[kiki_doki]

I think that this new found use of the 'N' words is due to globalisation: the mass commercialism of Hip hop, back in the day KRS 1, Rakim, Eric B and NWA used the 'N' word but because they weren't as commercial as say 50 cent, eminem etc now.. they weren't reaching audiences on mass, which means that now more diverse audiences listen to hip hop as a genre which has then become more of an influence with the young people who listen to it, engage with it and some how identify with it. Therefore this has affected young's people vocabulary, way of dressing, what they want out of life (every young person I meet reckons they can rap! ) and what's cool and what isn't. It isn't cool to be eloquent!! They want to embrace the whole lifestyle that is promoted by rappers and unfortunately this includes the 'N' word.

I guess that one reason that people are racist is because they are plain ignorant. Other possible reasons are because of fear of the unknown... if people don't understand others cultures then they just make judgements on others opinions (or trashy newspapers), They find comfort in numbers.I know people that have experienced racism from another race on numerous occasions so they then become racist themselves! I think when you look deep into the reasons behind racism it is because people don't understand or don't want to tolerate others beliefs or culture.

[speechlesstx]

I think we should ban the word "Grunting." It just sounds nasty.

I agree, 'grunting' is a horrible word. Since words will be banned including that which describes our new (old) method of communication, I guess we go back to cave drawings. No, that won't work, someone will inevitably draw something offensive to blacks, Hispanics, gays or women - or black Hispanic lesbians - so all forms of expression must be banned. For conservative white males that is. :D

[anon699]

I also don't understand the use of the N word by black people, I did not make the N word a bad word. I am an older person and lived with black people all of my younger years, and no one seemed to mind the N word, neither blacks or whites but all of a sudden it got to be a very bad word and as of yet I still do not know why.

I'm not just talking about black people and white people. I'm not just talking about race. Expand your mind... think about racism against people because of religion and culture as well. I'm black and I'm sick and tired of the whole black white thing. It's getting old fast.. and jesse jackson and al sharpton have made black people look even worse... and that's why I want to talk about different kinds of racism. With asians, mexicans... arabians... ect. Why do people automatically think every arabian is a terrorist? Isn't that stereotyping? It's ridiculous to me.

[speechlesstx]

What do people gain by being racist and prejudiced against race, religion and culture? I just really don't get it and think that as advanced as we're "supposed" to be, it's really sad that we can't get past something this trivial. Thoughts?

I don't get it either - and I'm tired of being called racist simply because I'm white - or slightly tanned (and in spite the fact that not only was I the minority in school, I'm still the minority in my neighborhood). I don't care what color you are, where you're from or whatever - until you throw it in my face.

Unfortunately that IS the problem. Too many (like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton) feel the need to insert racism into almost any situation. Perhaps if they just shut up about it except in cases that do merit attention, it just might go away. But then, they would have nothing to gain from it and would have to find a new career.

It doesn't stop there, though. As a recent case at the University of Delaware showed, this need for self-flagellation for our sins (see my Thanksgiving post also) that pervades the liberal/progressive movement is actually manifesting itself in ideological reeducation in schools:

After an intense campaign led by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), the University of Delaware has dropped an ideological reeducation program that was referred to in the university’s own materials as a “treatment” for students’ incorrect attitudes and beliefs. The program’s stated goal was for the approximately 7,000 students in Delaware’s residence halls to adopt highly specific university-approved views on politics, race, sexuality, sociology, moral philosophy, and environmentalism. Following FIRE’s campaign, which called the attention of the national media and the blogosphere to the Orwellian program, university President Patrick Harker terminated the program, effective immediately.

A few Excerpts from University of Delaware Office of Residence Life Diversity Facilitation Training:

“A RACIST: A racist is one who is both privileged and socialized on the basis of race by a white supremacist (racist) system. The term applies to all white people (i.e., people of European descent) living in the United States, regardless of class, gender, religion, culture or sexuality. By this definition, people of color cannot be racists, because as peoples within the U.S. system, they do not have the power to back up their prejudices, hostilities, or acts of discrimination. (This does not deny the existence of such prejudices, hostilities, acts of rage or discrimination.)" - Page 3

-----

“REVERSE RACISM: A term created and used by white people to deny their white privilege. Those in denial use the term reverse racism to refer to hostile behavior by people of color toward whites, and to affirmative action policies, which allegedly give 'preferential treatment' to people of color over whites. In the U.S. there is no such thing as 'reverse racism.'" - Page 3

-----

“A NON-RACIST: A non-term. The term was created by whites to deny responsibility for systemic racism, to maintain an aura of innocence in the face of racial oppression, and to shift responsibility for that oppression from whites to people of color (called "blaming the victim"). Responsibility for perpetuating and legitimizing a racist system rests both on those who actively maintain it, and on those who refuse to challenge it. Silence is consent." - Page 3

-----

"Have you ever heard a well-meaning white person say, 'I'm not a member of any race except the human race?' What she usually means by this statement is that she doesn't want to perpetuate racial categories by acknowledging that she is white. This is an evasion of responsibility for her participation in a system based on supremacy for white people." - Page 8

-----

"The notion of indigenous people as more akin to animals than human beings is at the basis of U.S. policy toward Native Americans. In 1784 George Washington, famous Indian fighter, large landholder and slave owner, advised the Continental Congress that it would be cheaper for the new nation to buy up Indian land than to make war on Indian people for the land. If you make war, Washington cautioned, 'the savage as the wolf' - both wild beasts of the forest - will retreat for awhile and then come back to attack you. Washington's metaphor stuck. The young U.S. nation-state, and all sectors of European- American; began to view the Native American as a wild animal." - Page 10

So you see, there are actually educators that believe the term racist "applies to all white people (i.e., people of European descent) living in the United States." Thankfully, the University of Delaware caved and did what was right - but that's just one down.

[anon699]

I think it's real sad.. I posted a question about racism and prejudice against race, culture, AND religion and almost every answer came out geared towards the N word. Seriously? What about the prejudice about what people believe? Like how atheists dislike christians.. ect. Come on. Honestly I feel that everyone should believe what they want to believe and stop dissing someone else's religion just because they don't believe the same thing. Furthermore, not all people who believe in islam is a freakin terrorist. To some of them, it is just simply what they believe. It is a religion. That's all. They're not all going to try and blow us all up. A terrorist is defined as anyone who threatens the life of anyone else intentionally

[kiki_doki]

Hello anon 699, think its important to point out that one page 1 curly ben merged two questions, yours and another, the other question was:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is something i have issues with distinguishing. I do understand that people have to respect eachothers races but the main issue i have is btwn whites and blacks. Why are blacks seemingly allowed to use the N word where if a white used it LAWSUIT??? I have nothing against whites or blacks its just that line is blurred to me..."

So all the 'N' word answers I guess are in reference to this question, I tried to address both! (",)

[anon699]

Hello anon 699, think its important to point out that one page 1 curly ben merged two questions, yours and another, the other question was:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is something i have issues with distinguishing. I do understand that people have to respect eachothers races but the main issue i have is btwn whites and blacks. Why are blacks seemingly allowed to use the N word where if a white used it LAWSUIT??? I have nothing against whites or blacks its just that line is blurred to me..."

So all the 'N' word answers i guess are in reference to this question, I tried to address both! (",)

Got you... but it's still ridiculous... why is all racism focused on whites and blacks? I'm just saying. And I'll say this to that post.. don't generalize that all black people use that word, or feel that white people or any other race shouldn't use it. I couldn't care less if anyone else uses that word, as long as you don't say it to hurt me or use it in an ugly or derogatory way. As for me, I will say whatever I want. I can't stand the fact that we are such a free country and little by little all of our simple rights are being taken away... like freedom of speech... sad

[BMI]

I believe the N word is so accepted among blacks because of its use in rap music. It's a profitable word for artists portraying their "hardcore" life. Nowadays, censors on music are VERY few and far between, so it's cooler to say F that N in rap than to use another word describing a black person, its sounds tougher and sells more records, that's how 50 cent marketed himself, a bad man growing up in the hood, got to sound like one too!

Also, I think it is accepted among black youth but can only be spoken by them, if your not black than it does notapply to you or you don't have the "right" to say it.

[kiki_doki]

Anon...

I would agree that racism isn't just a white/black thing. It's a culture thing also and as you pointed out, its not easy to have a beard or wear a headscarf during these times without being a terror suspect... which I DO feel is sad, very sad. But a big problem in terms of racism is black on black racism (well here in london anyway), Some West Indian black people don't like Africans and visa versa, and the whole "black people with lighter skin and lighter eyes are more attractive" and yet I find that my light skinned friends have complexes and wish they were darker... Being Bi-racial (and I'm not just talking about half black and half white, I mean, when parents belong to two different races) is difficult because you're never really one or the other and never truly accepted by either... and I'm not talking about by family I'm talking about from the cultures to which you belong.

[excon]

Tell me who's racist? I have nothing against whites or blacks its just that line is blurred to me...

Hello serenity:

Nobody.

You confuse racism with pop culture. The adults of my day couldn't see past men with long hair, just like you can't see past black people using the “N” word. When I was a kid, adults said" I don't have anything against hippies, it's just that the line (between boys and girls) is blurred.

Ok, your vision is BLURRED. So what? That's most often how popular culture is viewed from OUTSIDE. That doesn't make it racism, any more than long hair turned a boy into a girl.


excon

[NeedKarma]

Heres' the funny part in how that relates to the internet. I can sign up here and start calling excon my niggah 'cause we're black and it's OK. If I reveal at a later time that I'm actually a white girl then suddenly it's not OK. Weird eh?

[JoeCanada76]

Hmmm, interesting you bring that up NeedKarma.

[Homegirl 50]

I also don't understand the use of the N word by black people, I did not make the N word a bad word. I am an older person and lived with black people all of my younger years, and no one seemed to mind the N word, neither blacks or whites but all of a sudden it got to be a very bad word and as of yet I still do not know why.

It was a very nasty word used by whites in reference to blacks during a time when blacks were treated no better than animals. The word IMO should not be used at all. AS far as black using it, I think it is a slap in the face to all blacks born in the era and before the Civil Rights Movement, it is ignorant, but I am very offended when a white person uses it. It is disrepectful and ignorant it says to me, the derogatory meanng and attitude still applies in your mind in regards to blacks.

[Homegirl 50]

Here's' the funny part in how that relates to the Internet. I can sign up here and start calling excon my nigga 'cause we're black and it's ok. If I reveal at a later time that I'm actually a white girl then suddenly it's not ok. Weird eh?

I would not think it's OK. I would be insulted. And a white person who thinks that IMO has no clue what they are talking about.
I lived during that time, the time when we could not go to certain places or had to sit in the back of the bus, or when we could be spit on and called that and there would be no recourse. So to so trivially use the word shows ignorance of that time and how deplorable it was.
In fact to call any group of people by those kinds of names shows a lack of respect and ignorance.

[Homegirl 50]

I don't get it either - and I'm tired of being called racist simply because I'm white - or slightly tanned (and in spite the fact that not only was I the minority in school, I'm still the minority in my neighborhood). I don't care what color you are, where you're from or whatever - until you throw it in my face.

Unfortunately that IS the problem. Too many (like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton) feel the need to insert racism into almost any situation. Perhaps if they just shut up about it except in cases that do merit attention, it just might go away. But then, they would have nothing to gain from it and would have to find a new career.

.

If you think it is OK or not a problem to refer to blacks as "N" or any other group of people by derogatory terms, That is the problem. You have no respect for people.

[NeedKarma]

I would not think it's OK. I would be insulted. And a white person who thinks that IMO has no clue what they are talking about.
I lived during that time, the time when we could not go to certain places or had to sit in the back of the bus, or when we could be spit on and called that and there would be no recourse. So to so trivially use the word shows ignorance of that time and how deplorable it was.
In fact to call any group of people by those kinds of names shows a lack of respect and ignorance.

I think you missed the point I was making which is the same point as the original question: it's seems OK for blacks to call each other that, but not for a white guy to use it. No one was talking about using the term in a derogative way.

[Homegirl 50]

I think you missed the point I was making which is the same point as the original question: it's seems ok for blacks to call each other that, but not for a white guy to use it. No one was talking about using the term in a derogative way.

Because of how the word was used originally, because of the history of the word, it should not be used at all.

[excon]

it should not be used at all.

Hello Home:

In the real world, "SHOULD" doesn't happen. SHOULD happens only in the mind of dreamers and fantasizes. What HAPPENS, is what happens. To dismiss the issue as something that SHOULDN'T happen, misses the point of WHY it's happening.

Cause it's happening all over the place.

excon

[Wondergirl]

A race is sort of like a family. In my family we tease my sister about what a ditz she is or they tease me about what a smart a$$ I am, and no one thinks anything of it. But if our sils or bils or mils or even our fils start in with the same kind of teasing, all laughter shuts down and my sis or I are offended. "Blood is thicker than water," the saying goes.

I suspect blacks, especially males, using the "N" word with each other is the same thing. We with a German heritage can call each other "krauts," but those Irish-Americans or Italian-Americans had better not call us that!

[speechlesstx]

If you think it is OK or not a problem to refer to blacks as "N" or any other group of people by derogatory terms, That is the problem. You have no respect for people.

Homegirl 50, I was not addressing the use of the "N" word, I was responding to this quote by anon699:

What do people gain by being racist and prejudiced against race, religion and culture? I just really don't get it and think that as advanced as we're "supposed" to be, it's really sad that we can't get past something this trivial. Thoughts?

What do people gain by being racist? What did the University of Delaware or its students gain by attempting to indoctrinate them to believe the term racism "applies to all white people (i.e., people of European descent) living in the United States, regardless of class, gender, religion, culture or sexuality?" How does that contribute to ending racism? It doesn't, it is a flat out inexcusable, deplorable, despicable, vile, wretched, evil lie that serves no purpose other than to perpetuate racism.

Steve
P.S. I don't call blacks by the "N" word, I usually call them by name.