Depending on the contexts of how you use it. It does hold racial intent.

Oh your Celticness made my Euroness laugh. Because how dare we not lump ourselves together. How dare we identify ourselves by a different culture, languages, traditions, rituals & food.

I am never going to approve of white people referring to black people as ******, even when they are the best of friends, and there is a loving understanding. Nothing positive ever comes out of that word as far as I see, UNLESS its being used strategically to teach something in an artistic or educational setting.

I am never confused about why some white people fight for the right to call black people ******. While I VEHEMENTLY disapprove of that practice, I see it as a nasty by-product of a very shameful racist history,(which still exists to a lesser degree today), and should be continually addressed and STOPPED when detected.

What confuses the hell out of me is this...

Why do BLACK people, who have been direct victims of that word (and the nauseating history it invokes) , want to argue for the right to use it on each other, as a term of endearment??????

WHAT IS IT about that particular word, that we perceive as so soul-binding and heart-warming that we want to monopolise it, and wield it as an expression of brotherhood?

Can you give your take on this Ms. H?

what difference does it make now?

It holds racial intent anyway you use it I'm afraid

I am completely color blind so I would never use such a vile, useless word

I don't like that word no matter who says it. It is a vile word IMO. Many black friends even tell other black people that it is a disgraceful word and belittles people

Can you give your take on this Ms. H?


certainly , I can


firstly, historically, niger was latin and not offensive, white people TURNED its meaning offensive,, they decided to use it not as a simple adjective but as a term of inferiority and subhumanity

this history with whites makes that word rarely ever a term meant as anything but derogatory coming from their decedants

with the exception of those that grow up amongst impoverished black people, who grow up as a member of that same type of 'inferior' impoverished status,, those that slaveowners and bigots would call ni&&a lovers



because white americans history was to use the word as a slam to our alleged subhumanity does not dictate how we have to use it


it is a form of both rebellion(using something for our own purpose without permission from anyone) and recognition of a common ancestry or status but not a validation that the status is inferior to anyone else

some whites, growing up with blacks, in similar conditions and in similar contempt , who have deep bonds with those blacks can be given 'permission' (unspoken) to use the same vernacular in the same context,,,


there is no one in my immediate family who use the term, but I was married to the love of my life who came from an impoverished and 'urban' life,, though many of his elders had come far in life and were accomplished, and in his family the word in closed circles was far from some banned monster,,,,,but the CONTEXT in which it was used was nothing like how slavemasters and bigots chose to use it

so, I rethought a lot of what I was taught about how vile it was,, I rethought what I learned in kindergarten and first grade about the significance of context and I began to understand that the word alone was no different in its ability to adapt and change in context like any other word in our language


And though I still had no desire to use it, I stopped feeling 'offense' when other people used it in a new context, created and owned by the same impoverished and 'inferior' folks who were historically owned themselves

something black people could determine for themselves, use the way they decided, without needing anyones permission

"what difference does it make now?" Well... Apparently we HAVE to continuously talk about it in an educational way as long as the race subject (or religion) is not raised by any so called white American (because that is hateful), & we must keep talking about it until these white people see themselves as ONE privleged group that is a disgrace.( which will never happen) the blame & shame game will continue. Then we can go back to blaming the Dutch for buying slaves & then 300+ to Africans selling Africans & use the shame & blame game on them until they kiss American as*... Because we are victims. Hhhhaa

lol

no one makes anyone participate in any thread or talk about anything,,,

no one here HAS to talk about anything,,,,,

I think I get what you are saying Ms. H. If I understand you correctly, you are addressing the issue of our rights and liberties as citizens.

But shouldn't the exercising of liberties be accompanied by the practice of wisdom, and responsibility?

I have the right to wear all the diamond bracelets I own on my wrist at 2 o clock in the morning, in my neighbourhood .

Its MY jewelry.

It's MY wrist.

Its MY neighbourhood

But is it wise for me to exercise that particular liberty in that particular way?

And doesn't the choice to exercise that liberty in that way increase the likelihood of bringing harm to myself?

People in theory should have the right to call their loved ones whatever they want once it is mutually sanctioned, but is it wise or worthwhile to exercise this right, when it PERPETUALLY reinforces undertones of racial oppression, polarisation and disrespect?

What do black people feel they stand to lose if they discontinue the usage of that word?

peggy,,


they stand to lose power,, power to have part of their language be their own, not dictated by others

that power is undeniable when we even observe how many whites get up in arms that blacks are doing something they cant do without criticism

if its so 'offensive' why would there be any complaint?

I don't want to say the b word(female dog) and I have heard females refer to each other that way

know what? It doesn't offend me if that's a word they want to use with each other,, doesn't feel unfair,, I don't even think about it


cause its not something I want to do,, others wanting to or chosing to with each other,, doesn't make me the least upset


so why so upset when blacks say ni&&a , if one doesn't want to use it they don't have to, and if they find it so offensive, the choice to not use it,, is theirs

no problems

The Irony is thick on this one MsH, some people are bothered by the subject matter of racism, The irony is that it's coming from some who, for some really bizarre reason, object to the repeated discussions on black racism? Why? Is it cutting into "their time"? Are they annoyed at the continued struggle of the black folks in America?

Truth of the matter, that a white catholic boy like me is frowned upon when he calls a Jew, a Jew should be a eye opener on some perceptions of derogatory terms. Jew, being a abbreviated term for a Jewish person becomes an offensive verbal attack on the whole Jewish community it seems.
Another that comes to mind is Paki, short for Pakistani. They hate it so why would I use it in my vocabulary?

Last, those who struggle with their own racial/cultural identity as well as those who have never experienced such struggles, should NOT criticize anyone about THEIR social issues, just sayin

truth is, people can use language however they wish

some words, that have no inherent or historically negative context can offend people'

for instance 'honey', makes many womens blood boil

so if I meet such a woman, I don't need to understand why it offends her, I just need to respect it and attempt my best to not use the word''

and if I later hear her husband call her honey, or her colleagues or her friends or her kids or other relatives or her neighbors

, I have no reason to feel offense or lecture him about why he shouldn't or lecture her about why it should be ok for him and not me

for whatever reason, when I say it,, she feels as if I am being offensive,, end of that story





people have their experiences and reasons to feel 'offended', and that should be the end of it


so if blacks feel offended (because of racial history) when whites call them ni&&a,, particularly those whites who claim to feel its an offensive term,,, then its noones job to console them or explain to them why they use it themselves


and its silly for them to complain that 'you use it so why cant I?

why? because it feels like an OFFENSE when you use it..thats why

just remembered,,Im thirsty

yes, because without us saying it, racists would cease to remember to,,

lol



we will stop using it, as soon as we stop any black from killing another black so that cops will stop, and right before women stop freely giving their body to men so men will stop taking their bodies when they want to,,,,,

You are saying that they should have the tight to hold on to a word that was originally theirs and you have a legitimate point.

But there is another way of looking at it too.

If someone stole one of my plates and pooped in it , I would never try to get back that plate from the pooper , wash it off and resume eating on it as I used to prior to the pooping offense.

My point is that some possessions or liberties in life that are rightfully ours , are SOMETIMES no longer worth salvaging if they have been irrevocably tarnished in sentiment or in physicality.

Secondly if black people are not prudent enough to voluntarily terminate the use of a word which subliminally only binds us on the plantation level of oppression, then we cant be offended if white people are not prudent enough to understand the traumatic effect of them using it on us.

The bigger picture for me is not about which race has the pwer or right to use a word vs those that dont.

Its about re configuring our perception of what power in uts purest sense really is.

I associate power with self- respect and a mind that is geared toward elevation.

Is there no other word that black people can collectively use to acknowledge the oppressive past that binds us but at the same time solidates us in reaching for something higher?

You are saying that they should have the right to hold on to a word that was originally theirs and you have a legitimate point.

But there is another way of looking at it too.

If someone stole one of my plates and pooped in it , I would never try to get back that plate from the pooper , wash it off and resume eating on it as I used to prior to the pooping offense.

My point is that some possessions or liberties in life that are rightfully ours , are SOMETIMES no longer worth salvaging if they have been irrevocably tarnished in sentiment or in physicality.

Secondly if black people are not prudent enough to voluntarily terminate the use of a word which subliminally only binds us on the plantation level of oppression, then we cant be offended if white people are not prudent enough to understand the traumatic effect of them using it on us.

The bigger picture for me is not about which race has the pwer or right to use a word vs those that dont.

Its about re configuring our perception of what power in uts purest sense really is.

I associate power with self- respect and a mind that is geared toward elevation.

Is there no other word that black people can collectively use to acknowledge the oppressive past that binds us but at the same time solidates us in reaching for something higher?

We have the power to create a NEW word to celebrate our triumphs and embody the higher place that we are striving to be.

Thats the kind of power I want our people to embrace.

You are saying that they should have the tight to hold on to a word that was originally theirs and you have a legitimate point.

But there is another way of looking at it too.

If someone stole one of my plates and pooped in it , I would never try to get back that plate from the pooper , wash it off and resume eating on it as I used to prior to the pooping offense.

My point is that some possessions or liberties in life that are rightfully ours , are SOMETIMES no longer worth salvaging if they have been irrevocably tarnished in sentiment or in physicality.

Secondly if black people are not prudent enough to voluntarily terminate the use of a word which subliminally only binds us on the plantation level of oppression, then we cant be offended if white people are not prudent enough to understand the traumatic effect of them using it on us.

The bigger picture for me is not about which race has the pwer or right to use a word vs those that dont.

Its about re configuring our perception of what power in uts purest sense really is.

I associate power with self- respect and a mind that is geared toward elevation.

Is there no other word that black people can collectively use to acknowledge the oppressive past that binds us but at the same time solidates us in reaching for something higher?

We have the power to create a NEW word to celebrate our triumphs and embody the higher place that we are striving to be.

Thats the kind of power I want our people to embrace.

well, the only new word that's been created in my lifetime is jiggy

beyond that, its the words already in play that are constantly being redefined and broadened in their context


I think its amazing, because it is a word, and not something I eat out of that has actual potential physical harm,,,lol

for it to come from a neutral place and have one race make it something 'dirty' and then the people who it was used against to take it from that vernacular and redefine it between themselves,,,


its amazing how language evolves that way, and for me, this word is no different in its capacity to do the same