Harrison remark, Intentional?

[UpNorth_Buckeye]

I wonder if Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud of his fellow African Americans for using that strong word that, you know, is used because it empowers them. Not just because they think it makes them look cool. I'd say he probably would, but I may be in the minority.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Only if said person hails from a group that the observer has already assumed to be a racist. Then it's definitely racist. Also, this progressive perspective absolves all other demographics of potential bigotry, including any otherwise ill-advised assumptions of racism and their absolute nature.

P. S. I tend to agree with your comprehension of this usage, which is why I suggested that he meant it like "bitch". It was certainly derogatory but not with the actual definition of the word (which only adds to the absurdity of using it like that)

Agree to disagree. The last word in his sentence wasn't derogatory at all imo. It was basically "fuck that dude"

 

[scarletmike]

Why the hell is it so hard to understand that it's a bad word that NO ONE should fucking use. Period. Ever.

And no, it isn't only African-Americans that get to use that word with a free pass, it's generally (in my experience) anyone who lives a "hoodlum" lifestyle, including white (and other races) idiots who think they're black because they've been accepted into that community. I've seen and heard it plenty of times first hand, and that even includes well-to-do white and African-American kids who think they're all gangster as well.

Sure, it may be "a conversation for the African-American community to have (still waiting on Sharpton et al to address it meaningfully, like publicly after an incident like this)." Whatever, fine. I'm still going to let it be known that I think it's a deplorable word that no one of any race should use. If you don't like that...deal with it.

 

[jwinslow]

I think it's fairly accepted that black people have embraced the n word as a way of owning it and "taking it away" from white people.

Yes, it's a calculated and shrewd social commentary and definitely not a vulgar, sloppy word choice used flippantly. When I saw upnorth's post, I thought his MLK reference was some major hyperbole, but if I'm buying this logic, then maybe he should be proud.

 

[Buckeye86]

No section of society, regardless of past history, gets to dictate what other sections of society can say or not say, or state that they alone has exclusive rights to anything.

You can say the n word as much as you want, no one is stopping you. It's not even against the law.

However, if you say it once or many times and get caught, you, as a white person, are going to be judged and held accountable by society in ways a black person is not.

I'm fine with that because I never plan on using the word in private or public and don't begrudge people who can without repercussion.

I'm sorry it upsets you so much.

Hey, did you know many Jewish comedians openly use extremely negative stereotypes about themselves without repercussion?

But when Mel Gibson says something derogatory, Liberal media start your engines!

That doesn't bother me either, and for some weird reason I don't see many other people complaining about it.

I wonder what the difference is?

 

[jwinslow]

Agree to disagree. The last word in his sentence wasn't derogatory at all imo. It was basically "fuck that dude"

I usually feel commended and uplifted when someone throws an F-bomb at me. Of course, maybe he actually wanted to carry out the act and was just too forward in his feelings (since we're cross pollinating here).

I agree that the word is often substituted for dude in a remarkably self defeating fashion.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

The United States of America does not have a national language.

 

[jwinslow]

You can say the n word as much as you want, no one is stopping you. It's not even against the law.

However, if you say it once or many times and get caught, you, as a white person, are going to be judged and held accountable by society in ways a black person is not.

I'm fine with that because I never plan on using the word in private or public and don't begrudge people who can without repercussion.

I'm sorry it upsets you so much.

Hey, did you know many Jewish comedians openly use extremely negative stereotypes about themselves without repercussion?

But when Mel Gibson says something derogatory, Liberal media start your engines!

That doesn't bother me either, and for some weird reason I don't see many other people complaining about it.

I wonder what the difference is?

Self-deprecation is a different thing from referring to other people using your demographic's hateful slang. I wouldn't recommend walking up to a stranger, saying F you spick/wigger with a friend explaining that it's cool because they aren't part of that demographic.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Hey, did you know many Jewish comedians openly use extremely negative stereotypes about themselves without repercussion?

And you won't find a single Jewish comedian calling a fellow Jew a Kike.

Black comedians (too many to mention) openly use extremely negative stereotypes about themselves without repercussion, as do Hispanic comedians (Carlos Mencina), as do Asian comedians (Margaret Cho, Ken Jeong), as do white comedians (too many to mention). It's called fucking comedy. There's a huge difference between poking fun at established stereotypes (especially when the one doing the poking is in the group being poked) and claiming to use one of the vilest words in our vernacular as some perverted badge of honor...

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

It was basically "fuck that dude"

Then that's what he should've said. He specifically said "nigga" because it carried a far more derogatory connotation...

 

[Buckeye86]

Self-deprecation is a different thing from referring to other people using your demographic's hateful slang.

The discussion has moved from a specific instance to use of the word in general.

So we have decided that self-deprecation is a legitimate reason to use racial slurs and stereotypes for Jewish people, but that none of the hundreds and hundreds of reasons a black person might use the n word (including self-deprecation) is similarly legitimate?

Oh, and white people should definitely be the ones who decide what is and is not a legitimate use of the n word.

Oh wait, they abused the word for several hundred years and had that privilege taken away.

And for the record, I agree the person in this instance chose his words poorly. However, I do not care at all about the lack of backlash against him for using the n word.

 

[Buckeye86]

Then that's what he should've said. He specifically said "nigga" because it carried a far more derogatory connotation...

Clearly many people in the African American community do not view the word in the same way you do.

Once again, that is kinda the point in some instances since it so clearly pisses you and others off so much when it is used in more casual terms.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

So we have decided that self-deprecation is a legitimate reason to use racial slurs and stereotypes for Jewish people, but that none of the hundreds and hundreds of reasons a black person might use the n word (including self deprivation) is similarly legitimate?

Who's "we", Kemosabe?

 

[jwinslow]

The discussion has moved from a specific instance to use of the word in general.

So we have decided that self-deprecation is a legitimate reason to use racial slurs and stereotypes for Jewish people, but that none of the hundreds and hundreds of reasons a black person might use the n word (including self deprivation) is similarly legitimate?

And for the record, I agree the person in this instance chose his words poorly. However, I do not care at all about the lack of backlash against him for using the n word.

It's not legitimate. It's intentionally abrasive for the sake of humor, like countless other tasteless jokes. That's the whole point of most stand up comedians.

The opposite was being argued, that because other people say offensive words for pleasure that they are not offensive then or at other personally defined times. I reject that notion.

I'm not interested at all at what blowback Harrison receives, as most people use the word foolishly and recklessly.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Clearly many people in the African American community do not view the word in the same way you do.

Oh, so they no longer see it as a vile word? Oh, you mean when they use it...