The 'N' Word

We've all heard, quite possibly we've all said it and sometimes, if not all regretted it as well. What's so bad about it? My opinion is, its a word a very derogatory word used to demean and embarrass the person being called such. No one should use it, black, white, yellow or red, no one, and I mean NO ONE. Not even if you are by yourself and thinking out loud. I love words, all different types of word but the person who thought up this one, well we won't get into that.

The story going on now is that Reverend Jesse Jackson said the 'N' word in a off-air comment that wasn't 'off air' so to speak. Caught! (I didn't see nor hear the comment. My opinion is above).

And there was a debate on 'The View'. Which spark further assessment of the situation. I know this isn't a debate forum but I was just wondering about others opinions of the 'N' word.

A quote from actor Taye Diggs (Guest on 'The View'.)

Quote :

“She doesn’t understand and no offense — I don’t think any white person has the right to tell a black person or to even weigh in on subject matter such as that,” Diggs told “Access Hollywood” on Thursday. “They don’t know what it’s like to be called that word; they don’t know what it’s like to be black.”

Do all races have the right to chime in on the debate of the 'N' word?

I'm bi-racial (Mutt) and I think that everyone should be able to speak their mind on the subject. As Diggs said, you don't know what its like to be black but I've had many white friends who've been called the 'N' word as I have.

The N word is the worst word ever made in the dictionary....It is worst then swearing in my opinion.....NoOne should be able to say it.....

I agree with you there. But how about the objection of Diggs who says if you aren't black you don't even have the right to even discuss it.

That means Caucasian, Asian or any other minority who isn't of African American descent cannot even chime in on the debate of the 'N' word. Shouldn't everyone be able to voice their opinion of this disgusting word?

Where I live people use it all the time. I mean, literally, during the course of an average week I'll hear it spoke at least ten times by ten different people. Mostly by black people, but often by whites who think because I look white they can be 'honest' around me.

Hell, my girlfriend is usually one of those weekly ten, and she doesn't use it in the way most black people do. When she says it she means it. I think there are a lot of reasons for this, but mostly it's a habit she picked up from her father, may he rest in peace, who use to call her sister's husband by it all the time... In light of recent events I can't say I'd be as harsh in judging her father for doing this as I once was.

Here is the bottom line, it's a word. Just like many other words it's used to hurt or put people down. If we start banning words based on how hurtful some or many people find them where will we stop? And in the area of writing nothing is to me off limits. If that particular word works best in a story line or makes a point any other word would fall short of you better bet I'll use it.

You make a valid point in 'where will we stop'. If the word gets banned then people are going to want other words banned and so on. So I agree; however this particular word is use by a lot of people and not on rare occasions. It is used everyday as if it were a kind word.

I've used the word in my stories before without a second thought because it belong there, it was the subject of the matter. I don't mind the use of the word on occasion but when it becomes a word of affection we have to expect that some people will get offended by it at some point.

Slavery is over, (to an extent) so why is the word becoming more popular now then when the term was first introduced?

My father was born and grew up in Mississippi. He had a 'master', a white man whom he worked for. Slavery was over then and the word was never used by his master however the racist in the Yazoo area used the word 'boy' quite often which hurt my father more than 'nigger, nigga' ever did. Sad but true.

Oh, I certainly think it's over used.

There are a lot of reasons why, but I think one of the main reason is that so many people make an issue out of it.

For the racists it becomes a big up yours every time they say it.

For the people using it as a form of endearment all the debate is adding a thicker layer of rebellion to it.

So, what's the answer? To ignore it and hope it goes away? I somehow doubt that'll work, but it seems the more people focus on it the worse it gets.