I think it shows that Americans have a similar issues like Germans have with their past.My question is whether this social convention of never uttering the N-word is a reasonable act of respect or whether it's simply a politically imposed rule that can be used to divide and destroy? — Hanover
By "politically imposed" I infer that you're referring to "political correctness." i.e. in our current society, it is deemed politically incorrect to say the actual "n-word". This is surely the case, but it's not "simple", it's evolved into political incorrectness for good reasons, partly historical - but also because today it DOES divide.My question is whether this social convention of never uttering the N-word is a reasonable act of respect or whether it's simply a politically imposed rule that can be used to divide and destroy? — Hanover
That's very interesting, because I have the opposite experience, growing up in Houston. My father always used the n-word to refer to African Americans (my mother didn't). His family were small-town farmer folks, and many of them were even worse (they invariably prefixed the n-word with "god damned"). I learned to not use the term based on becoming inspired by the civil rights movement, and (TBH) this resulted in my having a rather low opinion of my red-necked cousins and anyone who sounded like them. I loved my dad, but we had many arguments about his vocabulary - and he eventually stopped using the word (at least around me).it's just part of my programming at this point in my life. The fury of my parents should they hear that word from one of their children would be indescribable — Hanover
Not as traumatic as there of course, yet slavery, segregation and the hangings of blacks simply is an issue that white America has a problem with. — ssu
...That if you don't let race hatred break you up,
You'll win. What I mean, take it easy, but take it! — Songwriters: Peter Seeger / Lee Hays / Millard Lampell
My question is whether this social convention of never uttering the N-word is a reasonable act of respect or whether it's simply a politically imposed rule that can be used to divide and destroy? — Hanover
My thought, as a fairly conservative Republican, is that she ought not be censured and forced to apologize because her intent was not to do harm. — Hanover
Blacks (African Americans, err, Negroes... niggers?) use "nigger" in the same way that cock suckers use "queer". — Bitter Crank
It's a French word. Two syllables. First syllable is the Italian word for 'with'. Second syllable is a Cockney adjectival word for a person being tough, aggressive and not slow to violence. As always in Cockney, you drop the initial 'h'.What word was that? Cospic? Crutle? Cuckoo? Confus? Christ? Caudal? — Bitter Crank
The solution to the problem is common sense. If you need to use it in an academic context or otherwise, do it sensitively. E.g. Don't keep repeating it over and over unnecessarily like the Dem apparently did. — Baden
Given that the average IQ of a college student is somewhere above 100, then I don't think it serves any purpose to tell them that the N-word is a bad word. That's usually covered in elementary school...
Then again, even those with severe retardation are aware of the negative connotations of using the N-word.
Perhaps, the teachers need education and not the students in the news-feed provided. — Wallows
You can shoot yourself in the foot to prove that you bleed or you can be a grown up and not make an issue out of it. — Baden
I'm reminded of the Orthodox Jews who refuse to write the name of God in a non-religious document because the name itself is holy. They write God as G-d, and have their own way of changing the word in the Hebrew as well. The word itself seems to be a deity. It's said that the correct pronunciation of Yahweh is now unknown due to it never being spoken. Perhaps that one day will become the fate of the N-word.
My question is whether this social convention of never uttering the N-word is a reasonable act of respect or whether it's simply a politically imposed rule that can be used to divide and destroy? — Hanover
Well, the Jews had a problem with nazism too.But not nearly as big a problem as black America has. — Bitter Crank
That's very interesting, because I have the opposite experience, growing up in Houston. My father always used the n-word to refer to African Americans (my mother didn't). His family were small-town farmer folks, and many of them were even worse (they invariably prefixed the n-word with "god damned"). — Relativist
I can't relate to the childish joy you get out of being ignorant about this. — Baden
You can only adhere to such standards if you have nothing to lose. It ignores that there are consequences for its use.I'm strongly against the use of "the N-word" in place of the actual word for ethical reasons. The word is "nigger", and context matters, and sensitivity to the word "nigger" - regardless of context - is counterproductive, as it empowers the word and enables its use as a weapon. I will only use "the N-word" if I feel I have to. — S
Holy suffering Christ, if the moral issue of the day is the right to say 'nigger' rather then 'The N-word' to a bunch of bored college students then gawd help us all. I've probably said both at one point or another during my teaching career, but I'd have zero problem following an explicit convention not to use the former. Anyway, good luck on your crusade. I suggest a primer around your local neighbourhood. At least you've got the NHS to sort things out for you when it all goes south. — Baden
The solution to the problem is common sense. If you need to use it in an academic context or otherwise, do it sensitively. E.g. Don't keep repeating it over and over unnecessarily like the Dem apparently did. — Baden
I do not use the word "nigger" in casual conversation or writing, but that does not mean I approve of anyone's ban on the word. Yes, Baden, I ridicule intelligent adults discussing language using circumlocutions like "the n word" when the word in question is "nigger". It's childish. — Bitter Crank
Is that sarcasm? — S
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