The N-word, is it actually offensive?

[Nadril]

Whether a bunch of white over-privileged high school kids feel like they're entitled to use a racist slur their ancestors used on black slaves as a way to dehumanize them is completely irrelevant. Fact of the matter is should you use it, there will be repercussions (probably in the form of angry fists). And you are patently dumb as hell if you don't understand why it might cause that reaction. It's equally dumb to propose that it should be a perfectly acceptable word to throw around.

 

 

 

I agree. It offends people so of course it is an offensive word. Really seems like an obvious thing to me.

 

 

 

That being said I will jokingly say it now and then but it's pretty rare, and it's not around anyone who would get offended by it. Of course, even then, it's not the "hard er" sound =P.

 

 

 

Seriously though, I wouldn't actually say that around anyone I didn't actually know. Feel free to say it other times, who really cares, but just be careful with what you say. Afterall you (hopefully) wouldn't swear up a storm to your grandparents.

[stevepole]

How many of you actually walk up to a black person and call them the n-word? I'm almost certain the majority of you would be scared to death to call a black person the n-word in a conversation because you subconsciously know it's offensive. Also like others have said it all depends on the context because I myself call one of my really good friends (whose black) the n-word jokingly and he's fine with it himself because we both understand the context of how we are using the word. Another group of people I know who are black I would never dare use the word in front of because you never know how someone is going to react.

[Omar]

and we were not beliving in christ as much as the people. we realised god didn't care about us. they didn't.

 

You're grasping at straws, the whites colonized the Americas, enslaved the native Americans and then imported black slaves out of greed.

[VEGHATERMEATLOVER]

and we were not beliving in christ as much as the people. we realised god didn't care about us. they didn't.

 

You're grasping at straws, the whites colonized the Americas, enslaved the native Americans and then imported black slaves out of greed.

 

 

 

I kinda don't care anymore.

[wildmonkeys5]

What I don't understand is why black people can say it and not whites.

 

 

 

Or how Nigg-A isn't offensive, but N-Er, is :?

[Omar]

One isn't demeaning, it's the one that ends with a.

[forestfrolic]

By using the n word, the black community takes away it's power and meaning. It's done on purpose.

[wildmonkeys5]

One isn't demeaning, it's the one that ends with a.

 

 

 

This is what I don't get, tacking an A on the end of a word takes away the offensiveness?

 

 

 

Guess I can drop F bombs wherever I go, as long as I add on that "A" :roll:

 

 

 

By using the n word, the black community takes away it's power and meaning. It's done on purpose.

 

 

 

OK, the meanings taken away when black people say it, but they get pissed when white people say it?

[Bauke]

How many of you actually walk up to a black person and call them the n-word? I'm almost certain the majority of you would be scared to death to call a black person the n-word in a conversation because you subconsciously know it's offensive. Also like others have said it all depends on the context because I myself call one of my really good friends (whose black) the n-word jokingly and he's fine with it himself because we both understand the context of how we are using the word. Another group of people I know who are black I would never dare use the word in front of because you never know how someone is going to react.

 

There is no reason to call a black person a "[racist term]" in a normal situation. Usually, people use names, instead of skin colour, to get one's attention.

 

 

 

Whether one's scared is not relevant either. I suppose it's not wise to go up to certain "hoods" and spray the N-word out loud. The question remains whether the offensive connotation is truthful.

 

 

 

 

 

Lol, I see it's censored here.. let's see if "honkey" is censored.

 

 

 

Oh look, it ain't. Now that is discrimination right there.

[forestfrolic]

 

OK, the meanings taken away when black people say it, but they get pissed when white people say it?

 

How do you not understand? They're both black and they're calling themselves a term that white people used to (and still do) use to try to hurt them. Of course if a white person called a black person a [racist term] it'd be offensive.

[Danqazmlp]

Well yes, it shouldn't be really, but people take offence when you say it so it's an offensive word.

 

 

 

It all boils down to 'will x person take offence by it' It can be the same for many words, non racist ones aswell, alot of swear words, you and me might not find them offensive, but say them to an unknown person 20 years older than you and they will almost certainly take offence by it.

[wildmonkeys5]

 

OK, the meanings taken away when black people say it, but they get pissed when white people say it?

 

How do you not understand? They're both black and they're calling themselves a term that white people used to (and still do) use to try to hurt them. Of course if a white person called a black person a [bleep] it'd be offensive.

 

 

 

If them saying it takes away the meaning, it shouldn't be restricted to just them being allowed to say it.

[FunPhish]

Well a lot of my black friends come up to me and say, "My N-word! What's good?". So in turn I'll call them my N-word, and they never care, but keep in mind these aren't just people I kind of know these are good friends. My girlfriend on the other hand is a red-bone(she fidns that more offensive than the n-word) but I don't ever joke around with her about it, unless she starts the joke. I live in a red neck town so I'll do impressions of racist red-necks alot and use the n-word in the 'er' ending to sound funny, and they always get a good laugh. But like I said I wouldn't say ANY of these things if I wasn't comfortable around them.

[Omar]

One isn't demeaning, it's the one that ends with a.

 

 

 

This is what I don't get, tacking an A on the end of a word takes away the offensiveness?

 

 

 

Guess I can drop F bombs wherever I go, as long as I add on that "A" :roll:

 

 

Most people associate something slightly different with "-a". If you start walking around saying f----a, people won't make the link. If you say "N-a what n-a what what?" it has a different connotation.

[The_Gabe]

How many of you actually walk up to a black person and call them the n-word? I'm almost certain the majority of you would be scared to death to call a black person the n-word in a conversation because you subconsciously know it's offensive. Also like others have said it all depends on the context because I myself call one of my really good friends (whose black) the n-word jokingly and he's fine with it himself because we both understand the context of how we are using the word. Another group of people I know who are black I would never dare use the word in front of because you never know how someone is going to react.

 

 

 

But the thing is they call themselves that, not us.

[Nadril]

 

OK, the meanings taken away when black people say it, but they get pissed when white people say it?

 

How do you not understand? They're both black and they're calling themselves a term that white people used to (and still do) use to try to hurt them. Of course if a white person called a black person a [bleep] it'd be offensive.

 

 

 

If them saying it takes away the meaning, it shouldn't be restricted to just them being allowed to say it.

 

 

 

You do know you can say it if you want, right? It's not illegal to do so. However be prepared to face the consequences if you end up offending someone.

 

 

 

Really, how [bleep]ing difficult is this concept to understand?

[Bauke]

Well yes, it shouldn't be really, but people take offence when you say it so it's an offensive word.

 

 

 

It all boils down to 'will x person take offence by it' It can be the same for many words, non racist ones aswell, alot of swear words, you and me might not find them offensive, but say them to an unknown person 20 years older than you and they will almost certainly take offence by it.

 

But are they right for finding that word offensive? Imo, no. They discriminate between whites and blacks in this particular case. Words have to be offensive irregardless of who is saying it. Words should have an intrinsic offensive value before they should be considered offensive. You can't just call a word offensive because the person who is saying it, has a white skin colour.

 

 

 

 

OK, the meanings taken away when black people say it, but they get pissed when white people say it?

 

How do you not understand? They're both black and they're calling themselves a term that white people used to (and still do) use to try to hurt them. Of course if a white person called a black person a [bleep] it'd be offensive.

 

If it has such a negative connotation, why do "they" still use it? And why should I be punished for something my ancestors did?

 

 

 

THAT is racism. In its purest form. The fact that white people can't use the word.

 

 

 

 

OK, the meanings taken away when black people say it, but they get pissed when white people say it?

 

How do you not understand? They're both black and they're calling themselves a term that white people used to (and still do) use to try to hurt them. Of course if a white person called a black person a [bleep] it'd be offensive.

 

 

 

If them saying it takes away the meaning, it shouldn't be restricted to just them being allowed to say it.

 

 

 

You do know you can say it if you want, right? It's not illegal to do so. However be prepared to face the consequences if you end up offending someone.

 

 

 

Really, how [bleep] difficult is this concept to understand?

 

It's quite easy to understand, but hard to defend.

 

 

 

But lets draw a simple conclusion then. Since black people don't appreciate it that white people use the N-word, while they do use it themselves, that pretty much means that black people are racists.

 

 

 

There, not difficult at all.

[forestfrolic]

 

OK, the meanings taken away when black people say it, but they get pissed when white people say it?

 

How do you not understand? They're both black and they're calling themselves a term that white people used to (and still do) use to try to hurt them. Of course if a white person called a black person a [bleep] it'd be offensive.

 

 

 

If them saying it takes away the meaning, it shouldn't be restricted to just them being allowed to say it.

 

It does not take away the meaning. Hundreds of years of slavery doesn't just disappear when the slaves start using derogatory terms once used against themselves. The point is to use the word [racist term] so it gets worn out, and so white people can't use it to hurt them. Also, in a lot of cases, black people do not care if their white friends use the word. The problem usually arises when a stranger says it, when it's used in bad context, etc.

[deathdrow]

 

OK, the meanings taken away when black people say it, but they get pissed when white people say it?

 

How do you not understand? They're both black and they're calling themselves a term that white people used to (and still do) use to try to hurt them. Of course if a white person called a black person a [bleep] it'd be offensive.

 

 

 

If them saying it takes away the meaning, it shouldn't be restricted to just them being allowed to say it.

 

It does not take away the meaning. Hundreds of years of slavery doesn't just disappear when the slaves start using derogatory terms once used against themselves. The point is to use the word [bleep] so it gets worn out, and so white people can't use it to hurt them. Also, in a lot of cases, black people do not care if their white friends use the word. The problem usually arises when a stranger says it, when it's used in bad context, etc.

 

I honestly don't give a [bleep] that black people were slaves a couple hundred years back, I think it was bad, but I don't think just because they were slaves means we have to treat them differently.

 

They call us crackers, I don't see why we can't call them [racist term]s. derogatory terms really mean nothing unless you think of it as being anything more than a word. Which it's not, I don't necesarilly(sp?) believe it's something we should be using in everyday language, it's still got some offensiveness to it, but I don't see it as being any worse than the F-word.

[Omar]

 

I honestly don't give a [bleep] that black people were slaves a couple hundred years back, I think it was bad, but I don't think just because they were slaves means we have to treat them differently.

 

 

Or rather, it sucks that the blacks were enslaved back then, but you're not one of those that got enslaved.

[Bauke]

On a side note... in my country, I've seen black people that wanted to be financially compensated by the Dutch government, because their ancestors were enslaved. Disgusting. I guess some people will just abuse the history for their benefit.

[Nadril]

But are they right for finding that word offensive? Imo, no. They discriminate between whites and blacks in this particular case. Words have to be offensive irregardless of who is saying it. Words should have an intrinsic offensive value before they should be considered offensive. You can't just call a word offensive because the person who is saying it, has a white skin colour.

 

 

 

:wall: I really hoped that it wouldn't end with me having to spell it out for you.

 

 

 

The way the word was used back in the day was a white man talking down to a black man because he was an inferior race. These days if a black person calls another black person the N-word it is assumed they are doing it ironically. Afterall they are the SAME RACE and hence the word has no point. However if a white person (or someone of another race, whatever) calls a black person an N-Word it can have a number of meanings. The obvious one that is picked out is that, yes, it is offensive. It sounds like they are talking down to the person and it is just kind of insensitive. Even if you are making a joke of it it would be like cracking an AIDs joke in front of someone who had AIDs, or even someone whos loved one or family member died of AIDs. It hits home for them and it certainly isn't funny.

 

 

 

Thats not to say it always is offensive. If you were black and knew a guy for a longtime as a friend you probably wouldn't care if he jokingly used the N-word. This is common sense and I don't know why I have to spell it out to the rest of you.

[Bauke]

 

:wall: I really hoped that it wouldn't end with me having to spell it out for you.

 

 

 

The way the word was used back in the day was a white man talking down to a black man because he was an inferior race. These days if a black person calls another black person the N-word it is assumed they are doing it ironically. Afterall they are the SAME RACE and hence the word has no point. However if a white person (or someone of another race, whatever) calls a black person an N-Word it can have a number of meanings. The obvious one that is picked out is that, yes, it is offensive. It sounds like they are talking down to the person and it is just kind of insensitive. Even if you are making a joke of it it would be like cracking an AIDs joke in front of someone who had AIDs, or even someone whos loved one or family member died of AIDs. It hits home for them and it certainly isn't funny.

 

 

 

Thats not to say it always is offensive. If you were black and knew a guy for a longtime as a friend you probably wouldn't care if he jokingly used the N-word. This is common sense and I don't know why I have to spell it out to the rest of you.

 

Do I really have to spell it out for you that I find that relying on that part of history is pretty much pathetic? All those black people have nothing in common with the black person that was enslaved. All white people existing today have nothing to do with the crimes that were commited in the past.

 

 

 

 

 

Your comparison with aids doesn't work here. In comparison, their ancestors might have had aids, but the ones of today surely don't.

 

 

 

Ofcourse context is important, but skin colour should have no influence on when word is deemed offensive. But that's not relevant here.

[Omar]

They weren't called n's because they were enslaved, they were called n's because they were black.

[Nadril]

 

:wall: I really hoped that it wouldn't end with me having to spell it out for you.

 

 

 

The way the word was used back in the day was a white man talking down to a black man because he was an inferior race. These days if a black person calls another black person the N-word it is assumed they are doing it ironically. Afterall they are the SAME RACE and hence the word has no point. However if a white person (or someone of another race, whatever) calls a black person an N-Word it can have a number of meanings. The obvious one that is picked out is that, yes, it is offensive. It sounds like they are talking down to the person and it is just kind of insensitive. Even if you are making a joke of it it would be like cracking an AIDs joke in front of someone who had AIDs, or even someone whos loved one or family member died of AIDs. It hits home for them and it certainly isn't funny.

 

 

 

Thats not to say it always is offensive. If you were black and knew a guy for a longtime as a friend you probably wouldn't care if he jokingly used the N-word. This is common sense and I don't know why I have to spell it out to the rest of you.

 

Do I really have to spell it out for you that I find that relying on that part of history is pretty much pathetic? All those black people have nothing in common with the black person that was enslaved. All white people existing today have nothing to do with the crimes that were commited in the past.

 

 

 

 

 

Your comparison with aids doesn't work here. In comparison, their ancestors might have had aids, but the ones of today surely don't.

 

 

 

It does make sense. If their ancestors had something terrible happen to them and you're just cracking jokes about it of course you would be offended.

 

 

 

I think the bottom line though is if you aren't black you really just don't know. (I'm not black either). You shouldn't question why something is offensive, you should just try and honor it and not be a [bleep].

 

 

 

 

Ofcourse context is important, but skin colour should have no influence on when word is deemed offensive. But that's not relevant here.

 

 

 

Like I said it has relevance here because of the original context of the word.