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Racial Double Standard in America

By Shonaneal, published Nov 15, 2007
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With the recent law suits, civil rights protests and requests for show cancellations, one would think there is a double standard in America. Blacks are able to get away with calling each other racial slurs but once a white person does the same its time to hang him and cancel his show. It seems as though the use of the N word has become a customary part of culture in the Black community.

Up until the Don Imus fiasco the hypocrisy of the N word was never raised. Scrutiny was bought on Imus for calling black women the same things black rappers and men have been calling their own women for years. Why is Imus different or any other white person who uses such racial insulting words?

What I don't understand is blacks call each other n*igga but use the "its not used in the same context as n*igger" cliche excuse to substantiate using it. Blacks have twisted, no im sorry, put an A on the end of a word that was used to demean them to that of animals, degrade their character and reference them as property. This word now n*igga is what some blacks call themselves now however shamefully condemn whites who use it. Not only do these sudden societal black listed whites have to apologize to one or a group of their specific attack but somehow to the entire Black race for making the comment. I do not understand why a person has to apologize to an entire race for making a comment at one or a group of people.

While I don't agree with racist remarks because it shows blatant ignorance, I also do not agree with many blacks being hypocrites and judgmental. Many blacks spend millions of dollars toward black men that refer to BLACK women as ho's, B's and sluts but when a white man says how he doesn't want a n*igger, its a big enough problem to try and cancel his show and protest. How do they endorse artists like this that makes money objectifying women and perpetuating Black stereotypes but show aggression towards whites who only feed off of the actions and ignorance that these artists and other blacks put out?

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Hi Shonaneal. Since you have been so kind to read one of my writeups, I'll say that my wife uses it with her friends. That's her choice. I thinik it's wrong for all but far worse for whites. When incidents such as Imus come up, the protests make it look as though all Blacks are rising up, but many I've encountered have also looked inward and asked "why do we keep calling ourselves this? shouldn't we stop?" That aspect is rarely seen in media. There is a book called "The N Word" with a subtitle something like "Who Can Use It, Who Shouldn't and Why." The author argues that it almost always is wrong but it was in context with homorists ranging from Mark Twain to Richard Pryor. I'm pretty much with what you said; just let it go away. Not to digress, but the nickname for Washington's pro football team is truly wrong but it's accepted. -- Mike

Posted on 01/20/2008 at 12:01:47 AM

 
Great article. I feel that the N-word should not be used (and other derogatory words too). Period. It shouldn't matter who you are or the color of your skin. I do not like when some say it is okay for a certain group to say words like that and not others, because I feel it divides us all instead of bringing us together. Sometimes it's like we all want to be treated the same, yet we go and set different standards for people of different cultures, ethnicities, etc.

Posted on 11/16/2007 at 11:11:00 PM

 
Call it what you will, but the N word carries deeper offense when uttered as a slur against blacks. It is regrettable that the hip hop culture clings to it, but the overwhelming majority of black Americans would agree with Janet Shan below - the N word is abhorrent in all forms. It was an offensive context when Imus said it (no matter he thought he was being funny) and it was extremely offensive when Dog said it. And ask Alec Baldwin, you really need to be careful what you scream in anger over the phone to your relatives... At least Baldwin apologized for his language, which was not racial, but hurtful to his own child. He didn't point to other people who used the term 'pig' as a way out.

Posted on 11/16/2007 at 2:11:00 PM

 
The hip-hop generation doesn't seem to understand the origins of the word, and to them, the word holds no power.As for Duane "Dog", I no longer respect him. I think that he took for granted the fact that he had a lot of African American fans, and he blatantly disrespected them. Although his son was wrong for outing him like that.

Posted on 11/16/2007 at 12:11:00 PM

 
Race is a complex issue and this article makes some valid points but, the rules are simple: White people created the N. word to destroy the humanity of their Black Slaves and white people should never, EVER use the word. Im not a fan of Black people using the word either but, it belongs to them now and they can alter its meaning in any way their community sees fit inorder to work through the echoes of slavery and racism in American. White bigots who use the N. word are ignorant of the historical vileness surrounding the creation of the word and the only reason they're objecting to the boundary surrounding the word is b/c they dont like being told what to do by Black people.

Posted on 11/16/2007 at 7:11:00 AM

 
Or maybe people will grow up a little. But I seriously doubt that.

Posted on 11/16/2007 at 3:11:00 AM

 
Maybe someday people will stop placing ugly labels upon other human beings. Skin color, shape of eyes, are no different than eye color or hair color. Country of origin and religion does not make one set of humans inferior to another just different. Get rid of the KKK and White Supremists and their racism, bigotry and hatred and there would be no black/white issues.

Posted on 11/16/2007 at 12:11:00 AM

 
Blacks started using the N-word to make it common place and take the sting out of it. Older generations hate that the younger ones have done this; but it is not used as a racial slur. You pretty much would have to put yourself in another's shoes to understand. When your history is such that your ancesters were routinely raped by white slave owners and black females were looked down upon well into the 1900s (and even today) a white man calling them 'hos sets off all the old helplessness and anger.

Posted on 11/16/2007 at 12:11:00 AM

 
don't forget our foremothers! ;)

Posted on 11/15/2007 at 9:11:00 PM

 
Great article, but as an African American, I absolutely abhor the word nigger in all its variations. There are many, many blacks who do not condone of using the word or disrespecting women as the rappers have done in their music. I must, however, say that blacks are not the only ones who purchase rap music, a lot of white kids do too. I have said time and time again that we need to target the record labels that promote this music. All these rappers have or had a mother, possibly a sister and female cousins and I am sure that they would not want them to be disrespected. I take offense to the word nigger, having read what blacks have gone through in this country. No one is looking for a pity party, however, we, i.e. blacks, should honor the legacy of our forefathers who fought for equality under the harshest terms. I don't think that Dog's conversation should have been broadcasted, but his son sold him out and it is a real shame. I wish more blacks would take Bill Cosby seriously b

Posted on 11/15/2007 at 4:11:00 PM

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