THE "N" WHATS YOUR TAKE ON IT?

So along with a couple of other things in the media the "N" has come back into play. I just wanna know what are everyone thoughts on the most powerful word (in my opinion) in the English dictionary. Do you think anyone should be able to use it? Do you think it should stay used by one race? Do you think it should be used at all? What are your thought on this word?

In all honestly I don't care who uses the word. Its a word no matter how you put it. The thing is how you interrupt that word in my opinion that gives this word so much power. But a want to hear some really good debates about this.

Words are words.

I love big N. I play Donkey Kong, Pikmin, Prof. Layton. They're awesome.

No word should be confined to just one race

I have no problem using it in an academic way. It came up at some point recently (I don't remember if it was in the news or if i heard it somewhere), and I used the actual word in conversation. I would never direct it at a black person, and would only use it in front of a black person that I knew well. I don't believe in "bad words" but I understand that the power of a word comes from the person that it is directed towards, so that is my only concern when using words like that.

@kal_smahboi: You said that you would only use the word with someone you knew well. Understandable but then why do you think people of this age who the word was never used in a derogatory sense such as slave or back when equality wasnt so big take offense to the word when i bet.they dont even.know the origin of the word.

Or how people of black/african american culture can use it in a common sentence with another person they hardly know of the same ethnicity an someone outside thier race can't?

@jonny_anonymous: Not even a word as powerful as this. Why do you say so?

@magnificentstorm: words don't have power

Well. Can't really hate too much on people that say it, with all the people throwing it around in songs n crap nowadays.

The whole 'Only black people can say it' thing is stupid.

@biteme_fanboy: A lot of ppl would disagree with ya there but im.on ur side it is stupid

The N word? Never? Noodle? Naive? Nuclear Bomb Of Doom?

What the hell is the N word anyways?

(I'm Brazilian, sue me.)

@magnificentstorm: Yeah, pretty much. I don't use it, but I heard it every day. Not from my fellow white Southerners, but from the black Southerners.

I agree.

I don't care who uses it.I think that (besides the people who are actually racist and biased,irrational ignorant fools) the only people who care are people who care in it's usage.If their friend (no matter the race) were to use it,they wouldn't care.However,if it was a stranger,they might take offense because they see it with bad intent.Just think about it,how many people just call you that (or some other word like it),when they could've used another word.

....Basically,it all matters with context,since context can make all the difference.I don't care who uses it,but HOW IT'S USED is a different matter.

@the_lunact_and_manic: The "N" word is Nigger/Nigga

AN I WILL SUE U SIR FOR EVERYTHING YOU GOT

@cameron83: OK IN ALL HONESTY. if I a random stranger come up to you an say "Good day my Nigga my I interest you in premium life insurance" What are you gonna say or whats going through your head.

XD

I actually spit soda all over my computer screen!
Anyway,I would refuse the offer...I mean,seriously,I don't really need premium...well it depends on the cost.

But why would that be the word he uses? Anyway,if he is joking or more importantly doesn't have bad intent,I wouldn't really care...can you kinda give me a better situation.....?

It has power because people let it. I think it's just a word that could have died long ago but was kept alive from all sides

@biteme_fanboy: LoL if I were you every time im with my friend i would be like what up my cracka start a trend huh huh ya huh good idea right yea huh yea

@cameron83: LMAO I hope your computers ok XD

LOL well hes just a open minded insurance sells man an your missing out its only $32.10 a month covers EVERYTHING.

An ok ill try ummmmmm ok how about this we're in class ur new U being a white male me black male U sit in my seat, u unkowning it mine, an I say "eh nigga get out my seat" Whats going through that peach colored head of yours?

Was that better?

Well:

1. If it's 32.10 a month,SURE!!

2. Well for one I'd tell you to "step,b****". Dem are fightin' words!" Lol,just kidding.

But seriously,that would just be how you talk.I wouldn't really have a problem with it....I would think of you as rude since you told me to get out of your seat,and I'd probably tell the teacher (or kick your a#!).

I would have no problem with it.If It was a black male in a white males seat,and he said the same thing,then it would most likely be the same.That's just how he talks.

@magnificentstorm:

It has to do with influences from their surroundings and such....

@cameron83:

1. Ok ill get ya signed up then.

2.Wo Wo now I taught jet lee bruce lee an jackie chan how fight you wanna go there?

3.I like how you think MY NIGGA!!!! LMAO XD (not how I talk)

XD

Even if that WAS how you talked I wouldn't mind.

And some people who think that only black people can use "the word" are ignorant and basically racist.

For other people,they either don't care at all or don't care with the context (someone used it in a racist way against them).

Know what I mean,my nigga?

Lol jk

@cameron83: LoL

An im just waiting for the day when when that one white person goes on TV an says "Dont none of you black people use the word cracka thats our word" XD ima die happy lol

An yes my nigga I know what you mean XD

I look down upon anyone that uses it regardless of context save for academic purposes and even then it is iffy. It's a trashy word and anyone that uses it has a limited vocabulary or are just a very ignorant person.

I'm watching Django Unchained as we speak.

You see the reason people who arent black cant use it is because the word was used negatively against them. If a black person uses it, its an act of reclaiming it, and its their choice to reclaim it. I peraonally dont really think anybody should say it, however its not my place to tell a black person not to say it, since I'm not black. Much like how some gay people are reclaming the F word ( f*****) I personally don't like the word, but if some gay people want to reclaim it they can. However its not a straight persons job to reclaim, because its has a history of opression and offense to it. And although the opressions that were faced are differnt its the same with the N word. It was a word used ( and sometimes still used) to opress black people only, so it's their choice if they want to reclaim it or not and its not anybody elses choice to do so.

@juliedc: @shadowx: No while reading both your post neither of you actually spell the word. Now of course Juliedc said she looks down on anyone that uses it an to you I ask why. Im.using it are you looking down on me?

But to both of.you I ask what word are you talking about? Are you talking about the word Nigger or the word Nigga because both have very different meaning in todays world?

As a black man I think the word is harmful and negative and ugly and has no place in civilized society outside of scholarly conversation. no one should use it I don't care the color of your skin. its a word with a lot of negative hurtful history behind it and we as a society need to be more aware of the true meaning the words we use carry. but specifically this word should be killed and removed from our vernacular. unless the word is used in an artistic or scholarly medium, be it a classroom or a song or a film, it just does not have a place in todays society

@the_stegman: LOL YOU GON LET DIS NIGGA SLEEP IN BIG HOUSE!!!!!

Love the KKK scene!

@magnificentstorm: Both words are trashy. Of all words people could choose to use why choose the word that has such a hateful history and whose sole purpose is to demean an entire race and take away our humanity? Also, the reclaimed version makes people look ghetto and thuggish and we live in a society where the negative actions of one black person reflects upon the rest of our race and so I greatly despise it.

N word always reminds me of this

I don't see why saying the phrase the N word isn't considered offensive if the meaning behind the word is the issue. Saying "N word" is the same thing as saying the actual word. Sort of like saying F word is still saying f**k.

well said (now if we can just get all them ig'nant ninjas to quit using it in rap songs that'd be cool)

@joshmightbe: louis ck said something about that during one of his routines.

That is so discriminatory to my ethnicity! Not all Asians are NINJAS!

Hm. well said!

Yes they are! Deny it if you wish!!

@ssejllenrad: Don't anger him, he knows kung-fu!... and math!

@mynamewasdeleted:

hmmm. i think its ok in artistic forums. music being one of them. now don't get me wrong about 99% of rappers need to sit down and take a history class (and an English one) but if youre using in a rap song for a reason other than just arbitrarily shouting it out like an oafish buffoon i think its ok. theres a song called "Murder to Excellence" that uses the word in reference to the gun violence crisis in inner city America specifically Chicago. in this song i am ok with the use of the word. to the contrary lil wayne saying it because he has a mouth is NOT ok at all. i had no problem at all with Django but i have a big problem with hearing my contemporaries use the word in casual conversation then give me the bull about "its a term of endearment now" showing a total ignorance of their own history. my advice to young black people? treat yourself with respect before you expect anyone else to. and using that word to refer to yourself is the antithesis of respect.....but im rambling on now. sorry

Don't use it, never will. Even when I quote rap songs, I'll replace it with 'people', because their syllables sound the same ;)

@sog7dc: @juliedc: LoL ok i.had just wrote a nice reply to both of.your comments but my phone up an died on me so it was deleted an.im.not writing.it.over.

But u both go for the same point which is the word shouldn't be used because of its history.

An I ask both of you why cant i add onto the history of a word. Why cant i make my own meaning my own definition for the word. Why punish the word because of the user. Why must u always think.the word us used as an insult an.never anything else.

But basically,I can only say that it matters with intent (well that's what people care about).All that bull with "only black people can use it" is not only logically wrong,but it's not the case anyway.

From experience and such,I can tell you that,in general,that is not the case.

I think it's better if no one uses the word (but that's not the case),and to say that only 1 race can use it is irrational,but since people use it anyway......

the old age thinking that only 1 race can use it is irrational and biased...the main problem people have nowadays is HOW it's used.Not who it's used by......

EDIT: However,I can see if someone dislikes the usage of the word because of its history.But sadly,some people still use the word.....

@magnificentstorm: It doesn't matter if you or your friends or if a group of white people decide to change its meaning...to the public at large, the word has one meaning, and one meaning only and that is the one that has been used for several hundreds of years to emotionally traumatize an entire race. There are people still alive who have been called it in its hateful context, heck, even I've been called it a couple of times in its racist meaning. Even my mom was called a "nigger lover" for having me and my sister though she is white. The word exists solely to dehumanize you, to make you a second class citizen or an "other". Misusing it, makes people ignore the pain that comes from the word.

Do what you want, but don't be surprised if someone misconstrues what you said because of all words in the dictionary you have to choose from you want to redefine a word that is better off being forgotten. Like I said in my first post, the only people that want to use it, tend to be people who have a very limited vocabulary.

@magnificentstorm:

because as much as we would like to there is no changing the definition of words. using this ugly word, that I refuse to type because it is so ugly, just makes the user look ignorant and insensitive to history. the history of the word is that it was not meant to refer to another human, it was meant to address sub humans or animals. the people who were forced to answer to that word were not acknowledged as being people at all. it was a word used to express superiority over someone because of their background and skin tone. it was used to abuse people and degrade them for decades. it just has no place amongst us. just as slavery has no place in todays world (I know there is still slavery but my point is that it is unacceptable) this word has no place either.

@cameron83: The reason only one race "can use it". Is because only one race was opressed by it. And if anybody was to change what that word means it has to be the people who were opressed by it, and only if they want it to change and not just die.

I actually see the point that sog7dc and JulieDC is making.

However,the word has an oppressive history. Simply because I am black doesn't mean that I can use an oppressive word and someone that is white cannot use it. I mean,the point he is making is that the word has a nasty history and if that IS the case then there isn't really any reclaiming in the word (and that IS the case).

If it's oppressive (which it is/was,people usually use it differently,but that doesn't really change the history) then there is no point in reclaiming it.

@monsterstomp: We can't see sh*t!

Also,because I am black,does that also make my opinion of the word more valid than yours?

Does that mean that only I can speak of it?