Had an interesting conversation last night...

[Pavlov]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


It's an insult in English. Poles are supposed to be incredibly stupid, according to the sterotype. That word is what we use when refering to them. Sad, when you think of all the contributions Poles have made to our country (USA).

Aha, thanks. Now my brain starts working again, I missed the "lacking" part.

I've got to try that one on my Polish friends. J/K (Just so noone misunderstands, I'm such a wuss )

[orange]

Che - that's an AWFUL policy. Chris Rock shouldn't be able to joke about "******" is Pauly Shore can't.

I hate when black people call each other by that word. It completely negates all that African Americans have done to break into equality in American society. If I were black, I would find it personally insulting to myself and my ancestors to hear that word no matter how it was used.

[Ming]

Originally posted by Tuberski
There are several other people who used those words as well.
While not neccesarily in a racist way, just the USE of the words is bad enough isn't it?

No... there is a difference in these words coming up in a discussion of racism based on the use of such words, and the way UberKruX used them.

BIG DIFFERENCE!

[orange]

i always try to put quotes around offensive terms like that, to indicate that I am not using them in that way, but simply bringing the word up as a part of the discussion. But really, there should be an auto-censor on "******" as well as other offensive words...

[chequita guevara]

I'm not big on anyone using those words, Orange, but comedy has a way of defusing them, dampening their evil. When Eddie Murphy made his white audience shout N****R at the top of their lungs in one of his routines, it really messed with people. It stole some of the power of that word.

[- Groucho -]

Originally posted by orange
I hate when black people call each other by that word.

It's a lesson you learn in the playground. If some jerk is trying to use some irrelevant fact about you to make you feel bad (liek your skin colour, your parentage, your first language, etc.), one of the best methods of defeating him is to embrace that characterization and make it irrelevant. Take away his ammunition. Sure, that usually means that the neanderthal is left wth using his fists because his brain can't cope, but hey, there is only so much you can do about some people.

[Tuberski]

I don't think there is a difference, any use of such a word, or a symbol such as the swastika, which was around a LONG time before Hitler, and used to have a positive meaning, should not be allowed. Hell, I don't even spell out po*p all the way in my loacation. SOME PEOPLE MAY FIND IT OFFENSIVE. Whether it is meant to be or not.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by orange
Che - that's an AWFUL policy. Chris Rock shouldn't be able to joke about "******" is Pauly Shore can't.

I hate when black people call each other by that word. It completely negates all that African Americans have done to break into equality in American society. If I were black, I would find it personally insulting to myself and my ancestors to hear that word no matter how it was used.

Have to disagree with you mightily here, Orange.

First, Chris Rock doesn't say "******," he says "Nigga," and while difference may seem subtle, it's huge.

"******rrrrr" is the white racist epithet used to denegrate blacks.

"Nigga" is the term blacks have developed from "******" in order to rob the power from the word and make it less hurtful.

I will use the analogy I have used before, "***." It's a terrible word to hear coming out of the mouths of someone who isn't gay. Why? Well, when a gay person says the word, I know where he's coming from. I realize right away it wasn't said out of hatred for homosexuals or to denegrate someone for being homosexual. Gays now use the word like blacks use "nigga," as a mark of pride in the face of past denegration.

But if I hear someone I know who isn't gay use the word, I know they aren't using it the same way a gay person is. The immediate reaction is going to be that the person is using it as a denegration of homosexuals. Since I can't know the intent of a straight person using it, I don't think they should use it if they don't want to offend gay people.

The same is true for "******." A black person knows where it is coming from when a black person says it. But history has shown when a white person says it, it's coming from a totally different place.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Ming


No... there is a difference in these words coming up in a discussion of racism based on the use of such words, and the way UberKruX used them.

BIG DIFFERENCE!

Is there?

EXAMPLE: You and I are sitting in a coffee shop talking about racism. One of us says that the word ni**er is a racist term.

A black man walking by hears the word ni**er. Do you think he cares HOW THAT WORD WAS USED?

No, he doesn't. And if you think differently you have blinders on.

I say do away with it's use totally.

[Ming]

Originally posted by Tuberski
A black man walking by hears the word ni**er. Do you think he cares HOW THAT WORD WAS USED?

Next time... use an example that is appropriate.

If you can't see the difference... you are the one with blinders on.

[- Groucho -]

Originally posted by Tuberski
I say do away with it's use totally.

I think this statement shows how wrong you are. You can't do away with a word. All you can do is change its meaning.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Echinda


I think this statement shows how wrong you are. You can't do away with a word. All you can do is change its meaning.

Oh, and a bunch of white males discussing it on a forum is going to cahnge it's meaning?

[- Groucho -]

No, but a bunch of black people using it might.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Ming


Next time... use an example that is appropriate.

If you can't see the difference... you are the one with blinders on.

Oh, I see the difference, we are typing here, so he would have to actually read the contents of each post. And should know the difference.


But that doesn't make it right to use it here.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Echinda
No, but a bunch of black people using it might.

True, when a bunch of black people show up on this forum, let me know. For now I will still refuse to use it.