this question is not meant to offend?

Question

but why do some blacks refer to each other as ******* and the use it in a way not to offend each other? the history of the word is not good as we all know but it is now used for a term of inderment or insult depending on who you are? can a white person ever use the word without causing offence?
BEFORE PEOPLE GO MAD I DONT LIKE THE WORD
im courious about it

Answer 1

The old story - one rule for them........etc

Answer 2

There must be lots of reasons that I will never know.

I am gay and live in a society where we were in many instances called MOFFIES (Derogatory term for gays). Many gays subsequently started calling THEMSELVES MOFFIES as a form of empowerment. Baisally arguing that if that is what we call ourselves, then it is not an insult anymotre but a badge of honour. Does not make a LOT of sense, but explains a bit why some groups can use terms about themselves that is considered rude/derogatory if someone outside the group uses it.

I do however believe it is WRONG to use these words, since it keeps the words, and the hate assoxciated with it alive.

Answer 3

I would imagine it all goes back to the slave industry, when the owners used to use the word constantly and in a hateful, derisive way. You can't blame the African community for disliking the word when we use it.

As for accepting it from their own countrymen, I would think that probably it is used as a sort of joke, a jibe against the slavemasters of old.

I wouldn't take offence at it. In fact, I feel rather badly about the way they were treated all those years ago, and I too hate the word.

Answer 4

Thanks for asking this question. I have always wondered that myself. Many years ago, while the "n" word was still in some usage, it seemed to mean, "someone whom it was socially acceptable to abuse". This was probably a hold-over from an earlier era where certain social and economic classes of people were thought of as defective in some way, usually morally or spiritually, and thus, the legitimate targets of those who felt superior to them. It has since grown to be used by those who would otherwise be its victims, as a way to become empowered over the fear and the memories of those former times.

As I was taught, it is not acceptable to abuse anyone, either physically or verbally, or any other way, because such behavior is not part of being civilized.

Answer 5

As a black man i can tell you it's bad who ever says it .And the only black people i here using it ,is black people from America.I'm not saying that they all do.I don't hear black people in England Africa or when i go to the West Indies use it .No one who really understand the deep feeling of hatred and disgust that word brings would use it in any way.A white guy said it to me once.I replied that his mother didn't think so when i was riding her .he didn't like my answer so we got into a fight .lucky for us there were people around that knew both of us and parted us .when it was asked what we were fighting about .He said insulted his mother .I told him what he called me was worst than that .But he would not be able to understand..I tried to explain that there is some things depending on who we are we cannot understand it..It's like this If a woman is raped .As men we can feel and have all the love and sympathy in the world for her .But only another woman can truly understand how she feels .I'm not saying being raped and being called a word is the same .Just the understanding part i'm trying to put across.

Answer 6

Probably becase they hear it used on themselves so much it has become a word they can identify with. And as such have adopted it into something they can use amongst each other without offence.

And... why would a "white person" (I dont like this, black and white disparity going on here) want to use such a word if there was no intention to offend? Food for thought

Answer 7

No white people can never use it, it is just abusive. It was used by some white people during slavery and afterwards as a derogatory term and remains the same whenever used by a white person.

Black culture, especially Rap culture uses it as an almost tongue-in-cheek way of an endearment. Personally I still don't like it, but it is nevertheless acceptable.

Answer 8

i think it is used to mean a useless, scheming black person? i live in a town in england and a lot of white people actually use it against each other as well. for example i have seen 2 white people saying 'wassup ******?!' as a form of greeting to each other. kind of as a joke?! it can also be used as an insult between two white people as well my white mate got called a ****** by another white man in a club and he got really wound up and was ready to hit the bloke cos basically they just see it as an insult. having connotations of sneaky poor people i think. not that i think this of black people obviously everyone should be judged as an individual and i have never used it as an insult, gretting or anything!

Answer 9

The word comes from Negro or a person who comes from Niger or Nigeria. INowadays we say "Nigerian". The word itself isn't offensive. However, people's attitudes are and what can be said by one person as a term of affection, can be viewed as offensive. I don't believe that any white person can call another person that name. It is similar to the word "bastard". Who cares if your parents weren't married?
Artificial barriers make problems - if you tell someone that name is offensive, it is offensive. People don't think it through, but then probably, most people who call others those names, mean to be offensive!

Answer 10

It's always different when it comes from within the community. For example, as a Scot I can joke with my friends about how bad our football team is; but if an outsider (Englishman) makes fun of our team, we will get very upset and angry. It's all about the differenct connotations and context. So no, white people can't use the term without causing offence, even even black people can.

Answer 11

We don't all use that word i live in the UK
America seems to be a whole other place the only time i hear that word is when i watch an American music channel or TV show.
only the un educated use that word.