j_war06

Go beyond obvious, expand your mind, think of other possibilities. There are so many ways to consider things, that simply seeing what is right in front of you is boring. I used extreme comparisons so show how ridiculous it is for one person to decide that no one can use a word because someone's feelings MIGHT get hurt. I think its ridiculous that in America there are certain and specific things secluded ONLY to black america. If we tried to have a college that ONLY accepted white applicants then it would be nothing but trouble. Do you honestly think that if I was just an average student applying for college (exclude top 10%, SAT, and ACT scores) and I applied to a black college...do you think I would get in? Is that racism? No because the tables are turned. So...if no other word compares to the "n" word, what is its synonym? Does it have one? What about an acronym? What is its If no other racially unjust word is comparable to the "n" word how can one decide how bad other racial slurs are?

For His sake, look beyond what is in front of you. Think of things in a different way than how they are usually presented. Many people in my town stay on government assistance all their lives and throughout generations JUST because they believe the government owes them something. Technically if one wants to become whatever they want in life they DO have to do an interniship for specific careers. So therefore they are forced into it, so your argument doesnt hold up on technicalities. And I didnt ask if the pencil incident was the same thing as calling someone the "n" word, I asked if it could be considered racism based upon the facts presented in the previous argument.

I WANT to do everything for this baby from changing poopy diapers to soccer and piano eventually. If I didnt want to do this things, I wouldnt keep it. I am cold and heartless, its what society has taught me, if I went around worrying about other people ALL the time and if what I was saying was offensive, then I would be a nervous wreck! I dont worry about other people, I worry about me and my baby...thats it.

I do know what it feels like to be called that word in a derogatory manner! Do you think that word is secluded to one race only? Mostly it is, but not always. So then according to your statement its no better than a skinny person who has never been overweight and never dieted in her life to call someone heavier than her fat? Its the same thing? Im not going to just ignore a word because someone doesnt like it...if that person is my friend or my superior or someone else important to me and it bothers them, then I wont use it around them in any manner...but if I dont know you, I dont care about you. Ive had my experiences with judgement, and all is fair in love and war. Why should I care to not hurt someone's feelings that I dont even know? Why would they let someone they dont know hurt their feelings? Thats just ridiculous.

Yeah they hurt me, until I realized that it was nothing but ignorance and people trying to cut me down. They dont hurt me anymore, well it could have something to do with the fact that Ive been quite cold and heartless for most of my life. I am a pretty mean person in reality, I do what I want, when I want and if I TRULY dont want to do it, then I dont. If I dont use words to defend myself I have no other method, what? you want me to be sued for battery or assault? Atleast with words I can deny them or counter-sue.

I just dont understand how one word can hold so much power? Someone calls you that and you dont like it, so what? write them off as ignorant or stupid and go on...dont dwell on it, dont get offended. If you honestly did NOTHING to deserve to be called ANY NAME, then just dismiss it

That is simply hypothetical and extreme, but that was the point. So if that doesnt represent racism, why is its bad for my friends and I to refer to one another as that word in a friendly tone. And there are written accounts in history where slaves were not beaten down to work. And I guess that by your definition an internship or and apprenticeship is a slavery of sort, your overworked and not paid for what you do...believe what you want but an in-depth look at history reveals many things and the government has more than paid for those who want compensation for the slavery of their culture (some of which may not have been slaves). I want to know when Im going to get a break from the government?

Well maybe Im immature, but atleast I dont dwell on being called a stupid name all day (or the rest of my life). And atleast I stick up for myself in someway. And sometimes people just need a dose of their own medicine

Ummm....Do you really think that EVERY slave was whipped into submission? That they were ALL beat down. They werent. I will admit that my family owned 2 or 3 slaves during that period and treated them quite well (according to journals and such). They didnt beat them or mentally abuse them. They used them for labor purposes only (which was wrong I admit.) So, therefore according to the history of a culture asking someone of that culture to do something for me would allow them to assume Im being racist....In theory ofcourse.

I use this word as a term of good friendship. It also means (around here anyways) that you trust the person. Its a good thing as long as it has an "a" at the end of it. I dont say it with an "er" often, and probably havent said it in months. If I say it that way it means that someone (no matter what color they are) has REALLY pissed me off. I cant predict what my child will hear from others, but I even sensor myself now as opposed to my previous (and VERY unfeminine and unprofessional) potty mouth. And what is "safe?" I cant insult a black person who just insulted me without knowing me? I cant turn-around and judge someone for judging me? Now what kind of frilly-froo-froo world is that? Im a REALIST....Crap happens, people say things that are inappropriate. The way I see it is 1.) You can either sit around and stay mad at them and let them get you down, ruin your day 2.) You can ignore it or 3.) You can return the "favor." I usually go with with the latter, however I believe that 2 or 3 is acceptable, but Im not going to let some dumb word ruin my psyche. Ive been called HORRID things in my life that would make the "n" word look like a compliment, but I usually get mad for a sec, stand up for myself, and go about my day in a good peace of mind.

Oh I enjoy it, except for the possible complications that are arising. I just cant believe how well Ive done over the past year especially! Im so glad this thread is still alive so that I could see how far Ive come...Im so proud of myself, for once in a long time lol! I mean this past year is hell on earth compared to when I wanted to kill myself, but I wouldnt take it back for anything because it has taught me SOOOOO much!!! Im so excited about the baby, ofcourse I have my worries (aside from health issues) but God has given me a great and precious gift and Im SO excited

So the history makes it so bad? So if I happen to ask a black classmate who sits in front of me in class to pick up my dropped pencil because I cant reach it, then Im incenuating that they should do it because they are black and I am white? Why is it ok for black people to use the word then and not for any other race? I have a black friend who uses it in a deragatory manner all the time, but apparently its ok??

What makes the n word so taboo? Whats so special about it that it is socially acceptable to use other "bad words" occassionally, but a word that has at least two meanings (one good and one bad) cant be used in either way. WHY is it okay for one race to use a word and another cant? Isnt that racism?

WOW cant believe this thread is still alive! I commented on this thing like 2 YEARS AGO!! Amazing! Ive been very proud of myself, Ive resisted the urge to hurt myself for 2 YEARS!! I cant believe that, that is such a milestone for me! Not even one suicide attempt in OVER 2 years! I mean, my life before was heaven with peaches and cream compared to now! lol! And Im coping! Simply amazing

BTW, there are a lot of words that you cant use around everyone that we use anyway. Why is this one special?

LOL!!! My ex-fiance used to tell me that, and then we started, "you know" and I found out he's 13 from the waste down lol!!!!

My friends do not "allow" me to say a word, any word, the government (if anyone) allows me to say whatever word I want. I dont believe that all black people are the same AT ALL. I have 3 black friends that if you spoke to them on the phone you would have NO CLUE that they were black. I have other black friends that you would definately know, but they dont make an issue out of something stupid like a word. I had to learn a long time ago that a word is just a sound or something written on paper, and when it comes to opinion it no biggy. Ive been being called names since I was little, I had to learn not to let them hurt...I used to have to go home and ask my mom what several things were that kids had called me, do you HONESTLY think that it didnt break her heart?? Ive been called the "n" word before (although Im white) because of the way I was acting. People shouldnt get their feelings hurt so easily. Do you honestly THINK that I dont know what racism is? That I HAVE NEVER experienced this? And I have n respect for anyone who calls themself a man of God and then goes and cheats on his wife. I have no respect for any man who can just run off with another woman. I have my reasons.

This kind of goes with this thread, did anyone watch the 2 part Tyra Body Image special where all kinds of different women all got together, and based JUST on how they looked they gave each one a label. It was FANTASTIC! I loved the way that the thinnest (and rudest) one got the "fat slob"(it was the only stereotype left when it was her turn)! I thought it was hilarious, everyone else used nicer terms to describe people in their initial interviews, but SHE used the most horrible term "fat slob" and then got stuck with it. But watching that episode was a marvelous thing, just thinking about how people perceive you...one lady was labeled "unhealthy" BUT when it all came down to the end, turns out she had lost like OVER 200lbs (gastric bypass)...well Im not going to go on and on, just watch it, it really brings you to life about what we think about others just by looking at them.

Actually if I felt like it I could pull up a few court cases dealing with the "C" word, however Im working on a couple of cases right now (hypothetical and real) and Dont really have the time to dig through the masses of civil cases. I just know that Ive never gotten in a pickle over the "n" word and I live in a very diverse town. But then again Im smart, Im not going to just haul off and call anyone that with the "er" added to the end unless I have a damn good reason, I actually think Ive only done it once in H.S. when a VERY ghetto black girl was walking down the wrong side of the hall and ran into me and didnt apologize, me (being bi-polar) promptly said "excuse you" and she said, "you got somethin to say white girl?" and it escalated, she pushed me, and I told her that if she wasnt acting like such a "n"(er) that MAYBE she would have consideration for someone other than herself, and that if she was going to take this to be a race issue that I could do it just as well. I had to go to the BLACK vice principal over it, and she thought it was funny! If I got mad everytime someone called me cracker, gringa, white b****, or gueda(sp?)...I would forever be calling people racist. Im part Jewish, Im not asking Germany or Egypt or ANY of the other places that persecuted Jews over the years of history. My jewish blood is so diluted that you cant tell that I am...just because one is black doesnt make them African, NOR does it mean that their ancestors were all slaves. A few black people came from other places to America and some were never slaves. I MEAN when some black slaves were set free by their masters, they went and bought other black slaves to work for them. HOWEVER this is not the topic, SORRY. Anyways, a word is a word, thats what you have to take it for. Words should have no actual offense meaning, just some are more uneducated sounding than others and shouldnt be used in certain settings, however freedom of speech means that you can say whatever you want (as long as it doesnt encourage others to commit violent crimes against people and so forth and so on....So take it for what it is, if you are black and someone calls you that word for no reason other than your skin color dismiss them as an ignorant idiot and go on with your life knowing that you are better than that. To tell you the truth, I CANT STAND Martin Luther King. He was a hypocrite and is just annoying, but HE was such an important part of the civil rights movement that I can stand him and realize his place in this world. BUT I can not stand Jesse Jackson OR Al Sharpton! I seriously cant stand to look at them because of the RIDICULOUS things they said about my town. What makes them any different than white supremicists? NOTHING but skin color.

I disagree, ask any of my black girlfriends if they would rather be called the "n" word or the Big C bomb! Bet they choose the "n" word... I believe that the C word is possibly the most controversial and powerful word in the english language. If you EVER want to see a 85 pound anorexic or a 350lb woman go psycho on someone (especially a man) and muster up the energy and strength of a pro-wrestler....Bust out the C word (whether joking or not) SEE WHAT HAPPENS THEN...At least the "n" word is used in casual (hopefully not formal) situations in a joking manner and with other black people, however women USUALLY (there are always exceptions) NEVER joke with the "c" word

I actually agree with this mostly. But I also believe that the word has more than one meaning.

Im not a Mac (apple) fan at all either! Well, now they arent so bad, but they used to be HORRIBLE!! Ive considered buying one just for the virus cut-down, but then I would have issues trying to convert and run all my stuff on other ppls computers since most people around here have Microsoft. I like their sleek look, but thats about it lol! I have a Rasberry Red Vaio with matching Dooney and Bourke carrying case, Ive had it for a year, and it still looks good, but I had problems with it from the first day that I bought it (literally, I had to send it back after opening the box and turning it on for like an hour?) And Ive since had a couple of issues with the touchpad, but its still the best computer Ive ever had (and it better be, for OVER $2000.00!) lol

HAHA! Piercings anywhere only hurt a little while TRUST ME, then certain ones are great

I wanted to respond...I feel like its one of those words that is only appropriate in certain settings...my friends (white, mexican, black, asian....etc..) use it around one another as a term of affection.. to call someone that means that you are a GOOD friend, not just an acquaintance...BUT we arent STUPID, we are not going around calling EVERYONE that in our lives, because to us its actually a GOOD thing (well as long as you dont put the "er" at the end of it lol) Now there is no reason for us to call anyone that word with the "er" added to it. I grew up in an almost completely 50/50 town, the word gets thrown around alot, its not ALWAYS a bad thing, JUST dont do it around ANYONE (no matter WHAT color their skin is) that you dont know or dont know very well lol! Im sorry if this is offensive to you or anyone else, but HONESTLY its a WORD, I had to learn a long time ago that words arent important, they dont physically hurt you, so dont let them bother you

I do suppose thats true as well...I had actually thot about that right after I posted, but was in a hurry to get to a Dr.'s Appt