So does that mean that the word "kyke" is going to be banned in several European countries now?

I can understand the symbolic nature of it, just as I can understand the nature behind Virginia's recent "official apology about slavery." But it doesn't really do anything besides making politicians feel like they're "totally fixing racism." You're never going to get people to stop using a word unless it's by choice.

Radmetalmonk
Yeah...no government is going to tell me what I can and cannot say. I know the "N-word" (I'll censor it I suppose) can be offensive, but I use it a lot as just a general insult for anybody (which is extemly stupid). Point is, I don't really take it seriously. It's only with people I know who can take a joke, regardless of their skin. They know I'm just fucking around. I don't go up to some black guy and insult him (even though if someone called me a honky I wouldn't give a shit...I'm not white, I'm swedish :P jokes all around...don't worry if you don't get it).

So I'm against banning it. I don't see a problem with any word, as long as it's in good taste. Besides, how do you ban a word?

*calls up cops*
Someone just said...the N-word *gasps* Actually, I don't see how it's really that insulting now that I think of it. Oh well, I guess I wouldn't really understand unless I was on the same situation. It's just a word. Ah well, it's really only a problem in the USA I would imagine. I swear, people are so weak minded.

Well, although I mostly agree with you, you have to understand that most African-Americans would kill a white person for calling them the "n-word" (I know I would), even if it was being used as a joke or something like that.

...

Compared to the word "honky" the "n-word" cuts deeper than any other word in our language.

Priest_Revan
Well, although I mostly agree with you, you have to understand that most African-Americans would kill a white person for calling them the "n-word" (I know I would), even if it was being used as a joke or something like that.

Do you even know any black people?

rengori

Priest_Revan
Well, although I mostly agree with you, you have to understand that most African-Americans would kill a white person for calling them the "n-word" (I know I would), even if it was being used as a joke or something like that.

Do you even know any black people?

I'm related to over 50 of them... what do you think?

...

What a stupid question.

Wow, how did i miss this one?

Anyway as a black man, i see it like this: The N word is the nastiest word in the english language. And like the article said, it was made out of racism and hatred. Even though it's been turned into something mainstream and used as a way for blacks to identify themselves with; that still doesn't erase it's source. I'd go as far to say that racial slurs in general should be done away with. However, making a ban on them would basically put us on par with countries like China, whereas they control what the populace says and has access to. So it's kind of a "damned if you do, and damned if you don't" situation for me. I can only hope that someday in my lifetime, we'll be able to find another way of identifying ourselves that isn't based with biggitry, and predjuice.

It's funny, it's more used now then it was when it used to be the same thing as calling someone Caucasian or Hispanic.

i keep thinking "taking back the word" is backfiring...
i mean it's more prevalant in society now than before with all the media multiplying it.

i mean WTF...asian/english/brazillian people are even saying it across the sea. and it's basically derived from the hip hop culture that became global. most of them are saying it, and don't really know the actual meaning of the word.

case in point...jackie chain in "rush hour"

"taking back the word" was IMO a bad idea.

subcultured
most of them are saying it, and don't really know the actual meaning of the word.

Couldn't this be seen as a good thing. The more people who use it not knowing what it originaly meant, the more likely it is that the meaning of the word changes completely, making it harmless.

Dictionaries have really manipulated the way we look at langauge. There is no standard definition of a word a word only means what it is most commonly used to mean, not what other people meant with it 50 years ago. irregarless is a word, because I use it as a word, whether or not it's in the dictionary is supurfluous

yea and then this happens...

black people need to lighten up, it's usually pretty clear when someone's using nigger in a derogatory way and when otherwise.

eventually jackie chan will just kick everyone's ass, then no one will say spit

Showing word discrimination to the word "nigger".

Am I the only one that finds this really, really ironic?

We should also ban Moist.

It offends me to tears.

So the general consensus seems to be that the word is bad, but people still say it, especially African-Americans. Therefore, while we all wish it would just go away there's not a good chance of that happening, and at the same time the ban is kind of a stupid idea because it has no teeth and is basically another way for white politicians to feel that they're helping, when they're really being completely ineffectual.

Debate/Discussion over?

I think people are only offended by words or think they're "bad" because they are told that they are. I wish that there was one generation of people who didn't tell their children about what words they consider bad and then it would just all end, but, sadly, no one's going to et that happen.

When I first saw the word "nigger", I never knew a thing about racism. I only learnt about it from watching one American movie when I was in high school and I was surprised to see how the blacks react when the word is spouted by a white actor. I grow up in an environment of undiversified races. A place where there are hardly any other races except your own. Racism hatred just seem never occurred and everyone just never experience the racism hatred at all.

I only learnt about the "offensive meaning" on the word "nigger", "chinks", "japs" through online. If you ask me now, I don't even know 98% of these words listed here are offensive AT ALL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs [en.wikipedia.org]

Homogeneity in a region definitely seems to aid productivity. That's certaintly seemed to benefit the Japanese.

It's not homogeneity of genetic clines (or whatever the proper term for "Races" is) that "aids productivity", it would be the fact that their culture is more homogeneous. But homogeneity of a human genetic cline would increase racialism amongst that group because introduction of people who vary in any way would be even more jarring to them.

Apple is right though. it's a learned perception of a word that matters. Break the connection and you break the meaning of the word. Unfortunately human culture doesn't discard things so easily.

-What is the "N-word"?

-Who would ban it?

-How would this ban be enforced?

-If a ban is emposed by a Shadowy World Government and some one thinks up a cleaver euthamism can that word be censored to?

-If you hear someone using the "N-word" are you allowed to break the law to enforce this ban (ie beat them up)? What about other words that upset you in the same way?

I hate the slippery slope argument but come on we might as well be wearing skis for this one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6406625.stm [news.bbc.co.uk]

Sub, You should describe what your link is and why you're posting it.

Ludus Pragma, Sub has re-posted a link to an article that he originally posted at the start of this thread. He's indicating that You should perhaps read it before just jumping in... but not in so many words. But yeah, you really should have read the opening post. ;)

No words should be banned, only limited. The way we choose our words speaks a lot about our character, and to not express ourselves the way we truly think is lying. There are other racial terms out there and they are not being banned, for instance Cracker, (which I do not at all find offensive, in fact I think it is funny). If you want to use these racial terms go ahead, but be prepared for the consequences if it offends someone.

Quite frankly, I am not offended by any racial terms. You can call me what you want I am not going to belt you in the face for making fun of me. Here in America we a giant melting pot, and if you make fun of one group, you are probably making fun of yourself...

I like to think of it like Tarintino said in an interview with Spike Lee, he's trying to use it as much as possible to take its power away from it. The more people drop their shit and go "oh lawd he said the N-word" the more power the word of curse gains. So if we say it over and over, it not only has comedic value, but it loses power. Win/win. Thread over.

I think there's some truth to that. When I was little, my parents didn't like me saying "crap", "butt", and "fart". But I kept saying it, and now those words don't seem like anything. Either that or I have a potty mouth.

I think that law is stupid because the "N Word" is not really a threat to human lives as compared to other things like car accidents, drugs, and poverty.

What will that law affect? Black people and maybe the very few less than 10% of white people who are actively Klan members.

If you wanna ban racism, you cannot do it. Borat proved it. The racist side of people is always hidden away. Everyone is racist. That is a fact. Sure... you'd hangout and be friends with people from another race. Sure. You'd hire them... give them fair treatment, etc... But what about the "special" people who become your inner circle or people you have sex with?

Every race is racist. Not only white people.

-For example, a sri-lankan friend of mine told me that he is so angry with a Filipino manager in the mcdonalds he worked at... because he is an asshole to other races but a very nice guy to Filipinos.

-I had the same experience in my workplace now. The Filipino supervisor is very nice to me. He's always smiling and friendly and all... But this Nicaraguan dude also complained to me that this Filipino supervisor is a big asshole. I'm like... WHAT?!? BUT HE's A GOOD GUY!!!

- When I applied to Tim Hortons, the manager was sri-lankan... and lookin around, I noticed his staff is ALL sri-lankan. I knew it from the start that his interviewing me is just for PROPS. So that he cant be accused of racism. There was also this other white guy who was interviewwed before me. But for sure. ONLY SRILANKANS get hired in his Tim Hortons. :)

- I talked to an Arab friend privately. He said he hates black people because they are criminals. He said he hates jews because of what israel is doing in palestine.

- I talked to a Filipino friend privately. He said he hates white people because they are so arrogant and believe they are the superior race. He equated them to hitler and the nazis. All of them.




Banning racism can only do so much. Like prevent harrassment and physical violence. But passive racism is just under the radar. And cannot be banned.



And why only ban the N word? If racist words are to be banned, why not also ban the following words?

- C word = refers to asians
- H word = refers to whites
- C word (black) = refers to blacks
- G word = refers to italians
- S word = refers to mexicans
- F word = refers to filipinos
- P word = refers to pakistanis
- SN word = refers to arabs
- M word = refers to arabs
- R word = refers to whites
- N word (white) = refers to whites
- K word = refers to jews


You get the idea?

Know what word I hate??? Snort...Say it aloud...What an ugly word...It should be banned. Along with---Are you there God? It's me Margaret, know what...Throw Lolita and Harry Potter in that barrel while your at it...

Words only have power if we allow them to.

Breaking news:

Russel simmons is trying to get Nigger, Ho, and bitch banned from edited rap music.

kyupol
...
- H word = refers to whites
...
- R word = refers to whites
- N word (white) = refers to whites

You forget that no civil rights people care about whites.

I don't really think it's the word that is a problem.....I mean, I have as much access to it as any other human in America.

It's the racial bias behind the word that is the issue here. If someone were actually capable of "banning" the word "nigger", then the racial folks would come up with something else that is insulting to refer to people they don't like.

If you don't like the word, don't use it. Maybe you can be an example to someone else.

Phantom Penguin
Breaking news:

Russel simmons is trying to get Nigger, Ho, and bitch banned from edited rap music.

Where's Frank Zappa when you need him? -_-