[Stephen B.]

On the Australian news it was reported that African Americans believe Jennifer Lopez will never have the right to use the word 'nigger' in her lyrics. Why is it all right for African Americans to use the word?

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Name : Stephen B., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 25, City : Melbourne, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : Nurse, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Philip30421]

It should never be OK for black people to use it. Those who do are usually two cans short of a six-pack. In my experience, those who use that word tend to be less educated and of low self-worth. The more educated, and I mean educated in the context of both book sense and common sense, never employ that word in their vocabulary.

The funny thing is that I have heard people use absurd notions like 'cultural ownership' and other such malarkey to justify why they can use it, but if someone of another race uses it, those same people cry foul. People also say things like, "If black people use the word often enough, then the word will eventually lose its sting." Well, when that happens, people will just find another epithet, and then black people will spend the next two centuries trying to take the sting out f that word - and the cycle will just keep repeating itself. A real progressive way of thinking, isn't it?

I don't respect anyone who does not manifest any respect for themselves, and If someone chooses to refer to themselves or their kind pejoratively, I see no reason why I should respect them, either. You reap what you sow.

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Name : Philip30421, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Catholic, Age : 34, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Amos]

Black people are easier to accept the n-word from other blacks than from people of other races. A good example is this: There are groups of women who call each other 'bitch' in certain situations. The women would be offended if a stranger called one of the women a bitch, even if the women don't mind being called the same word by a friend. For the record: There are many black people who do not use the n-word and are offended by anyone who uses it. It's doubly worse when it comes from somebody who's not black.

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Name : Amos, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Methodist, Age : 32, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Mortgage Banker, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Mike]

I don't appreciate J-Lo using the N-word in her song because it is such a negative term that no one should be using. I'm not going to crucify her for singing a lyric that was given to her by black people (JA-Rule wrote the song), but it shows a casualness about the word and its connotations that I don't think she or anyone should enjoy. Blacks and Puerto Ricans have a lot in common culturally and racially, but you don't see Lil' Mo or Mya using the slur 'spic' in their songs or any other derogatory terms that refer to Hispanics. The N-word unfortunately is used by a lot of races, and a lot of times as a word of commiseration or relating to someone you are cool with. "My niggas" means my boys or my girls, people who are just like me, understand me, can relate to me and ain't no better than me. Nothing wrong with this message, but a better word can and should be used to sum up these feelings.

I know where J-Lo's heart and intent were at when she said what she said, and I know what Ja-Rule was doing when he wrote it. It's not malicious or mean-spirited. However, the ugly history and legacy of that word could be discontinued if we'd just stop using it and stopped condoning its widespread acceptance.

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Name : Mike, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 23, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Ed. Admin. and Law School Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Justin26886]

What I learned from Y? Forum is that at least a majority of black Americans feel that 'nigger' shouldn't be used by anyone, especially black people. Those who don't mind it used in and among the community wish non-blacks would understand it to be privileged language, e.g. if your friend told you 'your mom was a good lay last night,' it's a joke, but if a stranger came up to you at a bar and said that, he'd get your foot in his a** (just trying to save a black poster from having to type this all out AGAIN.)

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Name : Justin26886, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[LJ]

Most people who are upset are upset because they know nothing about the latin people. LIKE creoles of color in Louisiana, the vast majority of these people are mixed with black. To say they cant say the n-word because they happen to speak spanish is silly. If they arent black-enough, then neither is Mariah Carey, Amanda Marshall or Tiger Woods. But for their last names, they would be as black/mixed as any other 'African American'. If anything, they are closer to their African heritage than most of us. How many blacks have used African lyrics in their music like Ricky Martin did? How many use African beats like they all do? Fact is, they have an African pride we dont have and they should be respected for that.

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Name : LJ, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, City : Monroe, State : LA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Marco22199]

Philip, I couldn't agree with you more. I am Dominican and have an acquaintance who continues to call me that. He is African American, mind you. I can see he has low self-worth, because not too long ago he spotted me at a club and approached me wrong, and when I did not look at him when he was talking to me, he called me that at least six or seven times. He's the same age as me, and I do not appreciate him referring to me with the 'N' word.

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Name : Marco22199, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Catholic, Age : 25, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Cipher]

YOUR QUESTION: Why is it all right for African Americans to use the word? ANSWER: It's NOT Alright, but it IS accepted (by most). REASON: The acceptance of the word stems back centuries when slave owners referred to blacks as 'Niggers'. What began to happen is blacks referring to each other as such. Over time (years) this word became a term of endearment among the black/African-American community. Unfortunately our community continues to use this word even though most of us feel it to be a negative connotation. Being that it was ALWAYS seen as a slur by our 'owners' and/or 'white america', when used by someone outside of our race, we get angered. And being that it had become accepted (and a term of endearment) within our own culture it is unfortunatley still being used today.

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Name : Cipher, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 29, City : Sterling, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : Systems Engineer, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ashley]

I don't think that Jennifer Lopaz should be able to use the n-word in her lyrics. Since she is not African-American. I also think that it is alright for African-Americans to use that word because they may not find it racist because it is coming from someone of their own race. It is different when a white person says that word because of the history of white and black people.

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Name : Ashley, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : St. John's, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Esther]

i don't think that anyone shold be using it

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Name : Esther, Gender : F, Religion : Christian, Age : 14, City : Hyattsville, State : MD Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, 

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