the "N" word for black folks?

Question

ok... why be sooo offended. the word is used in your music and literature and ya'll love it! you call each other that word as a term of endearment. so why is so wrong to say if you are white. right is right and wrong is wrong - its either ok to say or it isnt.
so, until you stop using that word yourself as black people how can you expect others to stop.
lead by example.

Answer 1

those who are respectable do not use that word. think about it, i have never heard a black lawyer, doctor, politician or any other respectable black man use that word. and it is the same scenario in every race, every race has their idiots and for the black race they stand out like a sore thumb by using that word

Answer 2

The word these days basically is equal to "guy", "man", or "dude." At least that's how *I* think of it. For example, rarely will you see girls referred to as n**gas. Only males are called this. Then there's a broader use of the word where it simply means "a black person." I think this use of the word was common during slavery, it wasn't considered offensive. Even after slavery ended, blacks still referred to each other as n*** because they were used to the word. Of course, since this word was common during slavery, some racists began to use to word to mean "slave" or "inferior person." Anyway, it's generally assumed that when a white person says it, they are trying to be rude or insult the person. That's why some people get offended. I don't buy into the whole "trying to take a bad word and make it good" idea. If that were the case, then why don't they call themselves other racist names? After all, there are numerous insulting names for people of African descent, yet n*** is the only word used. It's hard to get a group of people to stop using a word that they've been using it for so long. That would be like trying to get Australians to stop saying "mate."

Answer 3

Why is it so important for you to use it? Call it hypocrisy if or immaturity if that makes you feel better, but I think it's something you may never understand. It's the same way you can get away talking trash with your sister and calling her names, but let some strange guy talk familar about her and you don't like it. It's about familiarity, "you don't know me like that". Some people are white and they get a "pass" as it were cause they have gotten pretty close and are like "bruthas or sistas". You may not know this, but just because I'm black I do get treated differently, I've learned to accept that though and it is because of this I'm brothers with all the other black people out there. it may be a form of self imposed segration. In the long run it may not be the best thing for us, but it's one thing we have that's personal and it means a lot. so that why we get upset. It's not the word that's bad, but the how it's used.

it can also be used by us in a negetive connotation. sometimes just a black will call another black guy a "N****a" because he has forgotten where he came from. There is a lot wrapped up in the word and really if you don't know then just don't use it. it's not that hard to avoid.

Answer 4

When a person of color (specifically of African descent) uses it, it is used with power. They are taking your power over them and using it against you, much like many women do with the 'b' word. However, I think that a white person using it somehow contaminates the word. No one wants to use it if a person is using it as a derogatory term. That was why someone probably changed the meaning.
I personally have no idea; I try not to get insulted by the words of people I don't know (especially if they are so ignorant). I've never asked any of my African American friends this question though.

Answer 5

I so totally agree with you--and I'm as white as the snow. Ignore the ignorant answers that people will give--you have beliefs, stick to them!!!

There's a difference between a n****r and a n***a ... a n****r can be ANY color or race.But due to history, white people used that word to describe their african american slaves. Therefore, it can be seen as an insult when white people use it.

Until people learn to grow up and stop worrying so much about the color of their skin instead of the strength of their character, there will be n****rs everywhere.

Answer 6

because YOU'RE WHITE!!!! DUH!!!! Your ignorant ancestors made up the word to keep us down, to make us feel less than what we really were, and we flip it on you and now you want to use it?????? I think not! Lead by example huh????? Regardless to us using the word or not, the KKK, Skin Heads, and every other hate group will always use the word NI&&ER! So get over it! It's not for you or your people. Watch Rosewood and see why we HATE when that word, even in slang, come out your mouth!

Answer 7

I'm white as they come, I use the word just as any black man would, They dont like, the *** ga can kiss my white A $$. And a note on this. 7 of 12 of my best friends are black...

Answer 8

Hypocrisy. There is no other word. There is no "taking your power away" because half the time people from other races laugh at them for using it. The is no "using the A is different" because they get as offended if a non-black person says it. It's just another instance of hypocrisy and ignorance.

Answer 9

It's a word. If someone throws a fit over a word, it's just a sign of immaturity.

Answer 10

That's right. I hate to say it there seems to be an identity crisis. They don't know or can not make up their mind how they wan to be addressed. What's wrong with Black? You call the whites............. whitey. Now they want to be called African American and they are not even born in Africa. African American is a mouthful. Why can't you just be American with African roots or ancestry. ? Are we gonna call the Irish........... Irish American because of their ancestry.