Why is saying n****r STILL considered offensive?

[Tuxedo_Spai]

you can

its just complicated. That's life

things are complicated

[Pixel Jr]

_Morgane Fay_

Tea Age Sea

_Morgane Fay_

Tea Age Sea

_Morgane Fay_

shark week in 1995

rolleyes

Well, unless I got trapped in a time vortex, it's still 2010.



To the OP: this is how incredibly edgy and novel your idea is.
Look! Halfway there to a bingo.

About half of these apply to you, too. Your radically unique way of thinking rocks my world.

It's certainly not the first time someone has posted something like this. So why do you respond to it? You're not making me feel any different on my stance. You know that my point is that taboo words should be abolished - the only reason why someone should get offended when I say n****r is because they are reacting to it in a negative fashion or because I've actually called them less than human which I have never done and will never do. And the n****r spam does very well for attracting attention - especially the type of crowd I'm looking for. Zealots who assume I'm just another over privileged white person who is whining about not being able to casually walk up to black people and call them spear chuckers. They don't seem to understand I am talking about using n****r in appropriate situations. -

Such as saying n****r when reading Huckleberry finn, or Diary of a drug fiend,
Or saying n***a to your black friends,
Or calling your girl buds Nigglets.

To some people I realize it will never be appropriate to use it. That is a problem they need to work out with themselves I suppose. Something about letting go of hatred and fear and all that junk.

But you know, it's Gaia. Whatever.

No matter your noble intentions, your arguments put you squarely in the company of racism apologists - as I showed with those links. Words Mean Things. Things Have History.
If you are white, it is not your place to decide (as member of the privileged class) which words "should" be offensive or acceptable to the marginalized class. It is not your place to decide that they should just stop taking it all so personally and stop being so sensitive and how mean those black people are stifling your freedom of speeeeeech. {Hey, does that sound familiar? I wonder why.}

Reclaiming those words, if you were thinking of backpedaling in that direction, is not your place. And just by the way, assuming that "spear chuckers" is the end all be all of all racist remarks shows a profound lack of understanding just what the hell you are talking about.

I am white, I benefit from white privilege and I recognize that that position entails that I Do Not Get To Use some words. Tough tittie. Deal.

Just what I need. Another white person telling me it's not my place to act a certain way towards the Nergo people. I never mentioned black people needing to get over me calling them n****r - because I have never called a black person a n****r and I don't use my words like an old southern racist. White people give me s**t for it, for not being a good privileged little white girl and bending over backwards for ridiculous social norms.

I have never offended a black person in person by saying n***a or Negro or n****r because I am a very understanding, kind, and humorous person. On the internet it's a different story, but on the internet you can't see the color of someone's skin - so you aren't as cautious about who you say the Magic Word to. I usually make an effort to explain and apologize to black people or people who are offended, and if they still have a problem with me - that's their fault. They need to get over it.

Right.
And that's where your blinding privilege and rubbing elbows with racism apology comes in. SEE ABOVE.

You do know that racism entails more than donning a pointy hat and burning crosses, right? Your garden variety of racism may be comparatively meek and victim-less, but that *really* does not count as a defence when people call you out on it. [General you]
What you call "bending over backwards for ridiculous social norms" is really just plain old-fashioned courtesy. Why would you make an issue out of your perceived entitlement to use a word that for many people connotes hatred, persecution, violence and more?

And don't mistake me; I know what you're trying to get at. I know you think this is a very clever proposal to dilute the meaning of the word, thus counteracting the taboo. Again - not novel. Not unique. Not edgy. It may yet happen, someday, but you are not going to be the one forcing the issue. You are just going to look like a big 'ole racist (or a racist-elbow-rubber, whichever you prefer) with your privilege hanging out for the world to see, no matter how much you protest you're not. Again, tough tittie. Deal.

The term nigg(er) goes back to the days of slavery and to most black people is very offensive.

But black people seem to have taken the word and made it there own thus reducing the effect of a white person using the term.

However they commonly use the term nigg(a) as in "whassup my n***a?"

So yeah it depends on how you say it and in what context. I'm white and have black friends and they don't mind me saying it if it's not in an offensive way.

[Tuxedo_Spai]

Time IV

_Morgane Fay_

Tea Age Sea

_Morgane Fay_

Tea Age Sea

It's certainly not the first time someone has posted something like this. So why do you respond to it? You're not making me feel any different on my stance. You know that my point is that taboo words should be abolished - the only reason why someone should get offended when I say n****r is because they are reacting to it in a negative fashion or because I've actually called them less than human which I have never done and will never do. And the n****r spam does very well for attracting attention - especially the type of crowd I'm looking for. Zealots who assume I'm just another over privileged white person who is whining about not being able to casually walk up to black people and call them spear chuckers. They don't seem to understand I am talking about using n****r in appropriate situations. -

Such as saying n****r when reading Huckleberry finn, or Diary of a drug fiend,
Or saying n***a to your black friends,
Or calling your girl buds Nigglets.

To some people I realize it will never be appropriate to use it. That is a problem they need to work out with themselves I suppose. Something about letting go of hatred and fear and all that junk.

But you know, it's Gaia. Whatever.

No matter your noble intentions, your arguments put you squarely in the company of racism apologists - as I showed with those links. Words Mean Things. Things Have History.
If you are white, it is not your place to decide (as member of the privileged class) which words "should" be offensive or acceptable to the marginalized class. It is not your place to decide that they should just stop taking it all so personally and stop being so sensitive and how mean those black people are stifling your freedom of speeeeeech. {Hey, does that sound familiar? I wonder why.}

Reclaiming those words, if you were thinking of backpedaling in that direction, is not your place. And just by the way, assuming that "spear chuckers" is the end all be all of all racist remarks shows a profound lack of understanding just what the hell you are talking about.

I am white, I benefit from white privilege and I recognize that that position entails that I Do Not Get To Use some words. Tough tittie. Deal.

Just what I need. Another white person telling me it's not my place to act a certain way towards the Nergo people. I never mentioned black people needing to get over me calling them n****r - because I have never called a black person a n****r and I don't use my words like an old southern racist. White people give me s**t for it, for not being a good privileged little white girl and bending over backwards for ridiculous social norms.

I have never offended a black person in person by saying n***a or Negro or n****r because I am a very understanding, kind, and humorous person. On the internet it's a different story, but on the internet you can't see the color of someone's skin - so you aren't as cautious about who you say the Magic Word to. I usually make an effort to explain and apologize to black people or people who are offended, and if they still have a problem with me - that's their fault. They need to get over it.

Right.
And that's where your blinding privilege and rubbing elbows with racism apology comes in. SEE ABOVE.

You do know that racism entails more than donning a pointy hat and burning crosses, right? Your garden variety of racism may be comparatively meek and victim-less, but that *really* does not count as a defence when people call you out on it. [General you]
What you call "bending over backwards for ridiculous social norms" is really just plain old-fashioned courtesy. Why would you make an issue out of your perceived entitlement to use a word that for many people connotes hatred, persecution, violence and more?

And don't mistake me; I know what you're trying to get at. I know you think this is a very clever proposal to dilute the meaning of the word, thus counteracting the taboo. Again - not novel. Not unique. Not edgy. It may yet happen, someday, but you are not going to be the one forcing the issue. You are just going to look like a big 'ole racist (or a racist-elbow-rubber, whichever you prefer) with your privilege hanging out for the world to see, no matter how much you protest you're not. Again, tough tittie. Deal.

The term nigg(er) goes back to the days of slavery and to most black people is very offensive.

But black people seem to have taken the word and made it there own thus reducing the effect of a white person using the term.

However they commonly use the term nigg(a) as in "whassup my n***a?"

So yeah it depends on how you say it and in what context. I'm white and have black friends and they don't mind me saying it if it's not in an offensive way.

[Pixel Jr]

Signed by Will

Time IV

_Morgane Fay_

Tea Age Sea

_Morgane Fay_

Tea Age Sea

It's certainly not the first time someone has posted something like this. So why do you respond to it? You're not making me feel any different on my stance. You know that my point is that taboo words should be abolished - the only reason why someone should get offended when I say n****r is because they are reacting to it in a negative fashion or because I've actually called them less than human which I have never done and will never do. And the n****r spam does very well for attracting attention - especially the type of crowd I'm looking for. Zealots who assume I'm just another over privileged white person who is whining about not being able to casually walk up to black people and call them spear chuckers. They don't seem to understand I am talking about using n****r in appropriate situations. -

Such as saying n****r when reading Huckleberry finn, or Diary of a drug fiend,
Or saying n***a to your black friends,
Or calling your girl buds Nigglets.

To some people I realize it will never be appropriate to use it. That is a problem they need to work out with themselves I suppose. Something about letting go of hatred and fear and all that junk.

But you know, it's Gaia. Whatever.

No matter your noble intentions, your arguments put you squarely in the company of racism apologists - as I showed with those links. Words Mean Things. Things Have History.
If you are white, it is not your place to decide (as member of the privileged class) which words "should" be offensive or acceptable to the marginalized class. It is not your place to decide that they should just stop taking it all so personally and stop being so sensitive and how mean those black people are stifling your freedom of speeeeeech. {Hey, does that sound familiar? I wonder why.}

Reclaiming those words, if you were thinking of backpedaling in that direction, is not your place. And just by the way, assuming that "spear chuckers" is the end all be all of all racist remarks shows a profound lack of understanding just what the hell you are talking about.

I am white, I benefit from white privilege and I recognize that that position entails that I Do Not Get To Use some words. Tough tittie. Deal.

Just what I need. Another white person telling me it's not my place to act a certain way towards the Nergo people. I never mentioned black people needing to get over me calling them n****r - because I have never called a black person a n****r and I don't use my words like an old southern racist. White people give me s**t for it, for not being a good privileged little white girl and bending over backwards for ridiculous social norms.

I have never offended a black person in person by saying n***a or Negro or n****r because I am a very understanding, kind, and humorous person. On the internet it's a different story, but on the internet you can't see the color of someone's skin - so you aren't as cautious about who you say the Magic Word to. I usually make an effort to explain and apologize to black people or people who are offended, and if they still have a problem with me - that's their fault. They need to get over it.

Right.
And that's where your blinding privilege and rubbing elbows with racism apology comes in. SEE ABOVE.

You do know that racism entails more than donning a pointy hat and burning crosses, right? Your garden variety of racism may be comparatively meek and victim-less, but that *really* does not count as a defence when people call you out on it. [General you]
What you call "bending over backwards for ridiculous social norms" is really just plain old-fashioned courtesy. Why would you make an issue out of your perceived entitlement to use a word that for many people connotes hatred, persecution, violence and more?

And don't mistake me; I know what you're trying to get at. I know you think this is a very clever proposal to dilute the meaning of the word, thus counteracting the taboo. Again - not novel. Not unique. Not edgy. It may yet happen, someday, but you are not going to be the one forcing the issue. You are just going to look like a big 'ole racist (or a racist-elbow-rubber, whichever you prefer) with your privilege hanging out for the world to see, no matter how much you protest you're not. Again, tough tittie. Deal.

The term nigg(er) goes back to the days of slavery and to most black people is very offensive.

But black people seem to have taken the word and made it there own thus reducing the effect of a white person using the term.

However they commonly use the term nigg(a) as in "whassup my n***a?"

So yeah it depends on how you say it and in what context. I'm white and have black friends and they don't mind me saying it if it's not in an offensive way.

Exactly.

[DiurnusNocturnum]

To be blunt, regardless of the original definition of the word it will indeed be taken with its context. This is to say that people more liberal with language will most likely find it offensive only if it is intended to offend. A good example of language & context is sarcasm. One could make a statement that would otherwise be loading or flattering, but do to tone of voice it could be utterly offensive.

My take on the curse word such as "n****r/n***a"? I can not find nor recall the original offensive definition of the noun directed to those of us of African blood or dark skin, but I see it as a derogative noun for those with distinct personality traits. These traits are; Argumentative for the sake of argument no matter how pointless, scornful even to those who try to be helpful, intolerant of those who have a different perception, ideals, &/or mannerism, simply wrathful for the sake of wrath, untrustworthy, immoral, haughty, disrespectful, lacking in true self respect, self righteous even when obviously unrighteous, wrongfully judgmental, and the list of fail can stretch on for some time. Notice that this definition has nothing to do with ethnicity, skin color, heritage, nor speech pattern.

[Princess Z-M]

1. Civil Rights Movement changed the laws not culture. Our cultural views are historically racist in this country.

2. People give power to words, objects, and names. It's why people can't name their child after certain people like Hitler or Jesus Christ without CPS looking into it.

3. Only stupid people and attention whores uses this term. As its just became a trend to get attention. Like Ms. Goldberg said I am not and I don't know any.

[eikocarol212]

Tea Age Sea

eikocarol212

Here's the thing. Most (and when I say most I mean ALL) people who go out and demand that black people get over racism and stop being so mad when they are using racial slurs

I never once said that "Black people NEED to gethttp://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/extended-discussion/f.26/ over me calling them niggers!" Lurn 2 reeed. Perhaps it is not the race as whole that needs to get over it but the individuals who are hell bent on proving the point that all white people (or people in general) who say n****r are magically evil racist KKK pigs.

9 times out of 10, black folks who have encountered people who say the word are people who are there to do them harm. You conveniently don't think about that.

Quote:

eikocarol212

So quite frankly, it's your fault .

What a stereotypical thing to say to me. Is it all my fault that black people were enslaved too?

Now who needs to learn to read? I never said it's your fault that black people were enslaved. Regardless of this thread, you're going to keep saying it. You're the one who said that you're tired of being reprimanded. If you truly didn't care, the reprimands wouldn't matter. Thus it is your fault for taking it seriously.

[Riven Le Fay]

~♫♪♫

I think calling people fags is just as bad, but people throw the word around like chopped liver. Might as well throw in the N word too, huh?

I agree though, I think people need to just get over it. Maybe come up with some new and more creative insults.

♫♪♫~

[BabbleButt]

This is what happens when people have no boundaries. ******** cracker b***h, go back to Europe where you came from, chalky. Nobody wants your honkey b***h a** around anyways.

You're right, n****r's lost its luster, who cares any more? Now porch monkey, that's a racial slur everyone can enjoy! Or just go with the old tried and true method and call 'em coons.

[Freyja Eir]

Because I, personally, have never met a white person who used n****r the same way it is used colloquially. For example I used to have a lot of white friends. There idea of fun ridding down the street and yelling n****r at random black people. At which point they would turn around and say. Oh no not you, you're cool rolleyes . Totally not used racially anymore right...

[De Kelley]

Tea Age Sea

Come on people, it's the year 2011 - not 1950.

My mistake, I really thought it was 1947.



To address the rest of your post, I do not find hateful words humorous at all. I will not censor your speech or tell you what to say, but when a person's language is crude and filthy, I have less respect for them.

Also. Don't spew hatred and then act surprised when people respond negatively. I am not just talking about your use of the word "n****r," either. "Niggas" are the least of your problem.

[UmamI]

Time IV

The term nigg(er) goes back to the days of slavery and to most black people is very offensive.

But black people seem to have taken the word and made it there own thus reducing the effect of a white person using the term.

However they commonly use the term nigg(a) as in "whassup my n***a?"

So yeah it depends on how you say it and in what context. I'm white and have black friends and they don't mind me saying it if it's not in an offensive way.

Nonsense. Marginalized groups reclaiming a term that's historically been used to dehumanize them is entirely, I repeat ENTIRELY different from ignorant little white boy thinking he can therefore ignore history and use that same dehumanizing term in a chummy way, entirely free of context. RECLAIMING FAIL.

[iHEARTboxxyy]

Pokemon.

[Pixel Jr]

UmamI

Time IV

The term nigg(er) goes back to the days of slavery and to most black people is very offensive.

But black people seem to have taken the word and made it there own thus reducing the effect of a white person using the term.

However they commonly use the term nigg(a) as in "whassup my n***a?"

So yeah it depends on how you say it and in what context. I'm white and have black friends and they don't mind me saying it if it's not in an offensive way.

Nonsense. Marginalized groups reclaiming a term that's historically been used to dehumanize them is entirely, I repeat ENTIRELY different from ignorant little white boy thinking he can therefore ignore history and use that same dehumanizing term in a chummy way, entirely free of context. RECLAIMING FAIL.

Context matters.

[eikocarol212]

Time IV

UmamI

Time IV

The term nigg(er) goes back to the days of slavery and to most black people is very offensive.

But black people seem to have taken the word and made it there own thus reducing the effect of a white person using the term.

However they commonly use the term nigg(a) as in "whassup my n***a?"

So yeah it depends on how you say it and in what context. I'm white and have black friends and they don't mind me saying it if it's not in an offensive way.

Nonsense. Marginalized groups reclaiming a term that's historically been used to dehumanize them is entirely, I repeat ENTIRELY different from ignorant little white boy thinking he can therefore ignore history and use that same dehumanizing term in a chummy way, entirely free of context. RECLAIMING FAIL.

Context matters.

And 9 times out of 10, when folks demand black people "get over it" they are using it in a negative context. Just saying. I haven't heard history professors telling black people to get over it when they talk about historical documents from the past. Nope. It's usually the privileged lay person who wants to get away with saying racist epithets with impunity.