What do you think of the usage of the N word?

Answer 1

To be honest with you, I do not understand why that is racist, mainly because of two reasons: one, they use it all the time on themselves, and two, I am a native Spanish speaker and in Spanish ***** Means Black. So I don't know what the big deal is! It's like you got offended for being called "White" or "Anglo".

Answer 2

there are lots of words that start with the letter "N". personally i think the word is harmless. the more you use a word the less power it has. why is it that white people can be called "crackers" or "honkies" and it be ok? because television has made jokes out of the words and they have no power. why is it that black people can call each other n_ggers but if a white person uses the word it is racist? it is not a racist word and never has been. growing up in the south you hear lots of elderly people use the word and they are not racist at all. they just grew up in a time where it was used frequently and had no racial meaning to it. elderly black people that live out in the boondocks and in the rural areas use the word n_gger in context as to describe themselves or their family and friends and the word has comic meanings to it. i say people need to stop the whining and accept a word for what it is, and not what people have made it into over the last few years.
an example of what i am talking about is right here. i had to go back and edit the words by using an underline in place of a letter because Yahoo treated them like swear words and they showed up as asterisks.

Answer 3

If it's just a word then why is it wrong to STOP using it?It's not a GOOD word.It doesn't do anything GOOD for anyone except racist and even then it's just a word racist use to make themselves feel better and others to feel bad.Why should this word still be used?It's from hundreds of years ago.You don't see people going around saying your a libertine or a scoundrel.These words are outdated.I sure wish the N word would become outdated.Wise up world.This word Sucks.

Answer 4

Personally,I see what some African-Americans are trying to do and turn it into a word of endearment but as long as we are using it other people will have the notation that it is ok to use it.I think that we should not use the word at all.We don't use any other derogatory words for other groups.

This is for Rebecca.I understand what you are saying but it is not the same.***** in Spanish is the color black but the n-word in English is not the color black.The color black in English is black.And originally the n-word meant an ignorant person of the opposite race, so anyone can be a n*****.But as time went on people started to use it to refer to only blacks. Like I have been called negrita and was not offended b/c I know that *****/negra means black and if someone wants to call me negra in English they call me black and not the n-word.

Answer 5

not one of these kids will EVER be in a situation where they have a demon with hate in their eyes calling them this word. There is nothing uglier. So they don't understand. I don't buy that we can change the use of it. However, i will admit that with the advent of it, it numbs the effect of racist whites when they use it. But still, its derogatory. words like rebel can change because the definition didn't- we just decided that rebel was a good thing. But i can't see us deciding that something that is only a derogatory name for blacks and dark skinned people can be used flipped around. but if it can, I'd be happy for it.

Edit: if you really are trying to change the meaning, you have to let whites and other groups use it. if not, you're showing that you still understand the power of the word, and that it does have some effect for you. And then in that case, you're just putting one another down by using it

Answer 6

It is just an adjective to describe someone that is bad for whatever reason. Just like the words' white trash' is used. I don't find that offensive...because it does fit some people. And why is it no one is allowed to use the N word excpet blacks? Isn't that being racist?

Answer 7

it is a in-group/out-group things.
if you are a member of the group you can use it
with other members of the group.
it is not genteel to say it if you are not in the group
or if you are around people who are not in the group

sort of like if you had women they might call each
other "the girls" but it would not be ok for men at
work to call them that or they would not refer to
themseleves as "the girls" in front of men in a
professional environment.

socially people can say what they want.
i feel if whites say this words they are generally declaring themselves racist, saying they believe that blacks are
inferior.

Answer 8

I think it has too much power in this country, but I do realize that people take it personal so I choose not to use it

Answer 9

I think it's just a word, and people give it to much power.

Answer 10

Shouldn't be used---too much history attached to it