying about that.