Do You? You know use that word!

[Chelle B 0]

Do you use or have you used the "N" word? What are your feelings on racism, and racial slurs and words? The poll is anonymous so answer truthfully, please.

Never! It is an evil word...

[green 6]

I was once of those who voted never. Up here in Canada the N-bomb has always been considered a racist term which was used in the American south. Now our Black kids use the term amongst each other but it is still off-limits for everyone else. This makes sense to me.

(I do, however, use the C-word from time to time. :heh:)

[j_war06 0]

I disagree, ask any of my black girlfriends if they would rather be called the "n" word or the Big C bomb!

Are you crazy? Ask Kramer (Seinfield) what happens when you use that word. The N word can/will follow that idiot forever. The guy has been on the most popular TV series in the world and was loved by everyone and then gets up and does a comedy routine and calls someone in the stands that word and the next night he is on Jay Leno apologizing to the masses. Ask Dog the bounty Hunter who is now in the same boat as Kramer.

NO doubt the C word is a bad and I know what you are saying. If you are on the street and you want to make the ultimate insult for a Woman that is it. The difference is that if someone overhears that comment and tells your boss you dont lose your job, get branded as a racist and have the media cast you out. Name one time in world history where the C word caused anything but a street fight? History is riddled with people that have used the N word and lost it all.

Actually if I felt like it I could pull up a few court cases dealing with the "C" word, however Im working on a couple of cases right now (hypothetical and real) and Dont really have the time to dig through the masses of civil cases. I just know that Ive never gotten in a pickle over the "n" word and I live in a very diverse town. But then again Im smart, Im not going to just haul off and call anyone that with the "er" added to the end unless I have a damn good reason, I actually think Ive only done it once in H.S. when a VERY ghetto black girl was walking down the wrong side of the hall and ran into me and didnt apologize, me (being bi-polar) promptly said "excuse you" and she said, "you got somethin to say white girl?" and it escalated, she pushed me, and I told her that if she wasnt acting like such a "n"(er) that MAYBE she would have consideration for someone other than herself, and that if she was going to take this to be a race issue that I could do it just as well. I had to go to the BLACK vice principal over it, and she thought it was funny!

If I got mad everytime someone called me cracker, gringa, white b****, or gueda(sp?)...I would forever be calling people racist. Im part Jewish, Im not asking Germany or Egypt or ANY of the other places that persecuted Jews over the years of history. My jewish blood is so diluted that you cant tell that I am...just because one is black doesnt make them African, NOR does it mean that their ancestors were all slaves. A few black people came from other places to America and some were never slaves. I MEAN when some black slaves were set free by their masters, they went and bought other black slaves to work for them. HOWEVER this is not the topic, SORRY.

Anyways, a word is a word, thats what you have to take it for. Words should have no actual offense meaning, just some are more uneducated sounding than others and shouldnt be used in certain settings, however freedom of speech means that you can say whatever you want (as long as it doesnt encourage others to commit violent crimes against people and so forth and so on....So take it for what it is, if you are black and someone calls you that word for no reason other than your skin color dismiss them as an ignorant idiot and go on with your life knowing that you are better than that.

To tell you the truth, I CANT STAND Martin Luther King. He was a hypocrite and is just annoying, but HE was such an important part of the civil rights movement that I can stand him and realize his place in this world. BUT I can not stand Jesse Jackson OR Al Sharpton! I seriously cant stand to look at them because of the RIDICULOUS things they said about my town. What makes them any different than white supremicists? NOTHING but skin color.

[SlimTarnishedDiva 1]

I disagree, ask any of my black girlfriends if they would rather be called the "n" word or the Big C bomb! Bet they choose the "n" word... I believe that the C word is possibly the most controversial and powerful word in the english language. If you EVER want to see a 85 pound anorexic or a 350lb woman go psycho on someone (especially a man) and muster up the energy and strength of a pro-wrestler....Bust out the C word (whether joking or not) SEE WHAT HAPPENS THEN...At least the "n" word is used in casual (hopefully not formal) situations in a joking manner and with other black people, however women USUALLY (there are always exceptions) NEVER joke with the "c" word

I don't use the word, and don't want to be called the word by ANYONE! The "C" word is universal it is rather offensive also, but there are a few people who don't know what it means.

[nina874 48]

If I got mad everytime someone called me cracker, gringa, white b****, or gueda(sp?)...I would forever be calling people racist. Im part Jewish, Im not asking Germany or Egypt or ANY of the other places that persecuted Jews over the years of history. My jewish blood is so diluted that you cant tell that I am...just because one is black doesnt make them African, NOR does it mean that their ancestors were all slaves.

That got me thinking on many levels, I too have Jewish blood and Irish catholic ( theres a combination bound to cause entertaining family get togethers) but I never give it any thought, would I feel the same way if I was black mixed race..... I guess I will never know.

One of the facts that a lot of mine and DH's mixed race friends find amusing is that DH was born in Kenya as was his dad, he lived there for the first 11 years of his life and then again when he was 16 for a couple of years, they allow him the fact that he is in fact the only one who can truly call himself African.

I think that everyone should be proud of their culture, just never at the expense of anothers.

Nina

[green 6]

Sometimes I call rude men "princess." They don't like that.

[Chris_NJ 9]

:faint: Oh man so your saying I can't sing my DMX and Wu-tang Clan songs any more when working out ! :biggrin1:

[Joyouslyme 0]

I wanted to respond...I feel like its one of those words that is only appropriate in certain settings...my friends (white, mexican, black, asian....etc..) use it around one another as a term of affection.. to call someone that means that you are a GOOD friend, not just an acquaintance...BUT we arent STUPID, we are not going around calling EVERYONE that in our lives, because to us its actually a GOOD thing (well as long as you dont put the "er" at the end of it lol) Now there is no reason for us to call anyone that word with the "er" added to it. I grew up in an almost completely 50/50 town, the word gets thrown around alot, its not ALWAYS a bad thing, JUST dont do it around ANYONE (no matter WHAT color their skin is) that you dont know or dont know very well lol! Im sorry if this is offensive to you or anyone else, but HONESTLY its a WORD, I had to learn a long time ago that words arent important, they dont physically hurt you, so dont let them bother you

It's not a good word with the "er" or the "a" at the end of it. Your friends allow you to say it. When my former manager called someone that she was fired after an investigation. If you can't say a word around everyone then it's not a good word to say. It's always a bad thing to say. You say that it's just a word. You wouldn't feel that way when you have a 6 year old child and someone calls them that and you have to explain what it means. I'm not looking for reparations and I have the ability to make my own way in the world. Fat, humongous, and elephant are just words but we don't like when we're called that. Were you even alive when MLK was around? It's laughable that you dislike a man that's been dead for almost 40 years. What did he do to you and how was he a hypocrite in the civil rights movement? He cheated on his wife? That makes him human. Jesse and Al don't speak for me. When people of other races stop trying to anoint Black leaders, will be the day that this country moves ahead. NO one is trying to anoint leaders for other races. Leave us the HELL alone and stop trying to put all of us in one basket. BTW, I am BLACK, I am not African-American. I was not born in Africa.

[Joyouslyme 0]

Its not really an issue in Australia, with other races, yes, but we dont have a large black Afro-American population. To see someone with that jet black skin is rather unusual, although locally we have quite a Sudanese population.

Australia has always been pretty multicultural within my lifetime, its something I've grown up with so to me, I dont have embedded racism issues. I honestly dont.

Muslims have faced a pretty tough time here too and that upsets me, in the wake of 9/11, its like every muslim you see is a terrorist? That's stupid, its as stupid as if a fundamentalist group of Christians bombed Baghdhad then that means I'm personally responsibe?

I do believe thought that assimilation takes effort from BOTH sides and that it is perfectly possible to retain the values of one's culture and also to take on new ones too. But it rarely happens sadly.

Still, race means nothing to me, I can see obvious physical differences but I make no assumptions based on them.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Aborigines are dark complected. Also, we are so many variations of color. You'd be hard pressed to find someone with jet black skin that's Black in America. LOL. Actually, most Black people do assimilate. We pretty much have to and we don't have a problem doing so. Please name another race that was unable to hold onto their culture? I have no idea where my family started from and I have been researching this for the last 7 years. I'm an equal opportunity person. I dislike any race or ethnicity because of the person that I have a situation with. It ticks me off when we are all lumped together because of what's shown on tv.

[Joyouslyme 0]

I don't use the word, and don't want to be called the word by ANYONE! The "C" word is universal it is rather offensive also, but there are a few people who don't know what it means.

I didn't see this earlier. I would rather be called the "C" word. There is no way on God's green earth that a man of another race would call me the "C" word over calling me the "n" word. I don't allow anyone to call me out of my name for any reason.

[beachgirl 2]

You go girl. I agree with you. I think your very pretty by the way. I have as many black friends as I do white and usually they are better to me. I don't use that word and won't now. We were are created equal in God's eyes.

[~Trixie~ 0]

the "n" word????? there so many thousands of other forums to discuss this .PLEASE. get the hell off this sight, and seek your answers someplace else...lets talk fat, fightness, and success here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Why are you attempting to censor someone? Maybe you should get the "hell off this site" if you have a problem with someone's queries in the rants, raves and off-topic section of this forum. Your negativity is not healthy and could be hindering the success of others! :angry

[Joyouslyme 0]

You go girl. I agree with you. I think your very pretty by the way. I have as many black friends as I do white and usually they are better to me. I don't use that word and won't now. We were are created equal in God's eyes.

Thanks for the compliment.

[j_war06 0]

It's not a good word with the "er" or the "a" at the end of it. Your friends allow you to say it. When my former manager called someone that she was fired after an investigation. If you can't say a word around everyone then it's not a good word to say. It's always a bad thing to say. You say that it's just a word. You wouldn't feel that way when you have a 6 year old child and someone calls them that and you have to explain what it means. I'm not looking for reparations and I have the ability to make my own way in the world. Fat, humongous, and elephant are just words but we don't like when we're called that. Were you even alive when MLK was around? It's laughable that you dislike a man that's been dead for almost 40 years. What did he do to you and how was he a hypocrite in the civil rights movement? He cheated on his wife? That makes him human. Jesse and Al don't speak for me. When people of other races stop trying to anoint Black leaders, will be the day that this country moves ahead. NO one is trying to anoint leaders for other races. Leave us the HELL alone and stop trying to put all of us in one basket. BTW, I am BLACK, I am not African-American. I was not born in Africa.

My friends do not "allow" me to say a word, any word, the government (if anyone) allows me to say whatever word I want. I dont believe that all black people are the same AT ALL. I have 3 black friends that if you spoke to them on the phone you would have NO CLUE that they were black. I have other black friends that you would definately know, but they dont make an issue out of something stupid like a word. I had to learn a long time ago that a word is just a sound or something written on paper, and when it comes to opinion it no biggy. Ive been being called names since I was little, I had to learn not to let them hurt...I used to have to go home and ask my mom what several things were that kids had called me, do you HONESTLY think that it didnt break her heart?? Ive been called the "n" word before (although Im white) because of the way I was acting. People shouldnt get their feelings hurt so easily. Do you honestly THINK that I dont know what racism is? That I HAVE NEVER experienced this?

And I have n respect for anyone who calls themself a man of God and then goes and cheats on his wife. I have no respect for any man who can just run off with another woman. I have my reasons.

[uniqueone 0]

It's not a good word with the "er" or the "a" at the end of it. Your friends allow you to say it. When my former manager called someone that she was fired after an investigation. If you can't say a word around everyone then it's not a good word to say. It's always a bad thing to say. You say that it's just a word. You wouldn't feel that way when you have a 6 year old child and someone calls them that and you have to explain what it means. I'm not looking for reparations and I have the ability to make my own way in the world. Fat, humongous, and elephant are just words but we don't like when we're called that. Were you even alive when MLK was around? It's laughable that you dislike a man that's been dead for almost 40 years. What did he do to you and how was he a hypocrite in the civil rights movement? He cheated on his wife? That makes him human. Jesse and Al don't speak for me. When people of other races stop trying to anoint Black leaders, will be the day that this country moves ahead. NO one is trying to anoint leaders for other races. Leave us the HELL alone and stop trying to put all of us in one basket. BTW, I am BLACK, I am not African-American. I was not born in Africa.

Joyously, this post of yours is one of the best ones I've seen on this board...ever. Why? Because it has really made me stop to think about this matter. First of all, I agree about if you can't say something in front of everyone, then it's not a good thing to say. In fact, I think a great deal of us have raised our kids to not do that...specifically, call people names. But what has really made me think from your message is twofold. Your last sentence to the above message grabbed me! Of course, you're not an African-American...!! I've never even thought about that. Thank you. Gone are the times I ever use those words. More importantly, however, is the fact that I realize we DO try to annoint black leaders and, indeed, yours is the only race in which that is done in the U.S. anyway. I can understand where you are coming from on this and I've never thought of it EITHER! That could definitely be perceived as belittlement. Regarding MLK: Well, he singlehandedly did more for the civil rights movement in this country then anyone before or since. He felt everyone was inherently good and lived by that until he died. My, if we could all do that wouldn't this world be a much, much better place. Regarding his infidelity...I won't even address it since I'm not perfect by any means and I sure don't want anyone judging me!!! Not in the least!!!

I just can't stress enough how much I've become Enlightened on this gloomy, otherwise boring Saturday.