The 'N' Word. Why is it SO offensive to Black People?

[Luckydog]

That is if used by a White. Black people use it ALL the time and nobody
seems to care....it puzzles me.

Any 'Honky' know why?

[barbaro]

The problem with the N-word is that American black use it when they talk and rappers use it a lot.

You cannot have a word when you can say it if you are a certain race, but not if you are another.

IMO.

[Hootad Binky]

Quentin Tarantino seems to have gotten away with using it liberally in many of his films...

[barbaro]

Quentin Tarantino seems to have gotten away with using it liberally in many of his films...

True.

He is the exception, not the rule, however.

[jizzybloke]

Quentin Tarantino seems to have gotten away with using it liberally in many of his films...

True.

He is the exception, not the rule, however.

This has really pissed off Spike Lee though!

[JimmyCA]

What is the world comming to when you can't call a spade a spade

[barbaro]

What is the world comming to when you can't call a spade a spade

On many topics, if you state what is a fact, it's considered bad.


A pussified society, and frankly, I am sick of it.

[DrAndy]

What is the world comming to when you can't call a spade a spade

On many topics, if you state what is a fact, it's considered bad.


A pussified society, and frankly, I am sick of it.

quite right Milkman, you tell it like it is

I think you should immediately go to your nearest black neighbourhood and call them all "niggers". That'll show 'em

[barbaro]

What is the world comming to when you can't call a spade a spade

On many topics, if you state what is a fact, it's considered bad.


A pussified society, and frankly, I am sick of it.

quite right Milkman, you tell it like it is

I think you should immediately go to your nearest black neighbourhood and call them all "niggers". That'll show 'em

My statement above is not about blacks or the N-word.

The comment about "calling a spade a spade," means that if some phenomena is considered true because of factual evidence and you discuss it, people will ban you, fire, you and attack you.

You have totally misunderstood my post.

"Calling a spade a spade," is a very common expression in the U.S. and is not about race.

[JimmyCA]

What is the world comming to when you can't call a spade a spade

On many topics, if you state what is a fact, it's considered bad.


A pussified society, and frankly, I am sick of it.

quite right Milkman, you tell it like it is

I think you should immediately go to your nearest black neighbourhood and call them all "niggers". That'll show 'em

My statement above is not about blacks or the N-word.

The comment about "calling a spade a spade," means that if some phenomena is considered true because of factual evidence and you discuss it, people will ban you, fire, you and attack you.

You have totally misunderstood my post.

"Calling a spade a spade," is a very common expression in the U.S. and is not about race.

Milkman, you are right calling a spade a spade is a common expression, more common 30 years ago. Blacks are also referred to as spades in some circles so there is overlap. I am not sure if the original saying has anything to do with blacks, it probably has something to do with a spade vs a shovel.

[astasinim]

I think you should immediately go to your nearest black neighbourhood and call them all "niggers". That'll show 'em

[wefearourdespot]

What is the world comming to when you can't call a spade a spade

On many topics, if you state what is a fact, it's considered bad.


A pussified society, and frankly, I am sick of it.

quite right Milkman, you tell it like it is

I think you should immediately go to your nearest black neighbourhood and call them all "niggers". That'll show 'em

If he lived in more civilized times (like the 1850s) he could have done that without any danger for his person. Yet I can't imagine anyone willing to go to the nearest nigger neighbourhood. When you want to have a nice walk, you never go to the dump.

[keda]

What is the world comming to when you can't call a spade a spade

On many topics, if you state what is a fact, it's considered bad.


A pussified society, and frankly, I am sick of it.

Agreed, and the pc nutters aiming to banish its use are trotting down the same path as the book burners they claim to despise. Nigger is an English word, and even if it was coined in days when blacks were universally assumed to be inferior and contemptible, as one nigger can call another nigger a nigger without offence I for one can see no reason for it to be reserved exclusively for niggers and racists. It wasn't so long ago that another band of nutters tried to outlaw the use of the word, blackmail.

[Sir Burr]

Nigger, the old US pronunciation of the Spanish based word negro, meaning black.
Rightfully, African Americans were insulted by the word. The polite word was 'coloured'.
This word, after awhile was also deemed offensive and the word black was then accepted. This also become mildly offensive, so finally, African-American was decided on as the PC word.
Black, also finally became acceptable.

So, black in English = acceptable.
Black in Spanish = unacceptable.

Weird.

[barbaro]

Nigger, the old US pronunciation of the Spanish based word negro, meaning black.
Rightfully, African Americans were insulted by the word. The polite word was 'coloured'.
This word, after awhile was also deemed offensive and the word black was then accepted. This also become mildly offensive, so finally, African-American was decided on as the PC word.
Black, also finally became acceptable.

So, black in English = acceptable.
Black in Spanish = unacceptable.

Weird.

Good points, SB.

I use the world "black" and "white."

If someone was born in Africa and then moved to the U.S. I'll call them "African-American."

If someone was born in a European nation (e.g. Germany) and then immigrate, I'll call them a German-American.

But usually, just "black" or "white."

[Hootad Binky]

I never called anyone in Asia a chink or a gook, so why would I want to refer to a Black person as a nigger?

So they would hate me?

Not exactly a win-win situation for the persons involved

[barbaro]

I don't use this word in private, but some people do. So what? It was used in private. But it just goes to show how divisive this word is, and how the media jumps all over it, ad how companies are concerned about boycotts and losing advertising.

HONOLULU (AP) - Television bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman's son taped a private phone conversation in which the reality star used a racial slur repeatedly, then sold it to a tabloid for "a lot of money," Chapman's lawyer said Thursday.

"I guess because of whatever level of anger he had of his father, he felt the need to express it in that manner," attorney Brook Hart told The Associated Press.


Tucker Chapman could not be reached for comment; no one answered the telephone at a Honolulu number listed under his name.
The National Enquirer on Wednesday posted on its Web site a clip of a conversation in which Duane Chapman, star of the hit A&E series "Dog the Bounty Hunter," repeatedly used the N-word in reference to Tucker's girlfriend.


Chapman later apologized to his son and the woman, then learned about how the tape got into the tabloid's hands, Hart said.
A&E has suspended production of the series, saying the network takes the matter seriously.


Entire: Lawyer: Chapman's Son Sold N-Word Tape

"When the inquiry is concluded, we will take appropriate action," A&E spokesman Michael Feeney said in a statement Thursday.
The show, in its fifth season and one of A&E's top-rated programs, has not been canceled.


An after-hours telephone message for David Perel, the Enquirer's editor in chief, was not immediately returned. But earlier in the day, Perel declined to say how the tape was obtained, saying what mattered was what's on the tape.


In the conversation, Chapman urges Tucker to break up with his girlfriend. He also expresses concern about the girlfriend trying to tape and go public about the TV star's use of the N-word.


Chapman has said he was "disappointed in his choice of a friend, not due to her race, but her character. However, I should have never used that term." He also said he was ashamed of himself and pledged to make amends.
Hart said his client is not a racist and vowed never to use the word again.
"I have never seen anything that suggests he judges people by the color of their skin or racial background or anything but on their character," he said. "Duane lost his composure and made very, very inappropriate remarks, for which he truly regrets."

Entire: Lawyer: Chapman's Son Sold N-Word Tape

[zorin]

Guy Gibson (dambusters) called his black labrador, Nigger.
I also have one, mine is called Black bastard.

[DrAndy]

no Milkman, I didn't misunderstand your post

and "calling a spade a spade" is also commonly used in England

I was merely reacting to your "pussified society" remark

pussy

[barbaro]

no Milkman, I didn't misunderstand your post

and "calling a spade a spade" is also commonly used in England

I was merely reacting to your "pussified society" remark

pussy

Hey birdbrain,

You did misunderstand my post.

And yes, society has become "pussified" in many ways.


In UK, especially.

Go suck some c*ck.

[Luckydog]

no Milkman, I didn't misunderstand your post

and "calling a spade a spade" is also commonly used in England

I was merely reacting to your "pussified society" remark

pussy

Hey birdbrain,

You did misunderstand my post.

And yes, society has become "pussified" in many ways.


In UK, especially.

Go suck some c*ck.

Now now Girls.....don't get your Niggers er I mean Knickers in a twist!

[DrAndy]

no Milkman, I didn't misunderstand your post

and "calling a spade a spade" is also commonly used in England

I was merely reacting to your "pussified society" remark

pussy

Hey birdbrain,

You did misunderstand my post.

And yes, society has become "pussified" in many ways.


In UK, especially.

Go suck some c*ck.

oh good, you react by calling me rude names and telling me to suck c*ck

weird, but it only shows you can do it on the forum but are still scared to do it in a black neighbourhood...go on, get out there

that will really convince me

and no, I did not misunderstand your post

[zipcode]

Some people take offense readily, some dont care. Comes down to one's prior experiences with the word, and the context within which it is being used.

During the 60s in India, amongst the "upper-poor" economic rung, mothers would insult someone's baby by calling it a "body-baby", meaning it drank milk from the source, and compliment a healthy-looking plump baby by calling it a "bottle-baby", meaning it drank formula.

Within that segment of society, the slur was meant to bring attention to the parents' poor financial condition.

[zipcode]

Two years back while waiting for a flight at KIX, my eldest son was walking around the lounge counting the parquet carpet squares, skip-counting by two. An older British lady said to him, "Ooh, you are a clever one, aren't you?"

He smiled, I smiled, my wife got upset.

My wife was angry because she took the "compliment" to mean that the British lady was a racist and had not expected my son (non-Caucasian) to be able to skip-count by twos.

My son had taken it as a compliment and was happy.

I had taken it as a compliment, but my happiness was replaced with the dread of having to tolerate my wife's now-angry mood for the rest of the upcoming flight.


The two lessons I learned from this experience were:
1. Some people will get offended regardless of what is said to them.
2. Marry in haste, repent at leisure.

[keda]

Two years back while waiting for a flight at KIX, my eldest son was walking around the lounge counting the parquet carpet squares, skip-counting by two. An older British lady said to him, "Ooh, you are a clever one, aren't you?"

He smiled, I smiled, my wife got upset.

My wife was angry because she took the "compliment" to mean that the British lady was a racist and had not expected my son (non-Caucasian) to be able to skip-count by twos.

My son had taken it as a compliment and was happy.

I had taken it as a compliment, but my happiness was replaced with the dread of having to tolerate my wife's now-angry mood for the rest of the upcoming flight.


The two lessons I learned from this experience were:
1. Some people will get offended regardless of what is said to them.
2. Marry in haste, repent at leisure.

It's a cultural thing, can be frustrating but little to get worked up about. 'Grenjai' will prevent some natives from asking another Thai for directions or where to find specific items in a store, because if the other person does not know it might cause them to lose face. Btw I've lost my para spacing again... In Japan it's offensive to compliment your host for an excellent meal, because this implies you expected it to be anything less.