I have not used the N-word since February 25, 2015. Reflecting back to the first time I had ever heard that derogatory word, I distinctly remember we were living in Long Island, New York, and on this specific day my father and I, driving down a very busy street in an old pick-up truck, while turning into our local Home Depot my father made a very wide turn causing a white lady to miss her turn. She screamed out the window, "You dumb ass nigger". At that time I didn't grasp the meaning of that putrid word, but it didn’t take me much longer to realize the force and hatred behind it. The word “Nigger” was a term used in reference to a slave. A slave meaning, you were the lowest scum of the earth, Illiterate and uneducated in every sense. Today, the usage of the word is spilt in to different context, it is used to refer to one another. A lot of children today use the word freely, not because they are ignorant to the history and putridness of the word, but solely because they are not really offended by it and the only time they hear it, it's being said by someone else who is of color. As I looks back over the years, I can’t really remember anyone distinctively ever calling me the N-word, or better yet, not in a derogative fashion. I don’t think that anyone has ever called me the word to my face or in hearing distance. Growing up in New York City, the only time I ever heard the word “Nigger” was from people who called themselves “Nigger”. I remember sitting in class daydreaming on the word, thinking to myself, “How could anyone call themselves a Nigger and be proud of it?” Yet It’s Hard to hurt me with words, but I had never heard that word used with such vengeances. What does this word mean in my everyday life? I de... ... middle of paper ... ...is a similar correlation. They use words such “Dude” to refer to one another. The context is exactly the same but one missing variable. This variable is the history in which accompanies the word. I found several techniques to help me refrain from using this word and other words of its caliber. I started to replace it with words like dude. Recently I have found great satisfaction in improving my vocabulary, although at times I do feel “naked” with the word to fill my gaps. I find that the best remedy for me is to become more articulate. Whenever I feel that the situation calls for a word like that I pick one from may many other word of equal magnitude. In final analysis I will continue power pledge to refrain from the usage of the N-word. Continuing the techniques that I have learned to employ had really help me refrain. I have not used the word since February 25.
As a black American male, the word nigger conjures up within me hate, hostility, violence, oppression, and a very shameful and unfortunate part of American History. The word symbolizes the everlasting chains of a people plagued with hate and bondage simply because of skin color. For many black people, including myself, nigger is the most pejorative word in the English language. Even when compared to racial slurs like kike, honkey, cracker, wet back, spic, jungle bunny, pod, tarbaby, and white trash, nigger is noted as the worst insult in the English language. The word nigger suggests that black people are second class citizens, ignorant and less than human.
He effectively moves from a position of “Other” to one of empowerment through his active participation in the Civil Rights movement, and his comedy. In fact, Gregory views comedy as “friendly relations,” allowing him to abandon his repressed identity—one that was “mad and mean inside” (134)—and move to a position of empowerment that allows Gregory to “make jokes about [whites] and their society” (Gregory 132). Through his comedy, Gregory is also able to dissociate himself from the term “nigger,” as well as the namelessness, de-individuation, and dehumanizing effects associated with it: “Every white man in America knows we are Americans, knows we are Negroes, and some of them know us by our names. So when he calls us a nigger, he’s calling us something we are not, something that exists only in his mind. So if nigger exists only in his mind, who’s the nigger?” (Gregory 201). In refusing to adopt the word and its negative connotations as self-definition, Gregory “returns” the word and its negativity to the dominant society of the white middle class—the discriminatory “. . . system that makes a man less than a man, that teaches hate and fear and ignorance” (Gregory
nigger is used to try to paralyze their people by humiliation. "This word cannot be erased from the human mind or language, therefore somehow it must be overcome" (Naylor, 1986,p.470). Similarly to Naylor, Leong also introduces a word to ig...
The words Negro, nigger, and nigga have always been a sensitive topic, yet it is a topic that needs to be addressed in light of the more common use of its vernacular. One word is used to describe a color, while the others are used to define a people. It’s very clear to many the negative connotation these words carry, but where did these words come from? Furthermore, is there a difference between the word nigger and nigga; and why is it that African-Americans now use the word nigga to degrade each other in today’s society? These words, in spite of their spelling, still holds the same degrading power as it did during the time of slavery, and they are still spoken out of cruelty and ignorance, but who is to blame? Can one still blame the Spaniards for considering people of a darker skin tone –Black? Can we blame the Europeans for perpetuating their hatred and ignorance of superiority over a race of people to the point they felt it lawful to define and dehumanize them? Or does the blame lie with the African-American race as we use this degrading labeling on our own kind, thus becoming the victimizer. Either way nigger or nigga are words that should be eliminated from the vocabulary of every human being.
This fictional, satirical follow-up to to Mark Twain’s 1876 novel is just as popular, although for most it’s for different reasons. The amount of times that the “n-word” is used is between 160 and 213 [2]. Since the 1950s, black parents and some white sympathizers have called this book out as being racist. As for my opinion on this, I never got why this was bad. Sure, it may seem racist to us, but in the context of it’s time, there’s really nothing wrong. That was the controversy of it, as for the story itself, it’s a classic in it’s own right.
Post 3.*N.W.A*. “Why do I call myself a nigger, you ask me? Because police always wanna harass me every time that I'm rollin. They swear up and down that the car was stolen, Make me get faced down in the street. They throw the s**t out my car on the concrete front of a residence A million white motherf**kers on my back like I shot the President.” Facebook. N.p. 12 July 2009. Web. 5 Nov 2013
One must say to simply use freedom of speech amongst peers does not necessarily mean any harm when using the “N” in comedy sketches, stand-up, and sitcoms it have been used in the black humor many decades. The “N” has to be identified by Americans whether saying the Nigga in comedy is humor or is it been used as racist
When it comes to the use of the “N-word”, “nigger”, most of us will readily agree that it is derived from negativity. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of is this word appropriate and should it be a part of our vocabulary today. Many feel like this word is okay to use but there are some that disagree.
The word is taught by many to be said to any slave during this time period. I thought that there were white slaves? Where they called “niggers” as well? Indeed, there were white slaves that were called “niggers” along with black slaves. Many people are unaware of this fact and only subject the term to only be meant for black people. Since this new knowledge had be brought to light, the word “nigger” consequently does not refer to just blacks but rather both blacks and whites. The term groups together any property owned during this time period that was marked as a slave. The African American slave owners during this time were not called subject to the word. This is because a “nigger” was someone of low class or even just a piece of property that could be replaced. Another misconception is that there were in fact many black slave owners as well as white slave owners. The meaning of the word is arguably the most contemptuous word in the english language. “You are a white nigger!” “You are black nigger!” These two sentences mean the exact same thing. This term, as horrible as it is, should be just as offensive to white as it is to
One example is explained when Wright said “Whut yuh tryin’ t’ do, nigger, git smart?” (Wright 4) This is verbal abuse because the word “nigger” is what whites would call blacks in a bad way. No one should call anyone something they don’t want to be called. “Nigger” is a word that was used towards blacks when white people would feel disrespected by black people. This was a word used to make black people feel like they are lower than white people, like slaves; even though some were. Even though “nigger” is a word that is still used today, it is not as offensive as it was back then. When black people use this word among themselves, it’s not really a problem, but if a white person calls a black person ‘nigger’ it brings some hostility. Another example explained in Wright’s “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow” is when he said “You black son-of-a-bitch! You call me Pease, then!” (Wright 6). This is verbal abuse because using profanity towards a person is verbal abuse, especially toward a child. Calling someone that word could make a person feel so low in a way. This could make a person feel low in a way where it’s double-consciousness (Dubois). Double-consciousness is when you feel some type of way about yourself and it could be different in the eyes of others. Meaning you might think you’re smart, while others think you’re dumb. When you call someone a name, like “son-of-a-bitch” could make you change
Blacks considered the N-word to be one of if not the the absolute worst and most offensive word throughout history. Why should that suddenly change because the last two letters are changed to an a? The meaning and history of the word is something of which many members of the younger generation are completely oblivious. Why should this dehumanizing, demeaning word be used freely in songs and everyday speech? In the words of Martin Luther King Jr: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” If all men are created equal, then why should blacks be discriminated against in everyday language and in popular songs?
In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the “n” word is used often. There is a lot of discrimination and slavery is still existent. Even with these arguments, Huckleberry Finn should not be banned. Slavery was an awful time for America. Slavery should be against the law, but not forgotten. White Americans can not forget what they did. Students reading about discrimination and slavery will only discourage them in repeating the past. The use of the “n” word is only relevant to the time period. Nowadays it is one of the most
Many would categorize the word under fighting words or slander, but when it comes to freedom of speech when in fact that may not be the case at all, as stated before it is the way you used to word not the word itself any word used by a man can be sitting at home where it could be something like slander or fighting word. In today's society Freedom of speech has very dark cloud around and no one wants to use their freedom of speech is because everyone is afraid to speak what they want until it comes to words like this figure of speech is very big thing you can't categorize the word just because of the history behind so wait to use constantly. An example being Los Angeles in the 1990s where was prominent that officers with a rush to young black males just because it's just going to call her because they feel that the community is very suspicious in the way they handle things in there with each other and so early everyday someone on the street so I hope you called the n-word just because. Did it before you can make an word something it has a very negative now connotation what the with the tone of your voice when you use the word in a
There are laws that prohibit any type of segregation in the United States of America. We have in office today the very first African American president, President Barack Obama. The culture is now more politically correct on what is acceptable and what isn 't. There is a scene in the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard that includes Guard Dunham ( Stone Cold Steve Austin) and prisoner Megget (Nelly). The "N" word was used towards this prisoner a few times, but this was the only time in the movie it was used. This is obviously not okay, but compared to the 1970 's film, this was a huge change. The use of that hateful word helped the director portray the guards as villains in the film. The 2005 remake did not separate the white and black inmates in the prison like they did in the 1974 original. Although director Peter Segal did use the disrespectful word in modern day, he used it moderately. Segal did not use it so freely like the original film because today 's culture would not tolerate it. It could have jeopardized the quality of the film in the view of modern day
When used on television programs that children watch, vulgar vernacular degrade society's standards; children use the words without thinking about the true meaning of the word possibly to show disrespect another person. A good example of this would be a clip of South Park, where the character named Randy has made it to the last round of Wheel of Fortune, and the category is “People that Annoy You.” Randy's puzzle reads “N_GGER,” and Randy's guess was “nigger,” instead of the answer “nagger.” This racial slur being used in this sense shows children how outraged people will get, but failed to show how the subtle consequences really happen. This is a far cry from when Opie would get a stern talking to by his “paw” for just saying the word “darn” or “gosh dangit.” Television has advanced “now to the new age of liberal enlightenment,” using words that were once taboo in the 1950s like “darn” and “shucks” to “damn” and “shit” in almost every line. It is this constant bombardment on the children everyday desensitizes them to the use of these words, and they begin using these words in defiance of their parents' wishes.