Excellent use of Google, Ricky!!!!Whatever...I retract said statement and will try and explain better. It's not so vain where it's as though "nobody can feel my pain"..It's just that when you make claims as to why a word creates a 'double-standard' you have to look at who's point of view it comes from..Is this black perspective, or is this white perspective?...Is it neither, and more cultural perspective?. Clearly people see the 'n' word as having one meaning, and if it's used by a black person than a white person has equal right to speak it..I despise that notion, because the word has been recycled into something totally different, though that information may have never reached your particular culture, you follow?..Over time the word became used as endearment, like your acknowledging the greatness of someone else sharing your struggle..Sort of like how war veterans take pride in their own individual platoons. You shared a struggle that no one else can understand, so you associate closest with those who are the same and of the same group..The 'n' word is a fellowship among some people where they can relate to one another, to the point where they can take pride in outlasting a word that once was so painful...Like sand that turns to pearls, the 'n' word became a sentiment to the changing of times into something positive and the word in turn now represents that.
I think everyone needs to figure out for themselves which they find truly offensive and which they just feel like they can start an argument or debate over.
Since no google was used, I take this as a compliment!...Also funny at the disbelief that I could write it, which only shows the barriers in your own mind...Sad, but true!.Excellent use of Google, Ricky!!!!
Ricky, I brought it up in the derogatory sense because that's what I had heard about from my black friends. I can't & won't discuss the use of the "n word" between blacks because I don't know enough about it. I think I can say that even though I'm a Caucasian I think the derogatory use of the "n word" by a racist pig is wrong, and I think I can say that even though I am a Caucasian I heard real pain in my friends' voices. Sorry if you think Caucasians can't possibly recognize that a friend was hurt.
I know that various words for gays can be used as an insult by a homophobe or as a group bonding thing among members of the community. Been there, done that. Dyke is an insult if a homophobe says it. It's not if a lesbian says it in a friendly way to another lesbian. So I recognize there might be another use of the "n word" that is not an epithet. I should not use it, because I'm not a member of the community. I'm fine with that, and don't condemn that use of it.
Goddess knows I NEVER meant to step on any racial minority toes in this thread. I was, at the beginning, trying to comment that "retard" could under some circumstances, hurt some people very badly. Clearly I made a serious mistake since half the rest of the thread has been a fight about the "n word". I am beginning to think, however, that maybe there is only one official minority in this thread and everyone else's pain caused by hateful epithets screamed by hateful people does not exist. I wonder what the veterans you wrote about felt like when they came back from Vietnam & were called "babykillers" by people who clearly were acting hateful. I guess their pain didn't exist either. I'm out of this thread after this comment.
Discussing/Arguing/Debating anything with ricky/tyfler/michael is exactly like Einstein's definition of insanity.
They're just words, of course, but sparky gets you a three day ban while pretty much everything else flies willy nilly. No problem.
D80
With cautionGee Ricky, that is somehow different than when you slandered my sobriety and cast doubt on my decency. Speaking calmly is a new tactic for you, I’m not quite sure how to approach it.
Actually, color was brought into this conversation long before I entered it..Seems like whenever there's a debate on inflammatory words the first one that appears is the 'n' word..Look it up if you want to see for yourself!.....For me it would have been no different if it was a slur against Muslim people, Jewish people, Asian people, Spanish people, etc...I just think it always leads back to the 'n' word, because it's become the most prominent derogatory word in this country and the word itself is very controversial (clearly)...No grudge though, and I'll apologize for my statements towards you particularly..I've grown to like you on this site, and ruining it over this thread would just be stupid..I’ve said this to you before but I really disagree with your point of view. Black people have suffered. No doubt. But so have so many others some of whom don’t even have a color. The blacks don’t have a monopoly on pain. And quite frankly you look silly waving the poor picked on black guys flag when you are not part of the group. I don’t even know if we have any black people here but half the people here think you’re black. You bring this color into every conversation.
I like Sparkey, I thought it was a term of endearment. I thought he was commenting on your shinning personality and sparkly wit. Since you and I are both white could I call you Sparkey as an indication of our brotherhood? Just you and me Sparkey, something like that.
Whaddya mean by that?? C'mon, Canook! We're taking this out in the gravel!!!, I have Black Cousins, Asian Cousins, Hispanic Cousins and heaven for bid, Native American in the family tree along with other nuts, J
Whaddya mean by that?? C'mon, Canook! We're taking this out in the gravel!!!
As a 22 year old living in New Hampshire, please try to explain (given my limited capacity for understanding) your current oppression?