"The N Word"

[Leningrad Union]

I don't understand why black people can say it without any problems, but if a non-black says it, it's racist. America is so confusing sometimes.

As I previously said, the same reason my grandma calls me whitey as an endearmeant but if a person of color uses it, they are probably meaning they judge me based on my skin color.

Or why LGBT people can call each other homophobic slurs as a re-appropriation but if it's used by non-friendly straight people they probably are using a derogatory term as if it was all OK.

I am not a proponent of such usage but I can understand why African-Americans would think this double standard is ok. Either way, we shouldn't use it.

Hey whitey, what's up?

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

As I previously said, the same reason my grandma calls me whitey as an endearmeant but if a person of color uses it, they are probably meaning they judge me based on my skin color.

Or why LGBT people can call each other homophobic slurs as a re-appropriation but if it's used by non-friendly straight people they probably are using a derogatory term as if it was all OK.

I am not a proponent of such usage but I can understand why African-Americans would think this double standard is ok. Either way, we shouldn't use it.

Hey whitey, what's up?

This doesn't affect me negatively because, even though I'm quite tanned out of Brazil, I would think it POSITIVE to be pale as I find pale white skin attractive.

Also, if people derogatorily call a mixed-race low income/wealth carioca whitey, they probably really have a business against white people of all sorts...

[Datfilwen Nogurfen]

...Or at least, it would be important to make exceptions. Now days since the internet is domined by American political correctness, meaningless expressions from my context, make me look like a bigot because of american bigotry.

I mean, here in this country, people in the street that want to approach you, will more often than not, refer to you from your body built, your age, your skin color... "hey thin guy, could you help with this address?", "hey brown dude, could you tell my what hour is it?", mothers may refer to their kids as "their little chubby thing", "black, blacky, blondie, "russian", brown, whitey, fatty, little guy, thin dude" are commonly used friendly terms (or rather, their spanish equivalent).

...But I've been banned for quoting Denzel Washington in the internet. And not because some black dude felt insulted, because either in society or in the internet, they don't seem to care at all, at least I have been so far able to use even the "nigger" word without problem, and they didn't seemed to suffer the slightest bit when they refer to me as such, neither in Brazil, nor in the US, nor in France. But using the word among whites in the last two locations deserves you a crucifixion.

[Leningrad Union]

Hey whitey, what's up?

This doesn't affect me negatively because, even though I'm quite tanned out of Brazil, I would think it POSITIVE to be pale as I find pale white skin attractive.

Also, if people derogatorily call a mixed-race low income/wealth carioca whitey, they probably really have a business against white people of all sorts...

I like white skin too.

[Nazis in Space]

Relevant.

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

...Or at least, it would be important to make exceptions. Now days since the internet is domined by American political correctness, meaningless expressions from my context, make me look like a bigot because of american bigotry.

I mean, here in this country, people in the street that want to approach you, will more often than not, refer to you from your body built, your age, your skin color... "hey thin guy, could you help with this address?", "hey brown dude, could you tell my what hour is it?", mothers may refer to their kids as "their little chubby thing", "black, blacky, blondie, "russian", brown, whitey, fatty, little guy, thin dude" are commonly used friendly terms (or rather, their spanish equivalent).

...But I've been banned for quoting Denzel Washington in the internet. And not because some black dude felt insulted, because either in society or in the internet, they don't seem to care at all, at least I have been so far able to use even the "nigger" word without problem, and they didn't seemed to suffer the slightest bit when they refer to me as such, neither in Brazil, nor in the US, nor in France. But using the word among whites in the last two locations deserves you a crucifixion.

Not really knowledgeable about your personal experience, but I think it is different calling your close friends something with their consent, from referring to people at large.

For example, I don't care if my close friends refer to me as their chubby or their Free Willy or their fag or their 'gilette' (slang/slur for bisexuals in Brazil, because we "cut at both sides"), but if people say 'whales' instead of fat people or 'faggots' instead of LGBTTQRSTUVWXYZ people it will mean something really offensive for some even if you don't mean it, because it is rather obvious how it breaks politeness rules.

[Datfilwen Nogurfen]

...Or at least, it would be important to make exceptions. Now days since the internet is domined by American political correctness, meaningless expressions from my context, make me look like a bigot because of american bigotry.

I mean, here in this country, people in the street that want to approach you, will more often than not, refer to you from your body built, your age, your skin color... "hey thin guy, could you help with this address?", "hey brown dude, could you tell my what hour is it?", mothers may refer to their kids as "their little chubby thing", "black, blacky, blondie, "russian", brown, whitey, fatty, little guy, thin dude" are commonly used friendly terms (or rather, their spanish equivalent).

...But I've been banned for quoting Denzel Washington in the internet. And not because some black dude felt insulted, because either in society or in the internet, they don't seem to care at all, at least I have been so far able to use even the "nigger" word without problem, and they didn't seemed to suffer the slightest bit when they refer to me as such, neither in Brazil, nor in the US, nor in France. But using the word among whites in the last two locations deserves you a crucifixion.

Not really knowledgeable about your personal experience, but I think it is different calling your close friends something with their consent, from referring to people at large.

For example, I don't care if my close friends refer to me as their chubby or their Free Willy or their fag or their 'gilette' (slang/slur for bisexuals in Brazil, because we "cut at both sides"), but if people say 'whales' instead of fat people or 'faggots' instead of LGBTTQRSTUVWXYZ people it will mean something really offensive for some even if you don't mean it, because it is rather obvious how it breaks politeness rules.

For what regard words regarding melanin or morphology, you have to hear negrinho, mulatto, negro, pardo and relatives pretty often.

Btw, the first list is valid for Chile, that's the country I was referring to with... "In this country".

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

For what regard words regarding melanin or morphology, you have to hear negrinho, mulatto (sic), negro, pardo and relatives pretty often.

Btw, the first list is valid for Chile, that's the country I was referring to with... "In this country".

People offended by negro and mulato in Brazil are more stupid than those offended when we refer to them by você instead of o senhor. -_-

[Benuty]

It is hardly offensive.

[Diesel Nation]

Black people call white folks "crackers" and other names towards the the white race so I think it's okay to call them niggers, most of them act like are better than everyone anyways.

[Hornesia]

[All content removed due to excessive profanity/racist comments]

[Regnum Dominae]

Black people call white folks "crackers" and other names towards the the white race so I think it's okay to call them niggers, most of them act like are better than everyone anyways.

Two wrongs don't make a right, and revenge mentality never gets anyone anywhere.

[Creativalsia]

I'm white. I don't use the word. And I also think white people telling black people to not use the word themselves is almost as racist as white people using the word. How fucking condescending. If black people want to have a discourse among themselves about whether the word can be reclaimed or whether it should not be used at all, that's their business, not mine.

This^

[Yumyumsuppertime]

I'm white. I don't use the word. And I also think white people telling black people to not use the word themselves is almost as racist as white people using the word. How fucking condescending. If black people want to have a discourse among themselves about whether the word can be reclaimed or whether it should not be used at all, that's their business, not mine.

This^

Sums it up quite elegantly, doesn't it?

[The Steel Magnolia]

Black people call white folks "crackers" and other names towards the the white race so I think it's okay to call them niggers, most of them act like are better than everyone anyways.

Two wrongs don't make a right, and revenge mentality never gets anyone anywhere.

Forgive me if I don't think "cracker" is a great wrong.

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

One thing that amuses me, is that the white rapper Eminem is basically prohibited from saying the word "nigger". Various black rappers (I can't remember their names) have criticized this unwritten rule regarding white rappers unable to ray nigger."

Not very relevent, but I thought it was interesting.

[Condunum]

It is hardly offensive.

Would you like to share your insight on the objective measurement of offensiveness?

[IamJohnGalt]

Freedom of speech...use it if you want to. But, remember that the offended have freedom of speech also. Having the freedom to do something does't mean the obligation to do it. As for blacks or whites saying it and in whatever "spelling" for its less offensive meaning...who cares!

[IamJohnGalt]

I'm white. I don't use the word. And I also think white people telling black people to not use the word themselves is almost as racist as white people using the word. How fucking condescending. If black people want to have a discourse among themselves about whether the word can be reclaimed or whether it should not be used at all, that's their business, not mine.

What if white people want to have a discourse among themselves about whether the word can be reclaimed or whether it can be used? Is that their business or yours?

[The Steel Magnolia]

I'm white. I don't use the word. And I also think white people telling black people to not use the word themselves is almost as racist as white people using the word. How fucking condescending. If black people want to have a discourse among themselves about whether the word can be reclaimed or whether it should not be used at all, that's their business, not mine.

What if white people want to have a discourse among themselves about whether the word can be reclaimed or whether it can be used? Is that their business or yours?

I can't imagine why white people would have to have that discourse in the first place.

[Trollgaard]

What if white people want to have a discourse among themselves about whether the word can be reclaimed or whether it can be used? Is that their business or yours?

I can't imagine why white people would have to have that discourse in the first place.

Seriously. Its a word. People can use it if they want to.

[Ancient Magmia]

Yes, I am talking about the racial slur. What do you think about the word?

I think it's disturbing, like any other racial/ethnic slur.

Offensive or not? Racist or accepting?

Of course it's offensive, and it is indeed racist.

I think it is a stupid word that is mostly used by black people themselves and racist white southerners. The only way to kill the word is for some people to stop being racist and for rappers to stop using it to describe their "people." (I'm trying so hard not to sound racist right now.) I have noticed that it has split up into two different words, one ending with "ah" or "a" and the other ending with "er." The first word seems to be more benign, but still considered racist if a white person says it. Now you know my opinion, what do you think?

I just find it odd that some Black people use it to refer to friends or whatever. Considering the fact that this is a word that we were labeled with by people who enslaved and segregated us (and is still used by racists), I don't understand why we would be referring to each other by that word. It confuses me more than anything else

I couldn't care less about the difference in spelling either, it's the same freaking thing.

[Mushet]

It is hardly offensive.

Maybe that's your opinion

[Mushet]

Black people call white folks "crackers" and other names towards the the white race so I think it's okay to call them niggers, most of them act like are better than everyone anyways.

*cough* racist *cough*

[Mushet]

I can't imagine why white people would have to have that discourse in the first place.

Seriously. Its a word. People can use it if they want to.

Who in this thread is advocating the legal banning of that word or the banning of white people from saying it? It can just have social consequences is all.