Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 12 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 23 years, 1 month ago by
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I was having a discussion with a group of people the other day and we were wondering: Why is it perfectly OK when black people call other black people “nigger,” but when a white person says it, it is considered the biggest offense in the world?
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Name : Gina, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 28, City : Cleveland, State : OH, Country : United States, Occupation : Medical Records Director, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,From what I understand, when a black person says it to a black person, it is usually friendly and it is like saying that they are ‘brothers’ and are close. When a white person says it to a black person, it can be hostile and can be taken to be a racial comment, where a black person would probably not racially comment on someone in the same race as them.
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Name : Sam, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 14, City : Englewood, State : CO, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Social class : Upper middle class,I don’t like it when people of my race say that to me. Also, I think it is a way for that group to communicate with each other, and most won’t think of whites as part of that group.
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Name : Missy, Gender : F, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States,Black people have a way of turning negatives into positives. “Nigger” is probably the most offensive word in the English language, yet somehow we’ve turned it into a term of endearment. You must realize, however, that most black people find it offensive, irrespective of who says it. You and your friends know the history of the word and the damage it can cause, so why would you want to call me a “nigger”?
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Name : R.G., Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 27, City : Richmond, State : VA, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College,I don’t like any one of any race to call me that. Secondly, I think it’s a matter of relating to one’s own group/class of pepole. Also, if a person lets someone calls them the N word, then maybe they are.
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Name : Missy, Gender : F, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States,The ‘N’ word does send a confusing message and a mixed message in the Americas in general. You are right in your analogy. It would be OK with me to drop the word altogether. We as a black race only demean ourselves with its use, poison our music with this word and confuse our children with the double standard and meaning. Let’s drop the word and clear the air.
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Name : Lesley22871, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Methodist, Age : 50, City : Oklahoma, State : OK, Country : United States, Occupation : Nurse, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I don’t agree with the use of the “N” word, no matter who says it. But whenever this subject comes up, why is the focus on blacks? I’ve sometimes heard Polish people call each other “Pollocks” and Italians call each other “WOPs” which, in my opinion, is derogatory. I’m an African American and would never call a Polish or Italian person these names.
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Name : Damon27270, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : Grand Rapids, State : MI, Country : United States, Occupation : Computer Programmer, Education level : 4 Years of College,Like all words, the definition of ‘nigger’ in a social setting relies largely on context. How familiar the two parties are with each other, wether it is said in fun or anger, and what color their skins are. It does not mean the same thing when a white person calls a black person nigger as it does when a black person says it. For a white person to address a black as ‘nigger’ is, in most cases, brash and exceedingly rude. There is too much bad history in that situation. When a black person refers to other blacks as ‘nigger,’ it is usually a familiar term that acknowledges common ground and a willingness to be frank. Of course, as always, these examples are vague generalizations.
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Name : Joseph-B-Cowart, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 22, City : Oakhurst, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,It is not perfectly OK when black folks call each other nigger. Although it doesn’t mean exactly the same thing when a black person uses it as when a white person uses it (in some contexts, believe it or not, it can be a term of endearment, such as when singer Erykah Badu refers to her man as “my nigga fo’ life”), it’s still the same word, and is still dehumanizing. I hate hearing anyone use it, and by the way, I also hated hearing T.V.’s George Jefferson constantly calling his white neighbor a honky.
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Name : ED25463, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 42, City : Kansas City, State : MO, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College,African Americans sometimes use the “N-word” with one another as an expression of familiarity, even a term of affection and not generally as an insult. It’s similar, I believe, to children calling their siblings names. You might call your kid brother a “squirt” or “Shorty” all the time, but if someone outside your family called him that, it would be seen as an insult.
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Name : Robin, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 36, City : Lansing, State : MI, Country : United States, Occupation : Manager, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Like many languages and dialects, it’s not what you say, but how you say it and who you say it to. The tone of voice, the pronunciation, everything, can make a significant difference. The best advice for anyone: If you don’t understand, don’t say it. The ‘N’ word often is offensive to blacks when blacks say it.
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Name : Ione, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, City : Detroit, State : MI, Country : United States, Occupation : Public Relations Executive, Education level : 4 Years of College,I find the word extremely offensive. However, taking into account how people identify each other within their group, I think if they like it, they take it as some type of compliment. I think Tupac said it best: ‘N-ever I-gnorant G-etting G-oals A-ccomplished.’
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Name : Christina-B32038, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 18, City : East Lansing, State : MI, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College,I think it is funny how many white Americans, especially those with liberal backgrounds, are so afraid when other racial/ethnic/cultural groups choose to identify themselves with the derogative term that was created by white America (be it many years ago) to discriminate against them. I think that it is a racial/ethnic/cultural group’s prerogative to use derogatory terms that represent them. By embracing these terms and using them in an endearing way with people of the same racial/ethnic/cultural background, these groups almost take the sting out of the reference. Acknowledging a term used by bigots and using it in a positive way takes the legitimacy out of the prejudice it is commonly used to represent. It’s almost empowering. I think some people should take a step back and recognize that America is about freedom. A big part of freedom is about respecting people’s differences – not homogenizing everyone. Groups that are discriminated against need a sense of community as much as they need to be accepted by American society as a whole. When someone from one social group judges another group by their standards, they are bound to find things that they dislike. That does not mean these things are ‘wrong.’ It just means they are different.
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Name : Mark, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 27, City : Washington, State : DC, Country : United States, Occupation : Health Policy Analyst, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,
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