The "N word"? (Mexican, lawyer, Hispanic, elect)

[Irishtom29]

A fella from Georgia once asked me why people in Chicago called Blacks "shines" rather than "******s". I said it was because we didn't want to sound like Hillbillys.

[Hinton Bound]

Originally Posted by backfist

1. Are you suggesting that all Black people utter the "N" word? And if you're not saying all Blacks, then can you be more specific?

Originally Posted by backfist

I wouldn't go so far as to say ALL blacks, I would say a lot- especially the younger crowd that follows the "gangsta / hip/hop / rap" genre. There is no denying it is said frequently in those avenues. I think the higher you are on the socioeconomic scale, the less likely you'd be to use it. Although Jesse Jackson call Obama a "N-I-G-G-E-R" on National TV and it was OK. I think the older blacks who grew up with the negative conotation of the word would be less likely to use it. It in the way it's said as well: does it end with the -"er" or the "a" sound. My take is the "er" sound is meant to demean, the "a" is a synonym for "Brotha".

my .02

~Mark


2. On what basis do you believe that it's "okay for blacks to say it to one another"?

Because it's a fact that they do? It's like the special thing that only a black can get away with saying. See above comment regarding Jesse Jackson. Imagine if a white guy said that. Imus was run out for far less.

Originally Posted by backfist

3. Would you presume that that is how I--a Black man--address my family, friends, colleagues?

I would presume that YOU could if you chose to; I cannot, under any circumstance.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by Hinton Bound

Because it's a fact that they do? It's like the special thing that only a black can get away with saying. See above comment regarding Jesse Jackson. Imagine if a white guy said that. Imus was run out for far less.


I would presume that YOU could if you chose to; I cannot, under any circumstance.

EXACTLY! If I so dared to utter that word among black people, I would be beaten to a pulp. If a black man...no matter what his level of education is...said that word, it would be accepted as OK. You gave a great example with the Jesse Jackson comment! NO WHITE man could ever get away with saying that. There would be a public outcry for a spoken apology to all black people. And you KNOW that to be true! IMUS is a great example of that.

Originally Posted by backfist

A few questions for you:

1. Are you suggesting that all Black people utter the "N" word? And if you're not saying all Blacks, then can you be more specific?

2. On what basis do you believe that it's "okay for blacks to say it to one another"?

3. Would you presume that that is how I--a Black man--address my family, friends, colleagues?

1. I am not suggesting that ALL black people utter the N word. On the contrary! I know many educated black people who wouldn't dare utter that word. So I really do think that along with a certain level of education also comes a level of decency or morality for lack of a better word.

2. I don't think it's OK for blacks to say it to one another. Let me ask you something...WHY is it accepted when a black person says it and not when a white person says it? (Because it IS accepted among blacks towards one another, more so among the lowly educated blacks).

3. No I do not presume that you address your family, friends or colleaagues in that manner. I would certainly hope that you didn't. And if you did, I would hope that your family, friends or colleagues would let you know that it is unacceptable language and not to be tolerated.

[backfist]

Originally Posted by TexasGirl@Heart

1. I am not suggesting that ALL black people utter the N word. On the contrary! I know many educated black people who wouldn't dare utter that word. So I really do think that along with a certain level of education also comes a level of decency or morality for lack of a better word.

Then you're really more concerned about the use of the word by Black people of lower education, lower decency and lower morals. But since the Black people that you know are of higher educational and moral standards, I'm surprised that you hear the word used at all.

Originally Posted by TexasGirl@Heart

2. I don't think it's OK for blacks to say it to one another. Let me ask you something...WHY is it accepted when a black person says it and not when a white person says it? (Because it IS accepted among blacks towards one another, more so among the lowly educated blacks).

Again; you presume that such a profane and degrading word is "accepted" at all. Accepted by whom? By the educated Black people that you know, or by the ones you don't know?

Originally Posted by TexasGirl@Heart

3. No I do not presume that you address your family, friends or colleaagues in that manner. I would certainly hope that you didn't. And if you did, I would hope that your family, friends or colleagues would let you know that it is unacceptable language and not to be tolerated.

Well, since I am a reasonably educated man, well possessed of morals and decency, I assume that you're giving me the benefit of the doubt. Thanks, I guess.

[macmeal]

Originally Posted by FunkyMonk

I want to talk about a word. A word that lots of us hear every day. A word that, if spoken by many of us, would be a one way ticket to a beating and hospitalization.

I'm talking about the dreaded word......... "*****".

.

I'm a white guy too. I THINK I know the word you're referring to...and if it's the one I'm thinking of, I can tell you that I don't hear it every day. I don't even hear it every month. I honestly cannot recall the last time I heard it spoken..it was YEARS ago. I don't use it myself nor does anyone close to me, to my knowledge. If one DID overhear it, it's my experience that it wouldn't lead to any violence...it would simply make the speaker sound stupid and poorly-educated.

Don't know if this is typical, but it's been my experience.

[Moth]

Originally Posted by Tin Knocker

Who is this "We"? I havent decided any such thing & think that an opinion, while unpopular is never unacceptable.
Its a word that while most PC white folks speak of as if its some terrible thing, the people who will supposedly should take offence call each other it every day. I guess its only offensive if a white person uses it, but thats not prejudice right?

Its just a word & if people need fear hidden meanings theres not much hope for them. If you need fear a beating over a word then perhaps the hidden meaning is appropriate as well.

Actually it is a helluva double standard is what it is.

TK raises a good point. I say if the word is so horrid and offensive, and it is, then let it die.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by backfist

Then you're really more concerned about the use of the word by Black people of lower education, lower decency and lower morals. But since the Black people that you know are of higher educational and moral standards, I'm surprised that you hear the word used at all.
I do hear the word quite often among blacks! I work in a large city hospital! We get all levels of education, races admitted there. I have never heard any AA doctors use that word. I have, however, heard nurses, housekeepers, secretarys and aides use that term! Either way, it's unacceptable to me and I have told several people not to use that term in front of me.


Again; you presume that such a profane and degrading word is "accepted" at all. Accepted by whom? By the educated Black people that you know, or by the ones you don't know?

Accepted among co-workers who I have heard utter it! They feel there is nothing wrong with saying that word. One housekeeper told me that it is OK for him to say it because he is black (his words, not mine!)

Well, since I am a reasonably educated man, well possessed of morals and decency, I assume that you're giving me the benefit of the doubt. Thanks, I guess.

I don't care what you level of education is. I would hope that you wouldn't speak to your family, friends or colleagues in that manner. Obviously someone taught you well. Whom do we thank--your mother?

[Hinton Bound]

Originally Posted by backfist

Then you're really more concerned about the use of the word by Black people of lower education, lower decency and lower morals. But since the Black people that you know are of higher educational and moral standards, I'm surprised that you hear the word used at all.

I'm not concerned by its use at all. I would like the racial discrimination clause againt whites who use it removed. If black can say it freely, then everyone can. Don't fool yourself into thinking it's not used.

Originally Posted by backfist

Again; you presume that such a profane and degrading word is "accepted" at all. Accepted by whom? By the educated Black people that you know, or by the ones you don't know?.

It's accepted by the black community as a whole. Evidenced by the fact that Jesse Jackson used it on national TV, and there wasn't so much as a murmur of protest. If it's unacceptable by blacks, where was the protest over JJ? It's listed in the lyrics of countless rap songs, if it were unacceptable- there would be mass revolt by blacks agains the rap industry. Please point out that protest for me, I've yet to see it.

Originally Posted by backfist

Well, since I am a reasonably educated man, well possessed of morals and decency, I assume that you're giving me the benefit of the doubt. Thanks, I guess.

I call it as I see it. My experience is that the higher the level of attainment in general society, the less likely I am to hear it.

[backfist]

Originally Posted by Hinton Bound

I'm not concerned by its use at all. I would like the racial discrimination clause againt whites who use it removed. If black can say it freely, then everyone can. Don't fool yourself into thinking it's not used.





It's accepted by the black community as a whole. Evidenced by the fact that Jesse Jackson used it on national TV, and there wasn't so much as a murmur of protest. If it's unacceptable by blacks, where was the protest over JJ? It's listed in the lyrics of countless rap songs, if it were unacceptable- there would be mass revolt by blacks agains the rap industry. Please point out that protest for me, I've yet to see it.


I call it as I see it. My experience is that the higher the level of attainment in general society, the less likely I am to hear it.

As usual, these types of conversations need to be dumbed down a bit. So try the following:

Call a Black person a n____r. Tell them that it's now "OK" to say it. See what happens. Repeat as necessary.

[backfist]

Originally Posted by macmeal

I'm a white guy too. I THINK I know the word you're referring to...and if it's the one I'm thinking of, I can tell you that I don't hear it every day. I don't even hear it every month. I honestly cannot recall the last time I heard it spoken..it was YEARS ago. I don't use it myself nor does anyone close to me, to my knowledge. If one DID overhear it, it's my experience that it wouldn't lead to any violence...it would simply make the speaker sound stupid and poorly-educated.

Well said. Sort of like low class white women who refer to themselves as "b__tches". It's not cute; it's not hip; it's not empowering. It's profane and offensive.

But it is NOT an indictment of white women, nor should white women be required to cure the problem. Profanity, ignorance, and lack of intellect know no color or race.