2007-03-11 15:24:21 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
It's not okay for black people to say it either. It's degrading.
2007-03-11 15:27:24 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
ok this is the last answer of the night.
i will keep it short because the answer is much longer than i can write.
think of it as an in-group out-group issue.
people outside a group cannot say pejorative things about the group, but people inside can to each other.
for example, i may refer to my professional women friends as "the girls" but it's not ok for male managers to call us that.
the n word has historically been used by whites to hurt and harm and put down blacks. that is how whites have used it.
blacks claimed the word and use it an intimate way.
just like gays can use the word 'queer' but if you're not gay you wuold never call a gay person that.
basically it's a matter of offense. blacks are sometimes not offended by use of the word when used by other blacks (although it's controversial and some blacks really think it's not ok and are offended when blacks use it). however when whites use it the name is being called to ANOTHER group, not theirs. in other words you are calling someone else a name, not yourself,not your own group.
in jr high i knew a polish guy who called himself a polack.
but i still knew i couldn't go around calling polish people that. only he has that right since he is one.
sorry i am out of time but could go onforever.
2007-03-11 15:32:13 · answer #2 · answered by Sufi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who gave you those rules?
Why did you say black people?
Why did you say white people?
Don't you know you can not say anything in this Country anymore with out getting killed or sued!!!
You had better take it back or some organization is going to be after you!!!
Not me or mine but it will happen!
By the way, I am orange toned with a bit of brown (because of the freckles) my hair is very red with blond tints (naturally). My ancestry has Irish, German, African, Native American and Swedish (I am told there are many other spoons in the soup).
Irate, hurt people do not ignore the stupid sayings of random people on the street. They embrace what they consider an insult so they have something to live for and/or fight against.
I am sure you have offended somebody and they will come after you just like they did me!!
You are not supposed to ask questions just live the life they tell you to live , trust me!!!!!
2007-03-11 15:33:43 · answer #3 · answered by LN has3 zjc 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
cos thats what white ppl used to call coloured ppl when they was in the olden days i think so i suppose its a deregatory comment but why they still call each other it lol who cares its only a word at the the end of the day u have to be a fool to take offense in the first place
2007-03-11 15:28:42 · answer #4 · answered by alan m 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For me it's stupid no matter whose mouth it's coming out of. It's not ok for anyone to use it in my mind, but you can't control any ones actions or words. To me at the end of the day we're all just people and we all want to be loved and we all have our own problems, lets just get over all the race crap and view each other as equals.
2007-03-11 15:29:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is not okay with many African Americans. Bill Cosby, for instance, has spoken out about the matter.
However, for others it is okay because it is differnet to call one's self a name (or someone like you) than for someone else to use that same derrogatory term.
For instance, fat comics often make fun of their own weight, but it just comes across as bad manners when someone else says it about them.
2007-03-11 15:28:41 · answer #6 · answered by Yinzer from Sixburgh 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YOU MUST NOT BE BLACK! WELL I AM. AND YOU KNOW I DON'T TOTALLY ARGREE WITH BLACK PEOPLE USING THAT WORD, BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT WE KNID OF BELIEVE THAT IT'S OKAY. AND IT'S NOT ONLY WHITE PEOPLE THAT SHOULDN'T SAY IT, EVEN THOUGH MOST BLACK PEOPLE ARE ONLY OFFENDED WHEN WHITE PEOPLE SAY IT. I GET MAD WHEN ANY PERSON WHO IS NOT BLACK SAYS IT! THAT WORD WAS POINTED AT OUR ANCESTORS FOR SOMETHING RUDE AND CRUEL, BUT WE ARE STRONG AND BOLD SO WE TURNED IT INTO SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CALL OUR OWN AND IT IS NOW APART OF OUR CULTURE. WE TURNED IT INTO A GREETING. YEAH IT'S WRONG , BUT WHAT ELSE WERE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?
2007-03-11 15:31:06 · answer #7 · answered by icecoldhoney_10 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Because there is no equal comeback to say to a white person. If I'm called a "cracker", I'd laugh.
2007-03-11 15:30:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You need to ask a black person that question
2007-03-11 15:27:11 · answer #9 · answered by Just ME 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They shouldn't, either, for it means they consider the word meaningless
2007-03-11 15:28:10 · answer #10 · answered by Experto Credo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋