emoslovetoast wrote:
I had to re-watch the video of him saying those things again to refresh my memory. I think it was decieve of TMZ.com and the people on the news station to only start playing the video AFTER the person had interuppted his show, they started AFTER he was calling those people the "n word". The guy interuppted his show, he was being rude, and Michael Richards got rude back. However he way overreacted and starting calling the people who interuppted his show "motherfuckers" and "niggers".
However, the people he was attacking referred to him as a "fucking cracker" and "fucking white boy" in return. The way both parties handled the situation was very childish and impolite. No I do not agree with using the "n-word" to attack people, and I don't use it for any purpose, and I don't think Michael Richards was right to call those people that, but all the media kept mentioning was that he called our racial slurs. They never mentioned that the people too, in return called back racial slurs themselves and they usually didn't mention that they interuppted his show. So in the end, the problem appeared to be the fact that he called those people "nigger" and he apologized for that.
I'm sure white people do use the "N-word" for that purpose, I've witnessed it firsthand, but you can't say that EVERY white person who has used it was being racist. My Aunt was involved in the civil rights movement when she was younger and she said that she often called her black friends "nigger" and they called her some white racial slur that I cannot remember at the moment, knowing my aunt I can be sure that she was not being racist.
How do blacks use it?
Main Entry: nig·ger
Pronunciation: 'ni-g&r
Function: [I]noun
Etymology: alteration of earlier neger, from Middle French negre, from Spanish or Portuguese negro, from negro black, from Latin niger
1 usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : a black person
2 usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : a member of any dark-skinned race
3 : a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons <it's time for somebody to lead all of America's niggers...all the people who feel left out of the political process [/I]
That's what it means, from Merriam-Webster Online
That's a very racist remark. Who are you to say that ALL blacks use it as a term of fraternity? Or ALL whites use it as a weapon against blacks?
Though I agree, the fact is either it's a bad word or it isn't. It's kind of giving blacks more rights, because they get to use the word "nigger" while whites can't because of someone's opinion of the way the general African American feels about the "n-word".
I never hear it on TV except in a TV show or movie about racism. And about Oprah, she was asking a question.
Um, yeah you do. Plenty.
If it was in a reality show they would most likely censor it unless it was on HBO or something.
What about Hispanic and Asian history month? What's the reason for that?
(BTW, I always say this if I'm debating someone, I'm not arguing with you or getting rude just stating my opinion)
You do understand that, that Black History Month is really just Black American History Month. Those groups just don't have as much history as blacks do, in America. Also, I never said that all blacks and all whites use it the same way. I'm saying that when it is used by blacks or whites, more often that not, that's how it's used.
And that's odd. I saw this reality show on A&E about Skinheads a while back that used the N-word had the oh-so-frequent frequent use of the N-word uttered without censorship of any kind. And I'm pretty sure it's a fact, that most television shows are "clean", not to mention void of much racial content or controversy.
And I just explained context. During the Don Imus phase whites were using it like crazy discussing it. I just can't see any other reason that whites in general would want to use the word for any other reason but to offend blacks. Do you want to start seeing things on the news like;
"Candidate Barack Obama, may just be the first ever nigger president of the United States. He is gathering serious support from the nigger voting population. Today we ask the people, both white and nigger, if we're really ready for a nigger in office, and what that could mean."
Is that the freedom you want? It's OK in a classroom, it's OK with blacks among eachother, it's Ok for a movie, documentary, maybe even special designated "edgy" channel. Black's using the word, isn't attacking any group of people because of their color. It's harmless. The fact that it was originally create as something against blacks though, should obviously show that it hshould be handled with way more care, when uttered by whites. It's not appropriate for whites to hurl it blacks, to use terms on widely public mediums (say morning news, televised sports game, etc.) Nor is it appropriate for blacks to say it on those same mediums, just as swear-words have their place as well.
I use it. I personally make sure just not to use 'nigger' in the presence of white friends (what reason could I possibly have to?). Though I have to admitt, that some blacks I know tend either to flaunt it or just get really stuck to the habit (the ones that use it ofcourse). I'd never use it an essay or speech I'd have to read to a class though (unless said body was "ABOUT" it).
This thread is like all about taking things at face value, such as "word blacks can say but whites can't", "million man march for blacks and not whites", "BLACK history month" and not examining, or bothering with meanings. It's looking what things are without the purpose. It's the "what", without the "why?"
