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The N word

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polycounter lvl 18
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John Warner polycounter lvl 18
the word being
nigger or nigga

It just crossed my mind, so I wanted to get your thoughts on this whole topic. there seems to be two camps.

1. never use it -- the word has got tons of hate associated with it and shouldn't be used

2. use it everywhere -- the word is just a word, and we need to break it's semantic/emotional association to diffuse it

I belong to camp 2, but I'll not get into that unless an argument gets started or somethin.

lets hear your thoughts.

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  • Mark Dygert
  • Spug
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    Spug polycounter lvl 12
  • Farfarer
    porchmonkeylr5.jpg
    It's cool, I'm taking it back.
  • RazorBladder
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    RazorBladder polycounter lvl 18
    I fucking HATE N-gons!
  • Thegodzero
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    Thegodzero polycounter lvl 18
    n00bs! ha i said it!

    Oh your talking about the other n word... why?

    Its sad that because of that word that i felt bad saying black in Spanish...
  • [Deleted User]
    I don't say it because I feel bad when I do, although I will use it in clinical terms (ie "The use of the word 'nigger' in Huck Finn..." not "The use of the n-word in Huck Finn") because if you insist on referring to it by its abbreviation you elevate it in some ways. Think Voldemort
  • Yozora
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    Yozora polycounter lvl 11
    never use it but not because some people find it offensive, I just dont see the purpose of using it. Black is shorter and is what I'd use.

    Same logic applies to all "negative" words, I dont understand people who get really offended by words like this :/
  • jerry
    I don't use it, basically because i don't live in an English speaking country, yet i dont use the local version either. The reason is that it just doen't sound good, when you say it it always has a negative aftertaste no matter in what context. Probably because of the racist background of the word, but it could just be the word itself, doen't really matter.

    The weird thing about the word is that, if you're black it's no problem. They took the word and ran with it :D and i don't think white people will ever be able to really use it in a positive way.

    I absolutely dislike the term "African-American" though, it sounds so politically correct it makes me wanne puke. So, what's left? Black people? How do you feel about that?

    "You aint my bitch nigga, buy your own damn fries!" :D
  • ae.
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    ae. polycounter lvl 12
    I dont think i have the right to use it at all. and should refrain from ever using it as it does have alot of hate associated with it. and because of that when used in any context sounds like it belittles the person it is said to.
  • seforin
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    seforin polycounter lvl 17
    naggers.jpg



    All joking asside, a word is a word, but I really hate the whole use of the "n" word nonsense. You see other ethnicies black culutured people using it all the time. But do you see the intelligent more well educated ones calling each other that?

    no

    why? Because its a low class word.

    just the same im hispanic but dont see me calling another puerto rican or cuban or something a spic same principles apply.
  • Wells
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    Wells polycounter lvl 18
    personally, it means as much as any other word.

    the only reason i don't use it is because i don't want to get my ass kicked by people who do have strong feelings about it.
  • Joao Sapiro
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    Joao Sapiro sublime tool
    i dont mind it, but other people do..but alas people are always looking for new things to be offended.
  • indian_boy
    imho, referencing the term as "the N word" already elevates its degrading nature. you make it taboo, and in a world of obscenities being so common, to censor the "N word" is like saying its worse than words like motherfucker or cunt. does that mean that "the N word" is intended to be so bad that it _has_ to be censored?

    besides, its the thought that counts.
    you can call a man 'dark' or even 'african' but if you have any contempt in your tone, it automaitically means more than just a reference to his skin colour.
    i use the word when rapping alongside tracks, or when just relaxing or joking around with a few close friends.

    the reason i dont use it in public is because there are those few who think it should be erased from the english language.
    what really grinds my gears is ppl who think it should be removed, but then talk about freedom of speech / expression.
    "the N word" isnt always an expression of hate, at least not anymore.

    theres a difference between "wassup nigga?"
    and "i hate you fucking niggers"
    [not meaning to offend anybody by my use of the word. if you want, i'll 'spoiler' it]
  • InProgress
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    InProgress polycounter lvl 14
    I have absolutely no issues with using it because it's just a word. I use it just as I'd use 'homie', or in other cases use it to satirically describe the stereotype of 'gangstas'.
  • dejawolf
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    dejawolf polycounter lvl 18
    nigggeuhrrrr is worse than ni-gah.
    especially if spoken with a deep southern accent.

    ha, this reminds me of this clip:

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgjwjaBJ5Do[/ame]
  • low odor
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    low odor polycounter lvl 17
    I dont know...If a word was used to dehumanize my people , detroy my cultural heritage ...etc I'd be pretty fussy if someone started using it in the name of freedom of language.

    And why would you want to use the word? If its for the sake of saying something profane, then you get what you deserve when you get your teeth knocked out. And if you only use the word in the safety those who agree with you then your a coward and a hypocrite
    (not directed and any person or post...just my thoughts)
  • Super
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    Super polycounter lvl 18
    Chris Rock says there's nothing sadder than a white man happily enjoying his rap music, rapping along but not saying that word when it's used.

    I've never used it, but I probably wouldn't omit it either if it's relevant. Same goes with the "C" word, or anything else like that. Context (repeating what someone else said for example). I'd never greet someone with it though, not through worried about being offensive but just because I'm not a dick.
  • Marine
  • kat
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    kat polycounter lvl 17
    Hmm yes... use it as a derogatory to disassociated it from it's history. I can see the logic in that *rolleyes*
  • AstroZombie
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    AstroZombie polycounter lvl 18
    jerry wrote: »
    I absolutely dislike the term "African-American" though, it sounds so politically correct it makes me wanne puke. So, what's left? Black people? How do you feel about that?

    Most of my friends who happen to be of darker skin tone prefer the term "black" since they are not from, nor have ever been to Africa.

    Brits correct me if I am wrong on this, but aren't black people in England called "British?" :-/
  • Marine
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    Marine polycounter lvl 19
    Brits correct me if I am wrong on this, but aren't black people in England called "British?" :-/
    nope, they're called english
  • danr
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    danr interpolator
    if you purposefully use the word "nigger" because it's just a word, please don't react negatively when someone calls you a "cunt", which is just a word
  • bounchfx
    I find it humorous that usually the people who call other people out for being 'racist' are the most racist people themselves.

    why the fuck you even looking out for that? they consciously are looking for any chance they can get to pull the race card. it gets annoying. guess that's the price we're paying.
  • Slum
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    Slum polycounter lvl 18
    in before weiser_cain
  • acc
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    acc polycounter lvl 18
    Like all issues relating to any sort of prejudice you have Extremist Group A and Extremist Group B. Like every situation in which two groups of extremists collide, it always goes poorly because both options completely neglect to take into account reality. Reality includes both sides. In this case it's pretty clear that each "camp" completely nullifies the efforts of the other camp which makes both camps completely useless.

    So the actual solution is to a) eliminate extremist options, b) satisfy both extremes with a third option, or c) get rid of what's causing the conflict. History shows us that (a) is impossible and (b) clearly doesn't exist in this case, which leaves us with (c) -- Humans eventually breeding to the point where we're all a nice tan and the very concept of "colored people" doesn't exist anymore.

    Until then -- and it's going to be a while -- the N word will always be a problem. After that... we'll come up with some new word to use for discriminatory purposes anyways.

    My point is: This is just how humans work. We like extremism because it simplifies things. We like conflict because it keeps us busy*. You can do what you want to try and make a difference but you've got 6.7 billion people to completely reprogram on a very base, genetic level and surprise! You can't.

    *This actually leads to solution (d): Distract people with a different conflict.
  • Wahlgren
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    Wahlgren polycounter lvl 17
    Just a small question. In what situation would you even use the word john?
    It´s not like we go around calling ourselves whities or describe others like that. At least i never did.

    Is it at the WP meetings? :o (oh snap, i went there)


    EDIT: Dont we have more important shit to worry about than words?
  • Target_Renegade
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    Target_Renegade polycounter lvl 11
    Its a very contentious issue. I like hip-hop and metal, and all sorts of music. A Tribe Called Quest had a decent track on the subject.

    When I was in Thailand all the kids were calling us Farang, translated, means white devil. I picked the kid up and punched the cunt.

    joking, joking, joking :)
  • bounchfx
    When I was in Thailand all the kids were calling us Farang, translated, means white devil. I picked the kid up and punched the cunt.

    you shouldn't be beating up girls renegade.
  • War_Destroyer
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    War_Destroyer polycounter lvl 18
    bounchfx wrote: »
    I find it humorous that usually the people who call other people out for being 'racist' are the most racist people themselves.

    why the fuck you even looking out for that? they consciously are looking for any chance they can get to pull the race card. it gets annoying. guess that's the price we're paying.

    That's just racist!!! Get Back to work Beard Boy!!
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    My thoughts on the N word.

    Anonymous white guys with internet access can be racist pricks.

    It is hateful and idiotic to dehumanize an entire race due to skin color alone.

    "African-American" should be more accurately defined.

    Better, more descriptive, words can be use to label individuals for their abrasive attitude, low intellect, poor driving abilities, irritating audio systems, and eagerness to embrace double standards, without hearing a lecture on American History.
  • [Deleted User]
    bounchfx wrote: »
    I find it humorous that usually the people who call other people out for being 'racist' are the most racist people themselves.

    why the fuck you even looking out for that? they consciously are looking for any chance they can get to pull the race card. it gets annoying. guess that's the price we're paying.
    The price we're paying for what, freeing the slaves?

    The word nigger is racist, trying to debate that is a joke. Saying it's "just another word" is idiotic, it completely ignores all connotation, if you applied that to every word in the dictionary you'd look like a retard.
  • bounchfx
    Kaskad wrote: »
    The price we're paying for what, freeing the slaves?

    The word nigger is racist, trying to debate that is a joke. Saying it's "just another word" is idiotic, it completely ignores all connotation, if you applied that to every word in the dictionary you'd look like a retard.

    for us, as humans, ever having another specific race as a slave to begin with.. it has racist origins. gay has other origins as well, it all comes down to who uses it, how you use it, and who hears it and their feelings on it :P ah well
  • Sage
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    Sage polycounter lvl 19
    Well it like this, women sometimes call themselves bitch or girl, and if you don't know them very well and you are dumb enough to do so then you pay the price. If you are white or look white and you call a black man a nigger there is a huge chance you'll get your butt handed to you, simple as that. The reason English that have darker skin tones don't go ape shit when they are called black is, because it's a different culture. Of course I don't know this for sure, since I don't live in England. Ego is so huge in the USA it's not even funny, different culture different rules simple as that.

    In the USA when you have to fill out those cards that say what race you are, like when you are going to go to school, get a job, etc

    White (if you are from hispanic decent don't check this)
    Black (if you are from hispanic decent don't check this)
    Puerto Rican (sometimes it appears separate)
    Native American
    Hispanic
    Asian

    Being white in the USA pretty much means if your descendants were on the Mayflower, you know from England. It's not just based on the color of your skin. Italians used to get picked on because they were Italian in some places. Also for some you, are not white unless you have blond hair and blue eyes.

    Some minorities have decided to treat white people the same way, it just means you don't get treated like "we" do and you are not one of "us". You can make the argument that it's been decades, 50s, 60s, it hasn't been long enough. A lot of minorities that lived through that abuse are still alive today, they had kids, they see their kids go through the same in their eyes, they passed their experience to their kids.

    It's not okay to use the N word, period, it's like calling someone a cunt, some might laugh at you or just not care, others will kill you for that. Some might not mind as long as someone from the same race calls them that, and even then some don't tolerate it.
  • Luxury
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    Luxury polycounter lvl 18
    Words are just words, only the meaning behind them is what counts.
  • TheWinterLord
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    TheWinterLord polycounter lvl 17
    ElysiumGX wrote: »
    My thoughts on the N word.

    Anonymous white guys with internet access can be racist pricks.

    It is hateful and idiotic to dehumanize an entire race due to skin color alone.

    Huh a different race? Arent we all people?
  • [Deleted User]
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    [Deleted User] polycounter lvl 18
    I'm sometimes marginally offended when other racial slurs are allowed to be used freely on television or the radio without the slightest hullabaloo, but that one is still held to be a grandly alarming word never to be spoken by anyone except people who use it to describe themselves (usually with a quasi-positive connotation).

    I mean Kid Rock's lyric from Cowboy that goes, "Cuss like a sailor, drink like a mick" gets by uncensored on daytime mainstream radio, while the word "dick" earlier in the same song gets cut. I've heard the word "mick" in primetime on TV too, spoken by non-Irish characters or actors. But Eminem is sometimes criticized for occasionally saying "nigga" in a non-racist way in his songs?

    Neither offends me in and of itself, but I think it's kind of absurd to raise a fuss over words that were/are used to degrade some nationalities and not others. I'd be fine with no censorship or externally enforced restriction on anything like that, but if it's going to be restricted non-uniformly, isn't that just racism in itself? It's implying that white people of any background are going to be cool with stuff like that, but anyone who looks more obviously different is going to freak out and get offended at the mention of the words. So instead of conveying the message of "hey, you're different from me, but it doesn't matter so let's put aside our differences", it says, "hey, you're different from me, but I'm going to pretend you're not, because our differences make me uncomfortable".

    I don't care though, I just really like typing out responses to things.
  • Tad Ghostal
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    Tad Ghostal polycounter lvl 8
    "There are no bad words, just bad intentions." - Kevin Smith
  • Jeremy Lindstrom
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    Jeremy Lindstrom polycounter lvl 18
    sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt you.
  • Jeremy Lindstrom
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    Jeremy Lindstrom polycounter lvl 18
    perna wrote: »
    At least it's not as offensive as "mexican".

    Carlos Mencia had a nice little skit, people call him a mexican in California, Cuban in Florida, and a Puerto Rican in New York.
  • EarthQuake
    Yes lets save the world, and stop calling people niggers. Whats next, you want me to admit the holocaust was actually real?
  • AstroZombie
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    AstroZombie polycounter lvl 18
    Marine wrote: »
    nope, they're called english

    Now that's just offensive.
  • Joao Sapiro
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    Joao Sapiro sublime tool
    i find your language demeaning and offensive and please refrain from using such words on a family environment forum.
  • almighty_gir
  • Pedro Amorim
    people are racist.

    blacks are racists
    whites are racists
    asians are racists


    no matter what you say, we all are racist pricks.

    and when i mean racists, i dont mean it only for color.

    i mean, for other shit, like fat people, handicaped people, whatever.

    ppl tend do discriminate who is diferent.

    and i for one, find that, no matter what race you are.. if you are fat, you is gonna get your ass discriminated.

    Fats are way more discriminated thann blacks.
  • NyneDown
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    NyneDown polycounter lvl 11
    I personally dont use it and it makes me uncomfortable when others say it....even if they say "negro" it makes me feel weird. Even if a black person isnt around...it just makes things feel awkward.
  • TheWinterLord
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    TheWinterLord polycounter lvl 17
    fat people is their own race now? jk

    ´´Fats are way more discriminated thann blacks.´´ huh where do you live.. Portugal? I have never been there... Interesting.

    People stop calling different people different races, we are not elves and orcs here... its us humans, the zombies and the alien. Damn i cant find a definition for ´´race´´, i need some sleep. tc
    I really hate this problem...
  • Pedro Amorim
    what i meant is that there are things you cant call a person, or you will be considered a racist. right?

    now.. there are other things that people say that can hurt aswell, and have no repercussion in term of legal shit.

    for example. if you kill a black guy just because he is black, its a hate crime.
    if you kill a gay because he is gay, its a hate crime.

    if you kill a fat guy cause he's fat.. its just murder. lol. know what i mean?

    shouldnt all be called hate crimes? since you hate something?
    i dunno.
  • Slainean
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    Slainean polycounter lvl 18
    I'm ambivalent because self-censorship like saying N-word sounds childish and has the effect of giving the word more power, but I think people might lose a sense of history if it didn't have that weight behind it. I also like hip-hop so this becomes an issue sometimes.
    Luxury wrote: »
    Words are just words, only the meaning behind them is what counts.

    It sounds nice to have a prepared adage, but words have embedded meanings and people use them with purpose.

    bitmap wrote: »
    Fats are way more discriminated thann blacks.

    Cruel jokes are one thing, but I've never heard of an income divide or achievement gap for fat people.
  • [Deleted User]
    bitmap wrote: »
    Fats are way more discriminated thann blacks.
    That's pretty ignorant dog
  • Wells
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    Wells polycounter lvl 18
    Slainean wrote: »
    achievement gap for fat people.

    watch the olympics. or just about any sporting event. or beauty pageant.
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