Rant & Likely A Venting Post with Disputable Cheese (Post #62) - [Controversial]

[Questionable_Liquid]

I know, I am going to get flak for this. If you are grumpy about what I typed, then let me have it. Mods, I promise this will be the only post that I talk about this stuff. I am just frustrated about being called the N-Word.

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Just seeing people use the N-Word is upsetting enough. Doesn't matter who says it: Blacks, Whites, Browns, Mexicans, it continues. Even I get called the N-Word but I know that I don't deserve to be called this. No one deserves to be called this. Hard 'a's or 'r's, it doesn't matter.

For those who are unfamiliar with the N-Word or are not familiarized with its word history, it is basically a racial slur used against African-American slaves and Blacks alike: calling them inferior in a way.

What if a Black person says it? "Oh, he's black so it's fine." How can you say that this is fine?

If I were to call my fellow Asians "yellow-immigrated rat", would you say the same? No, because I said Yellow along with Immigrants which are highly discouraged among the public. But what if I said a made-up word that meant that exactly? "Look at that "Sloko" over there." I bet you would look at me, disgusted, but would shrug off what I said because I, an Asian, said this to his fellow people.

The word should have died with slavery, but no, it still persists. What upsets me the most is that American society accepts this and moves on to its day. I feel like we are doing something that we U.S Americans did back 200 years ago...

I don't understand this world. Why are continuing this trend...?

[feuersichel]

I think thats one of those things, that die out with time... But I bet, bad people will always find another mean word

[Tired_Spider]

Get ready for somebody who has no expertise to voice their very important opinion cause hell if I understand the full picture of this

yeah, I get where you're coming from. For me, I don't even really care and even in my friend group when it comes to that word there aren't many issues with it. It's either we get really weird and philosophical like "What was its origins and would history or political views be different if the word wasn't used" or be really weird and stupid like "haha feeling cute today, might say a bit of the word,". The only times where me and mates go "shut up," is when it's actually being used as a racial slur, kinda like how there's a difference to when you say fuck you to your mates as a joke and when you actually mean it.

And that might be one thing for it cause with changing times old words might get new meanings. Look at cap it now has two meanings, one being a hat and the other just another way to say you're lying. Hell, when friends and I started looking around at this word for the most part it has links to words that literally just mean black. I don't know I ain't got a PhD in this stuff.

[descendantsofether]

As a black male who uses the word frequently, a lot of the current use of the word (at least within the black community) is as a term of endearment. We use it in recognition as someone who is close to us. Most of the time. Some cases the word is used in a derogatory, but still lighthearted manner.

As for why we still use it? Could be a number of things. I think a lot of people in the community believe that it's a way for us to reclaim the word. Especially since we use it as a term of endearment instead of its original hateful manner.

Additionally, it shows up a lot in our media and culture ie: rap, hip-hop, and black television and movies.

Personally, I don't have an issue with it. Whether I say it or my friends do. Doesn't bother me nor does it bother most people I know including my parents and older relatives. That said, your comparison to racial slurs for the Asian community is an important point, albeit, I can't really say its looked at the same way, again, because the black community has reclaimed the word and used it as a term of endearment.

Hope this helps some.

[Questionable_Liquid]

This really does help. I appreciate your time to respond. Thank you.

[IndigoShirtProd]

You know, as a black person, I have my own qualms about the word. I don't have much of a issue with it in case of black people reclaiming it to be a term of endearment like @descendantsofether said, but also with it still in modern lexicon, people who want to use it derogatorily will continue to exist. I hope eventually the word can be lost to time, though that likely won't be for another few hundred years.

What if a Black person says it? "Oh, he's black so it's fine." How can you say that this is fine?

I can understand your frustration, but the black community as a whole, aren't even decided on this issue. People are going to deal with the implications differently. Regardless of that, and unfortunately in a sense, there is comradery in the word. Those who know, know. And those on the outside were the one who put upon us the idea that we are no more than the color of our skin. Black people, specifically american black people who have history in the country (plus this is where the word rose to prominence) know that there's more to them than the color of their skin but also in many ways the only thing that connects them is the shared experiences that their skin tone brings.

[Questionable_Liquid]

Thank you for spending your time to help me understand even further.

[system]

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