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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 am a white guy. I used to have a typical view of the word. I saw it as offensive and ignorant. But I figured it was OK for a black person to use it because of it's history. And that's just how society sees it too.
Lately though, i'm seeing it differently. I think it is a stupid word for anyone to say. I think that if black people are going to say it, then why can't a White, Latino, Asian, or anyone else say it?
When I think about it, I don't think there are any other words like that out there, that some people say all the time, and others should not say. White people don't call each other "cracker". Latinos don't call each other "beaner", Asians don't call each other "chopstick", etc.
So why this???
In my neighborhood I hear people saying it ALL the time. I hear the word a hundred times a day. The world is permanently embedded into my brain. Yet if I say it, that makes me a racist? Am I the only person who finds the whole thing silly, hypocritical, illogical?
When you really take a few steps back and look at it, isn't it pretty stupid?
So I say, we should ALL say the word, or, we should ALL let this word dissapear into the history books. Yeah, it's idealistic, but that's how I see it.
I'm not one for banning words, no matter what the reasoning.
I find the current situation in the US regarding that particular word as really quite unbelievable but it would appear that there is an undercurrent of the same stupidity here as everyone falls over themselves to be politically correct.
It's a word, one of many words that can be used in either a derogatory or friendly manner. People would be much better served learning to be more tolerant of each other and not worrying about words so much.
It is a fact that each word you choose to use carries a loaded shade of meaning. "Stink" and "Aroma" both mean the same thing, but which one you use tells the listener a great deal about your opinion of the subject. We have decided that some words are so loaded, that the opinion they convey is unacceptable in any social context.
Personally, I disapprove of a society that so policed that there are opinions that cannot be expressed, nor even alluded to. A society in which merely talking about an idea will disqualify a person from holding political office for the rest of his life.
The end objective of social and intellectual enlightenment ought to be to make people safe for ideas, not to make ideas safe for people.
In regards to the racially charge word about which you speak. Consider that many black people actually are predjudiced against black. . . just as some gay folks are as homophobic as their straight friends, some women would never choose a woman doctor, etc. etc.
We live in a culture that devalues people for accidental characteristics, light skinned blacks are considered more "valued" even in the black community, that dark skinned, etc. It will take a mighty big change of culture to eliminate these kinds of predjudice. . . . baby steps; baby steps. . . .
It is a fact that each word you choose to use carries a loaded shade of meaning. "Stink" and "Aroma" both mean the same thing, but which one you use tells the listener a great deal about your opinion of the subject. We have decided that some words are so loaded, that the opinion they convey is unacceptable in any social context.
Personally, I disapprove of a society that so policed that there are opinions that cannot be expressed, nor even alluded to. A society in which merely talking about an idea will disqualify a person from holding political office for the rest of his life.
The end objective of social and intellectual enlightenment ought to be to make people safe for ideas, not to make ideas safe for people.
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.
Last edited by Tin Knocker; 12-30-2008 at 06:14 AM..
Location: Pittsburgh--Home of the 6 time Super Bowl Champions!
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When I was younger, I would have gotten my mouth washed out with soap if I dared uttered the dreaded N word.
I, too, do not understand why it is okay for blacks to say it to one another but not OK for other races to say it. I do find the word extremely derogatory and I think the word should be banished forever.
When I was younger, I would have gotten my mouth washed out with soap if I dared uttered the dreaded N word.
I, too, do not understand why it is okay for blacks to say it to one another but not OK for other races to say it. I do find the word extremely derogatory and I think the word should be banished forever.
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?
I used to have a typical view of the word. I saw it as offensive and ignorant. But I figured it was OK for a black person to use it because of it's history. And that's just how society sees it too.
Lately though, i'm seeing it differently. I think it is a stupid word for anyone to say. I think that if black people are going to say it, then why can't a White, Latino, Asian, or anyone else say it?
Congratulations on thinking about it. You're already several steps ahead of most people in America, who interpret popular media as reality.
Quote:
So why this???
Because for many, many years, white people enacted a variety of unjust measures on black people; from social exclusion, to legal and illegal segregation, violence, slavery, humiliation, et cetera.
This has led to the controversial topic of whether or not black Americans are "owed" something by American society at-large. I feel pretty confident that the double standard regarding that word can be traced back to this conflict. It seems that mainstream white Americans are terrified at the thought of being labeled a racist. You don't see the same extreme feelings regarding sexism, anti-Islam, or other prejudices.
Last edited by le roi; 12-30-2008 at 09:11 AM..
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