In the past two days, I have deleted two (2) comments for the use of the "N" word as a racial pejorative. This is not acceptable in polite society and has not been acceptable for the past 50 years. If you cannot make your point without using that word, then keep it to yourself.
The two young men who murdered my friend happen to be African-American, but I don't attribute their actions to their race. I deplore their crimes, but the justice system (with all its flaws) will deal with them.
That is all.
13 comments:
I appreciate your stance. When we accept behavior like that we are showing people it is acceptable to us. That makes people uncomfortable about being themselves and emboldens racists, neither of which are acceptable.
Thanks!
I appreciate your stance. When we accept behavior like that we are showing people it is acceptable to us. That makes people uncomfortable about being themselves and emboldens racists, neither of which are acceptable.
Thanks!
I appreciate your stance. When we accept behavior like that we are showing people it is acceptable to us. That makes people uncomfortable about being themselves and emboldens racists, neither of which are acceptable.
Thanks!
Amen!
And that is why you will never solve the problem PawPaw - you are racist and cannot separate linguistically good men and bad. Folks like you think the N word (what a childish rendition) denotes all Blacks but clearly talk about White Trash. Using a derogatory term to denigrate those who need denigrating is the first necessary step in social responsibility. Not calling trash what it is may make you feel all superior but that is only self deceit. I would remind you that the problems we now face were non-existent back when we had the spine to call things as they were and didn't lower ourselves to shallow minded virtue signaling.
" I don't attribute their actions to their race".
That is the fatal mistake. When over 70% of Black males have Felony records, it is intellectual dishonesty to ignore the implication that race just might be a factor. It is quite racist to never consider that another race might be wired completely different than yours. After all, "They're just like us" is never phrased "We are just like them".
On the N-word:
I agree that the blanket use of the term to denote Black people is small minded. However, selective use to ostracize is a good and proper tool. Social stigmatization is a powerful method to reinforce societies standards. For example: Think of how much less nonsense we would have to put up with in Washington if we all just pointed and laughed when AOC or Pelosi said something stupid. Being polite just reinforces bad behaviors by giving it legitimacy.
Ridicule works.
Concur with all.
I had a circumstance in my biker circles where that word was used in the presence of one of our black friends, and to denegrate all blacks. After apologies were made and several months time things are OK again, but not perfect because the hurt is still there. I explained to the individual that while we all know that word, extra care must be taken to not use it (especially in certain company!) I equated it to not dropping F-bombs or other foul language in front of my grandparents when they were alive, where I say what I want any other time.
Agree with you deleting the "N" word but do not agree with calling these Thugs "two young men". You had more accurately labeled them assholes.
It's Pawpaw's forum. We are guests. Act appropriately.
And for educational reasons, I'll leave the following below.
Etymology of the word “Nigger”
"This most offensive of words in American speech dates back to the late 16th century, although the modern spelling doesn't appear until two centuries later. The OED2's earliest cite of the modern spelling is from 1786 in Burns's Ordination. (The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, however, claims that this is an editorial error and Burns's original manuscript uses the older niger.) The obsolete spelling niger dates to 1574. It comes from the Latin meaning black. It shares this common root with negro.
The offensiveness of the term has increased over time, especially in the 20th century. Two 16th century quotes that are commonly cited in dictionaries are from scholarly tracts. A 1700 quote by judge Samuel Sewall uses the term in a denunciation of slavery. Gradually, however, polite discourse increasingly used the term negro (which dates to at least 1555) and nigger became relegated to the vulgar tongue, increasing in offensiveness over the centuries.
So for example, when Mark Twain uses the word in Huckleberry Finn, by the standards of his day he is not being especially offensive (although even then it was a term that would not be used in polite society), but is using the term as a marker of class and socio-economic status of the characters who utter it.
In the 20th century of course, it has become extremely offensive. It, along with cunt are just about the only taboo words in American discourse today (it's interesting that the most offensive terms have strong racial or gender discrimination components). About the only acceptable use is in Black English when African-Americans use it to refer to themselves. (There is a similar reclamation of the word queer among homosexuals to rob the term of its offensiveness of the term by using it to refer to themselves.)"
Termite: Just to tag on to the idea of change, it was 1961 or 1962 when I was in high school but teaching after-hours classes to elementary students. I broke up a fight between two second graders and asked what it was all about. "He called me BLACK!"
It was an all-Colored/Negro/African-American/Black school, term depending on decade. "Black" was a horrible insult then. But today, it is THE descriptor in "BLM."
Interesting etymology you posted.
And I agree -- if you wouldn't say it to PawPaw's face in his living room you shouldn't be typing it here. Seems some feel it's OK to insult people via keyboard and I wonder if they are so rude that they would do the same in person. As you know, it goes on in many many blogs. Discussion and disagreement are one thing, but insults out of bounds in my opinion.
I have worked with many blacks and most of them used THAT word. Am I to self-censor to a standard which THEY do not follow ? And have I lost the right to associate with whom I please ? Call me a racist. I do not care. By the way, it was not I who used THAT word.
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