Why do white people not get the concept to not say the N word under any circumstance? (more in details)?

Question

I always hear "Why cant we say it if they say it "..BUT...i hear "cracker" used alot in the white community..so i can easily use the same excuse..but i already know how it feels cause im smart enough and i know how the N word affects my race. Sooo..i just wanna know whats up. Speak your mind

Answer 1

I am white, and I am offended by the "N" word too! I think only trash uses that word no matter what their race is.

Answer 2

In today's society people look for reasons to be offended by nothing more than words. I am sick and tired of it. The world is falling all over itself to become as PC as possible and not offend someone. We should all be able to talk to each other and not be offended by mere words. No black and I use that term since we are all Americans and not African-Americans or European-Americans or Latin-Americans is or has been a slave and should not be bringing up what happened 200 years ago. It was a tragic time that any man would be a slave to another but that is the past. I did not live then and neither did you. I do not get offended by the word cracker because I do not look for reasons to be offended. I am a big boy and I can take whatever someone calls me without getting mad or having my feelings hurt. Having said all of this if I want to use the "N word" it is my right to use it since we have freedom of speech and the word is not illegal to say. The term to me is not race sensitive. To me it means someone who is lazy, worthless, and trashy. I know many whites that fit this category. I don't feel that just because you are black that you can use the term freely and not expect others to use it as well. Stop looking for reasons to be offended and grow up.

Answer 3

The people who use it and try to say it's not hurtful did not grow up in a time where it was used as a matter of course by white people to 'keep' blacks in their place. The use of this word has been made popular by rappers and comedians who either did not know any better or used it meaning for it to only be used with each other. Only a person who has never had to worry about discrimination could say 'but if you use it why can't I?' Because YOU CAN'T. If you are male you can't have a menstrual period can you? Would you want to? NO! SO DON'T DO IT!!

I am speaking as an adult old enough to witness a younger white sales person call my 50 year old mother 'girl' while she was shopping in a department store. I am speaking as an adult who was called a 'n***** b***h' in a dorm elevator along with a friend of mine by a group of white girls surrounding us who thought it was entertaining to attempt to intimidate us. I am speaking as someone who has to tell my 17 year old Black male child every day that while he is as good as anyone else, he has try harder, do more, do it better, do it faster, just to get even as much as someone who is born and raised to think they are entitled to a good living as a matter of course.

And yes, calling people White trash is just as offensive and I don't use that either for the very same reason. The use is disgusting and unnecessary.

Bottom Line, DON'T SAY IT!

Answer 4

Too much is made of the term being used because of this lovely double-standard that has developed through recent years tainted by excessive political correctness.

Black kids and uneducated idiots need to stop using the term. Why don't the adults in the black community crack down on the use of derogatory terms by black kids? The vocabulary of many of the city kids is an abomination. After they get out of school, these "educated" kids use the "N" word on the subways of New York (among themselves) as if it were real cool to do so. It is not, and someone needs to tell them that without getting labeled with some B.S. racist label for correcting the speech of a black kid.

Got to love that double-standard.

Answer 5

I'm white and find the word offensive, regardless of who is saying it. Michael Richards can 'explain and apologize' all he wants. I have to believe that the "n" word is part of his vocabulary on some level and that calls his character into question.

But I have a sincere question: I understand about wanting to preserve cultures but I genuinely don't get why African-Americans continue to deliver a message wanting equality, yet they use the "n" word as a way to identify themselves (at least that's how it seems to me). I don't know of any other culture that does this. Isn't that the same as 'separate but equal'?

Do Asians, Indians, Hispanics, etc refer to themselves by some slang expression that would generate outrage if used by another ethnic group?

My heritage is Polish but I don't go around calling myself a Polack because it has a negative connotation. Can someone to explain to me why the A/A community uses the "n" word at all? Can't we just refer to them as people?

I hope someone answers ... I would really like to understand.

Answer 6

Its the distraction of racism. Along with politics, sexism, homophobia, immigration, flag burning and numerous other tools in this "Strategy of Confusion" run by the USG.

Political correctness is one of the better tools developed by the USG. With it, seemingly moral ideas become so inane they become equated with rights and freedoms, instead of being seen as the attempt to regulate thought. Use of any such language, *****r, spick, honky, guido, etc..should never be banned. Stereotypes and bias are human traits, and quite frankly make some of the best comedic material around. No matter how open minded one claims to be, we are a prejudiced society....it's written in the law, its unspoken rules at elite work places and its hidden in the backrooms of the various city, state and federal governmental entities. Sadly, instead of seeing through this smokescreen, most people get caught up.

These tools are there to prevent us from asking: Why are the elite wealthy continually "elected" as representatives of a majority of people who are NEITHER WEALTHY NOR ELITE? With that simple question, strife can enter the system quicker than no-bid contracts get awarded to Haliburton. Once we realize that both democraps and repukelicans are part of the problem, then we can begin to locate a solution.

Answer 7

My mom and dad always told me that sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me, I think some people are to sensitive about that word, it is after all just when you boil it down a word. I have been called some pretty rough stuff. I survived. I do not see the issue here. Maybe I am just a tad insensitive here but I really do not care what you call me as long as you call me for dinner and by god I better get a piece of that sweet potato pie.

Answer 8

I think that people get too touchy at words. Some people get angry at profanity. It is the same concept. Blacks get really offended at that word. I don't know if it roots back to the slavery thing or what, but I know they get mad.

As far as I am concerned, not all black people are the N word. Alot of white people are the N word. That word to me means an ignorant person, a stupid, trashy person. If you don't see yourself as a N*****, why would it make you mad for me to call you one?

Answer 9

I think it's more the manner in which it is used that offends you, more than the word being used by a person not of color. The word should be offensive, wether used by a black or white person. As should any word deemed racially derogitory. I personally beleive it sounds worse coming from a black person, because of the history behind the word. Why would anyone deliberately demean their own race, except as a show of their ignorance.

Answer 10

i dont know why that word is so bad, its just a word.?? So is that just like calling white people white trash/? is that offensive? ahaha well i dont give a rats *** about racist people anyways.. u could always tell how a parent is by taking a look at their children lol im way off topic lol

Answer 11

I think that people need to realize that words are just letters arranged to form sounds. What you need to figure out is what people mean to communicate when they say something. I could demonize the word "Cheese" if I meant it in an evil way.