Controversy about the word nigga

[wizard wond]

There really shouldn't be a controversy, the word is deragatory in origin. Noone seems to know the root of the word, rather it's some dumb neck who misspelled the river Niger or Nigeria (maybe) or something else, but the old Webster's described it as a deragatory term associated toward dark skinned people, (of African descent) period. Yo, you can't change that. Shiftless and lazy dark skinned people! I don't care what you say, you can't front on that, unless you decide to stop calling yourselves African American or Black and announce to the world that we are niggers. Ya ready for that. I don't give a damn if it's pronounced nigger or nigga, what's the difference? a racist from Boston, Indiana or Mississippi or Alabama, the pronounciation is regional, but the world still has power. I deleted that word from my vocab 20 yrs. ago and will not allow my seeds to use it in my presence. As for my family and other loved ones, it a ongoing battle. I don't see a difference between the spelling nor pronounciation and bumped double standards, if it good for 1 it's should be good for all, remember that. That's suppose to be the American Way, lol.

[omack]

I feel ya, Wizard. Taking it out of my vocabulary is what I'm doing as well.

[BlewLeeGee]

"Nigga" is a term of endearment these days -- for better or for worse, and obviously it trickled down from the word "Nigger". Black people are historically notorious for taking a bad situation and stretching it, rearranging it or doing whatever to make it pliable and bearable, if not positive or laughable. I, personally, don't address or refer to myself or anyone else as a nigga, but to each his own. The truth of the matter, though, is that it came from a racist and negative word used to put Black people down for being Black, so yes, I do get angry and offended by anyone outside of "Black" heritage/origin using the word nigga. I kind of think that the word is a little oppressive, but yet and still Black people have earned the right to use it, if we so choose, because only we have been burdened by it's negative namesake (Nigger), so for someone non-Black to just come in and be ready to use and own the word "Nigga" now that it's cool -- now that it's been flipped -- is offensive to me, and it's a slap in the face! I guarantee that none of these people would be so quick to stand on line with us and take the heat in being called a Nigger, so why be so bold now?

[omack]

Tru that, tru that, Blew!

[BlewLeeGee]

...I mean, really... If you can't take the bitter, you don't need the sweet. Glad you feel me, omack.

[Kab]

Very interesting...I USED to believe there was a difference between "black person" and "nigga". Whites would tell me that I was "a black person" not "a nigger". But I now see this as "divide and conquer". I don't divide myself or my identity. My skin is black so I am and will always be a nigga. I even have the word tattoed on my chest.

As DMX says, "if you forget where you're from, someone will remind you." So blacks are niggas period.

But I don't like the word "nigger"...that's racist. But "nigga" (with an a) is ok.

The word " Nigger " is northern, " Nigga " is southern. Southerners had/got them terrible accents which slaves/free folks broung from the bottoms. So to me there is no difference because it's the same word and who uses it the most.

I tried not to use it back in the early '90s but that was a funked time but now I never use it unless around my folks for humor or when I'm mad tryin to push some fool to lose self-control for a rumble.

[Pershing]

thesoulage,

you are an enemy of my people.

[Bulls Fan]

seems like everyone is using "nigga" nowadays.

[sexy365]

the word nigga, nigger, negro, colored, coon, poarch-monkey, and etc............. should not be used when adressing a black person. not by whites or any other race other than black people. we as blacks get made when others call us the n word but are quick to call each other the words that we hate so much. whites have used it so long that they don't need to use it anymore for any reason at all. jennifer lopez should have never used that word she's a white woman herself.(basically) i don't like when any one uses the word but it hurts even more when some one from another race uses it.

[wcrockets]

It's my understanding that Jennifer Lopez is not white, that she is Mexican. If you have verifiable proof to the contrary, then please correct me. Let's get it right.

Number two, I've had black friends I was living with for a couple years come up and throw their arms around me and call me "my nigga." I didn't get any bad feelings from it. Sometimes they was playing around calling me honky too. We were just young men foolin about and nobody took anything personally.

I did not ever call them the n word in any of it's many derivates, however, because I knew they would find it hurtful even if they didn't respond negatively because they were my friend.

STILL, I sure won't be voting for any constitutional amendments about restricting free speech. I will not support dual legal systems with one standard for whites and another standard for everyone else because THAT would be racist in my view.

Perhaps the Chemical Brothers had it right when they just said "the brothers are gonna work it out." Peace.

[sexy365]

i really don't give a **** what she is, she has no right to use that word.
she's not black that's all that matters, blacks use the term as a greeting no more than that, but others get carried away with it. freedom of speech i'm down for that and i support it but what i won't allow is someone of or not of color to call me out my name. my name is sexy so call me that.

[wcrockets]

Lol.. ok sexy. No worries here I don't use the word nor hang with anyone that does. I also find it offensive. I just don't want the Government going around handing out tickets or jailing people who use words. That would violate the first amendment as it's authors originally intended and could get really ugly. We understand each other. Peace.

P.S. She IS Mexican .

[stateraised2000]

""blacks use the term as a greeting no more than that,""




c'mon sexy, i know a gang of black brothers who be hating on other blacks and they be talking bad about them, talking about "that punk ass n***a aint about stuff" or "we gonna take out that weak ass n***a"... dont sound like too much of a greeting to me... maybe overall its ment as a greeting but there IS more than that when its said. just depends on who's saying it and how they saying it.

[BIG DUSTY LOCO]

correction:

Jenny Lo Lo is 100% boriqua, puertoriquena. Maybe she wants to be white now...LOL.

[sexy365]

o.k we all live in diff. places. people, trends, words, and etc are diff. also. where i stay there is no such thing as black on black crime, or any crime for that matter. people have disagreements because their beliefs, feelings, ideas, opinions, and etc...... seem to clash but that's also what makes america so great. i love everybody. i can except someones differences as nothing more than a diff.ok j.lo isn't a white woman, but she should still keep the n word away from her lips.

[Pershing]

hey sexy,

what's up my nigga.

[sexy365]

ok, i'll be yo nigga as long as you give me you long, fat, huge, bat.

[Pershing]

Just tell me where u live and maybe we can arrange somethin.

[sexy365]

now thats what im talkin about

[Light_skin_boy]

wcrockets wrote:

I can clear that up easy. Bro means brother. It is not derogatory. Most white guys I know use it amongst each other when they are close.


I DONT KNOW ABOUT OVER THERE BUT OVER HERE IN AUSTRALIA ME ALOT OF US BLACK PEOPLE (ABORIGINAL) US THE WORD BRO TO A GOOD FRIEND OR A COUSIN EVEN BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKE A BROTHER TO YOU OR WE EVEN SAY BRUZ

BUT ON AOTHER TOPIC the WORD NI88A THE BLACK PEOPLE OVER HERE DONT REALLY SAY IT SOME PEOPLE DO BUT NOT MANY BECAUSE
WE ARE NOT AFRICAN AMERICAN WE ARE ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN WHICH MEANS BLACK AUSTRALIAN WE HAVE OTHER WORDS TO USE THAT MEAN BLACK LIKE NUNGA,URA JUST LIKE EACH DIFFERENT PERSON USES THERE TRIBAL WORD FOR BLACK MAN. BUT I DONT USE MUCH OF THOSE WORDS I AM PART BLACK BUT DONT REALLY LOOK IT
BTU ALOT OF RASICT WHITE PEOPLE CALL US ABO'S (SHORT FOR ABORIGINAL) WHICH IS LIKE A DISS SOME RACIST PEOPLE CALL US NI88AZ CAUSE I GUESS TEHY CANT SEE the DIFFERENCE...........

SO I GUESS ITS ALL DIFFERENT AROUND THE WORLD.......

[sexy365]

just don't do it.

[Noog]

I'm from East London, UK. I'm British Italian and live in Hackney, which is a multiracial borough in London. Here it is not as racially divided as in LA, but some divisions exist. The community is made up of West Indian (Jamaican and other West Indian Islands), Black British, White British, Vietnamese, Turkish, Kurdish, African, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Irish and many more - a real melting pot.

I work with young people who have got onto the gangs here and want out. But the issue here is the use of 'nigga'. Recently, a young black man I am working with was fantasising about becoming a rap star and said that I was invited to the first gig afterparty and I would be welcome in the VIN lounge, which would be more inner circle than the VIP lounge. VIN lounge? I asked, 'yeah', said my lad, 'the Very Important Niggas lounge'. I had a mixed experience inside - part of me hated hearing a young black man use the word nigga, as I do not use the word in common speech myself, and I felt it was a denegration of himself. But, part of me was kind of honoured - though I am white, I was important to this young man (I'd helped him find housing and a job and helped him to think of other ways of making money than drug running!) and being in the VIN lounge was his way of saying thankyou, you are close to me. So for a moment I was a very important nigga, or is that wigga! At the end of the day though, I think even a black person using the word nigga is unconsciously colluding with a set of racist stereotypes which are ultimately damaging to the development of radical consciousness and change in all our communities. Let nigga go to the wastebin of history.

[sexy365]

YOU SAY LEAVE IT IN HISTORY, BUT OFTEN HISTORY IS ALWAYS INCLUDED IN THE PRESENT AND FUTURE. IF YOUR SAYING FORGET IT THEN I REALLY DON'T THINK THATS POSSIBLE. I'LL NEVER FORGET WHERE IT ORIGINATED FROM, WHO STARTED IT AND WHY.

[wcrockets]

But what he's saying is that hopefully your Grandchildren won't except as a historical footnote. If you want to hang on to it, in his opinion if I read him right, then you are part of the problem perpetuating it.

[stateraised2000]

YOU SAY LEAVE IT IN HISTORY, BUT OFTEN HISTORY IS ALWAYS INCLUDED IN THE PRESENT AND FUTURE. IF YOUR SAYING FORGET IT THEN I REALLY DON'T THINK THATS POSSIBLE. I'LL NEVER FORGET WHERE IT ORIGINATED FROM, WHO STARTED IT AND WHY.

say sexy. why u gonna catch feelings behind something that was started before you were even thought of? you can do all the "never forgetting" you want but thats not going to change history. its done and still going to be like that long after me and you are gone. dont get me wrong, i got love for the black race but you gotta realize theres "ni**as" in every race, just a different term for different races, i latino is called a wetback, a whiteboy is called a honky or peckerwood, a asian is called a buddahhead, a boriqua (rican) is called a bilingual ni**a, the list goes on and on.... i hope your above getting too butt hurt if you hear the phrase directed at you or another black. dont feel like your people are being singled out when that N word is used cause im sure every time one of the other races hears a dis directed twords them, with their "label" and their race they must feel the same way. like i said you cant change history so save yourself alot of hurt feelings and just consider the source. now if somebody steps up in your face and talks to you like that then its time to get ready to do what you have to do cause if they take it that far then it seems that they are getting ready to clean your clock. thats just my view of this...peace.

[wcrockets]

Yes that's what I've seen for sure. Before somebody steps to you they usually try to tear you down with words first. You have to understand the mind game before the physical one. Anyway I'm rambling..

[Michelle]

What do you think of this...I found this of a website...

Should Nigger be Used as a term of Endearment in the Black Community and Everywhere?
Randall Kennedy argues that the word nigger should be usable by all people as long as no one is being harmed. “There is nothing necessarily wrong with a white person saying nigger, just like there is nothing necessarily wrong with a black person saying it. What should matter is the context in which the word is spoken” (Kennedy 51). Here Kennedy argues that context can determine how nigger is used, and to treat the word otherwise would transform nigger into a kind of fetish. Fetish by definition means to treat something with unusual obsession or devotion. (Merriam-Webster 430). However, Randall Kennedy’s argument that all people can say nigger is easily contested because though the word is a fetish, it is a fetish for a reason. The word nigger creates an obsession for people because of its historical meaning. In other words, if the history of the word stigmatizes it, then how can common use of the word, even by those who perpetuated its historical meaning, generate a new meaning? Kennedy’s suggestion of people using the word only with good intentions shows his dismissal of the contextual past

[sexy365]

I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM, BUT DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME. I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS SADLY TRUE, BUT WHY IT GOTTA BE THAT WAY. IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY IT. IT CAN BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. THE ONLY THING BAD ABOUT THAT IS YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE SOMEONE'S HEART IS AT WHEN THEY USE IT. IF A NON-WHITE PERSON SAYS IT AROUND ME ALL I THINK ABOUT IS THAT THEY ARE RACIST. IT'S THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN A NON-WHITE USES IT AROUND A BLACK. BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY AROUND THE WORD. AMERICA EXPECTS US TO LOOK AT THE WORD AND SAY" WHEN WHITES CALLED US THAT YEARS AGO THEY HATED US, BUT WHEN THEY CALL US THAT NOW THEY MEAN NO HARM" AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE REST OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY CAN THINK LIKE THAT . I KNOW EVERYONE THAT USES THE WORD IS NOT RACIST, BUT DOES EVERYONE ELSE?

[Michelle]

What do you think about, non-whites, asians for example. (Without European ancestry) using this word?

[Noog]

At the end of the day....arguements for and against 'nigga'...the arguement for the use is, in my veiw, flawed. True, black people must never forget history or the origins of the word and who perpetrated the hate BUT, at the end of the day... the word denegrates and demeans, even if it has been reclaimed from the language of the oppressor and taken on a host of different meanings to the original. We can understand this, its important, A step on the way. But to move on through the wounds of history, how would a conscious evolution continue? That niggas will always be niggas? Or that there might be a rejection of even a word reclaimed, to find a new place. Course, I ain't got all the answers, but in my guts, I feel like we need wrestle with a new and vbrave consciousness. Get revolutionary, get political. At the end of the day, there is only one race - the human race, divided into different ethnicities. So at root, we all one blood apart from the wonderful difference of colour, hue and tone, Viva la difference!

[sexy365]

FORGET THE SKIN COLOR, AND ALL YOU HAVE IS THE WORD. IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT A PERSON MEANS WHEN THEY USE THE WORD.

[outkast outlaw]

the word nigga everyone used it i dont see the problem with using that word just as long as you are not intending to offend