Video News, Elisabeth Hasselbeck Cries After Fighting With Whoopi Over The N-Word. (thought, racism)

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by gradco2004

She is so naive. I can not speak for all or even most black people, just myself. I have to side with Whoopi. A word will have the meaning you give it. In my household, I grew up hearing the word used in anecdotes by my black parent. It was always used in the context of "person." Never holding any damning or redeeming value.

It is easy to over-simplify the logistics of determining how someone is using the word with you. I am not for banning any words. However people chose to express themselves is their business. It is my business to determine whether I will stand around and listen to it or not. As a child, I was conditioned to feel a certain amount of distrust of people who used ****** that were not black. So, although it does not really bother me now that I am grown, it still catches my attention, and can make me feel out of place at times.

Black people using the word is more acceptible because it is ironic I guess? Kind of like a wheelchair bound person saying, " You ole' handicap so and so." It's like the irony negates any condescending value the word may have between two people of the same circumstance. Over time, it just becomes familiar and holds no power. I know that may be hard for some of you to understand, but that is the best I can explain it. If there is anyway I can make my point of view clearer, please let me know.

I understand what you are saying.
It's kind of the same situation where YOU can call your brother a jerk, but if a stranger does then you take offense.

However, as a "typical white person" (Oh no! I must be racist to say that!!!) I find the term disturbing and demeaning - even if people on either end of the conversation do not.

Ken

[gradco2004]

Originally Posted by LordBalfor

I understand what you are saying.
It's kind of the same situation where YOU can call your brother a jerk, but if a stranger does then you take offense.

However, as a "typical white person" (Oh no! I must be racist to say that!!!) I find the term disturbing and demeaning - even if people on either end of the conversation do not.

Ken

I don't think it is fair for black people to expect you to understand, IMHO. It is one of those situations where if you are not a part of the culture, it is hard to wrap your mind around. It's not very easy to explain, Ken. Again, please don't take my view of the situation as standard. There are plenty of blacks who agree with you.

Black people who are offended by the word should hold themselves accountable for the things they ask of others. Point blank.

[brattpowered]

That's some heavy stuff and it had the potential of being a good conversation. It's too bad the "guest spot" had to steamroll over it, aided by ol' Barb, but I guess that's the nature of our discourse today.

[hal512]

The problem I see with the word today is the youth who listen to the music/tv hear the word and use it and don't understand the years of history behind it. It is pathetic and I don't understand why someone doesn't slap them upside the head. The other problem is one of reverse racism. I worked in Cincy right after college and had about 25 employees the majority of whom were black. They used to call me "cracker" and "saltine" (not in bad way) but more because this naive white as paste girl straight out of college had no idea why I'm being called snack foods. After a few days they let me in on the slang but continued to use the terms. I knew they meant nothing racial by the terms I was young and naive and able to laugh at myself and they got a kick out of it and worked incredibly hard for me as I earned their respect. They were the best crew I ever had the pleasure to work with. Reverse the table what if I would have called them the n word? I most likely would have lost my job.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Originally Posted by hal512

The problem I see with the word today is the youth who listen to the music/tv hear the word and use it and don't understand the years of history behind it. It is pathetic and I don't understand why someone doesn't slap them upside the head. The other problem is one of reverse racism. I worked in Cincy right after college and had about 25 employees the majority of whom were black. They used to call me "cracker" and "saltine" (not in bad way) but more because this naive white as paste girl straight out of college had no idea why I'm being called snack foods. After a few days they let me in on the slang but continued to use the terms. I knew they meant nothing racial by the terms I was young and naive and able to laugh at myself and they got a kick out of it and worked incredibly hard for me as I earned their respect. They were the best crew I ever had the pleasure to work with. Reverse the table what if I would have called them the n word? I most likely would have lost my job.

In my own mind, I see using the N word as a white person as completely different then if a black person uses it. If I as a white person use the N word, its about ME looking down on the black person.
I don't see it the same way when a black person calls me a cracker, I see it more like them looking at us as an outsider, rather then being beneath them. Sometimes I feel like it means we are not "hip" or we are ignorant to what it is to be black. I kind of think its funny, I have had black friends who referred to me as "white bread".

[booker_one]

black people that call each other n/gga are just as uneducated as white people that call black people n'gger. that's just the way it is. don't give me this crap about how it is ok for a black person to change two stinking letters but a white person can't do it. if white people walked around calling each other cracka i would think they are uneducated idiots too. or, should it make a difference that they are calling each other cracka instead of cracker? heck no it shouldn't. they are both stupid.

[JasonPaul]

If a white reverend had said that about Obama he'd be protested on and labeled for the rest of his life. But somehow african americans aren't overly offended that Jesse said it.(or some are? here in Atlanta there's not much concern with it) Whoopi almost defends his use with it as white people basically can't use the word and black folks can. Although Jesse is the same person within the NAACP that led the whole "movement" agaisnt the word last July. We are burying the "N" word and we want to challenge others from not using it.

Burying The N-Word, NAACP Symbolically Buries Racist Word During Public Ceremony In Detroit - CBS News

I don't have a problem not using the word because I don't think like that in my head, but if the word is truly that offensive then no one should use it. On a local radio show this morning they were discussing the word and one of the black hosts on the show said something to the effect of, the reason black folks can use it and do use it is because every time it's used between blacks it diminishes the word that was so demeaning back during the slave times. I just don't understand how a word that's so offensive and so demeaning is ok to use by some but not others but, I'm also not black, maybe it's just one of those things.

[jmarquise]

who cares about the view? also, I believe elizabeth is a republican, not a conservative.

[lilypad]

Originally Posted by jmarquise

who cares about the view? also, I believe elizabeth is a republican, not a conservative.

Elizabeth needs to leave the show. Passed off as entertainment, a creche of barracudas touting their idiotic liberal "ideas". None of them ever had an original idea to begin with.... Then there would be noone to be the "whipping girl", no nasty childish banter back and forth. Just let them stew and spew in their mutual inane "witticisms". How it has stayed on as long as it has is the mystery.

[Elmonellie]

As long as black people use the word and it is used in music and other entertainment whites will use it. I understand why some blacks feel they have "taken the word back" and diffused the hateful meaning....unfortunately that's not so. Because some whites will indeed still use it and it will, I imagine, still provoke.

Silly to think anyone has control over the use of a word. The culture either will keep using it or it will fall out of use.