Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: my friend said, "it is never, ever okay for white people to say (n-word)." [View all]nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)178. It made sense, if you think about it
All he saw on my Sony reader was the word...negro...on the trolley on the way to universty. He had not realized, until that momemt, the word was integral, not in a good way, to US history. I blame how much we have sanitized HS history, and yes race relations.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
234 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
my friend said, "it is never, ever okay for white people to say (n-word)." [View all]
nofurylike
Apr 2012
OP
I don't like anyone using that word. Some words need to die. That one needs to die.
roguevalley
Apr 2012
#29
No, but just like my Black friends I've been using words since I was a toddler.
Schema Thing
Apr 2012
#50
that's a cheeky thing to say to someone like me. I'm a BLACK WOMAN MARRIED to a SOUTHERN
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#62
yeah, I still don't get where you took something I didn't say from something I did say.
Schema Thing
Apr 2012
#89
Sorry Schema, but just because you feel entitled to use hate speech DOES NOT MAKE YOU BLACK or just
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#94
Lecturing people? I'm not the only one who are READING YOUR WORDS AND GETTING THE SAME
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#125
i inferred the same from "I've been using words since i was a toddler." since most have,
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#107
White here with a sister married to a black man. It bothers me also so you can imagine how it feels
jwirr
Apr 2012
#165
Some moron came up with the fundamentally flawed idea that using it everyday would reduce it's
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#181
Well, the chance of becoming queen of anything other than a turnip or pumpkin festival
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#183
Understood completely and realiser you're naive to think that you could become queen of anything
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#209
It's not your fault that you're profoundly ignorant of the historical context this word came from,
sudopod
Apr 2012
#43
I just wanted to say "Thank You" for saying what I've been feeling for so long now.
EnviroBat
Apr 2012
#166
Amen, NoFuryLIke!.. Iam a black woman MARRIED to a white man and HE HAS NEVER USED THAT WORD
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#2
I taught my kid the reason the word is wrong, beyond being crude and disrespectful, is that where
freshwest
Apr 2012
#28
Amen, FreshWest. It seems that the Trayvon Martin case is bringing out of the woodwork
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#70
a crucially important aspect, "an 'action' word," thank you so much, freshwest!! and
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#97
I think, Hughee99, that you need to tell your sweet little girl what the word is, why she shouldn't
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#13
that is insightful!!! yes! "being retroactively wrong ... they feel the need to defend"!!
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#98
great!! i reply tonight, but briefly: "when you say it quoting someone else ... " y'know? nt
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#198
having a *legal right* to say it is not a question raised by my post (though good question).
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#37
I agree NFL. I get embarrassed when I hear OTHER people say it. It's 100% wrong.
FarLeftFist
Apr 2012
#16
When we were kids and would pile up on each other playing, we'd call it "n***** pile."
Archae
Apr 2012
#18
And we called it a pig pile. I never heard the n-word until we were much older. I saw the first
jwirr
Apr 2012
#167
us too. one of the deepest, most intensely shame-filled lessons i ever learned was
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#103
So, because we're democrats/progressives, we should just go around caling browns and blacks "n*****s
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#45
LaydeeBud, Frankly, I don't think that ANYONE should use this language because it's only
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#127
That's Laydeebug, thankyouverymuch, and I agree with you, which is why that racist "friend" should
LaydeeBug
Apr 2012
#154
Don't twist what I was saying because you know damn well what my point was. Your attempt
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#66
I'm not saying that nobody use them but there is a history behind certain words that prevent them
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#81
There is a difference between making certain words part of a benign language...
derby378
Apr 2012
#158
To me PC is a rw term - in our family we do not use derogatory words to describe other races
jwirr
Apr 2012
#170
i sit in awe at the challenge for people to actually not be purposely offensive to others.
seabeyond
Apr 2012
#21
great discussion, and thank you so for recs!! must run, back later to reply more nt
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#42
first, i am not advocating censorship. that should not be necessary with principled
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#204
Tell your friend that it is no ok to refer to caucasian European Americans as "whire".
vr94rx7
Apr 2012
#57
I'm white. I would never use the N word. But I don't like the 'tude of your friend.
Honeycombe8
Apr 2012
#64
As a minority, I call BULLSHIT, and the fact that "your friend" says WHITE PEOPLE can't say it...
LaydeeBug
Apr 2012
#65
You know LayDeeBug, I have never understood people who claimed that blacks can't be racist.
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#129
and it seems the OP's "friend" is an example of someone who wants to BE racist
LaydeeBug
Apr 2012
#146
Ain't it the truth! Just because SOME black folks use self-denigrating language DOES NOT
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#133
I had two other people read this post and they both started laughing and saying that
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#142
In my opinion white people should never use that word to refer to black people.
Vattel
Apr 2012
#112
NadinBrzezinski, I have no earthly idea why that student was offended by your research
Ecumenist
Apr 2012
#139
growing up in segregated Texas in the 50s I never remember hearing my white parents say it.
CTyankee
Apr 2012
#150
In many ways, I agree with you. I'm talking about people who are only mildly hiding
CTyankee
Apr 2012
#180
No. She revealed, through dialog, what the problem was. Everybody reading her book knew
CTyankee
Apr 2012
#194
I do hope that you and your friend would make allowances for artistic expression
slackmaster
Apr 2012
#164
I can call my brother a dumb bastard and get away with it. He's my brother.
Ikonoklast
Apr 2012
#174
great comments! thank you!! i apologize i couldn't reply yesterday, or till tonight. nt
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#197
i can understand that, absolutely! and an evening with Dick Gregory?! i would too!!
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#222
I figured it would be provocative enough that it would attract some unsuspecting folks
grantcart
Apr 2012
#229
i'm sorry my thread has outgrown my dial-up. i can reply to one or two posts
nofurylike
Apr 2012
#226
I don't know about "never, ever". Imagine a situation when terrorists set up a powerful bomb
Fool Count
Apr 2012
#227