# Does using the word 'nigger' automatically make me racist?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [July 12, 2002, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709 "2002-07-12T22:49:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeremy_s_Evil_Twin)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/1 "2002-07-12T22:49:01Z")
Oh, geez. In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=125226), I made an offhand comment about how I’m sick of seeing “nigger music” on MTV and its affiliated stations. (Everyone please read that thread to see it in context before replying with an opinion here, ok?) Now, I knew that was a hot-button word and I figured one or two people might point it out. What I was totally unprepared for was the MASSIVE amount of responses of people calling me all sorts of names, like “asshole” and whatnot. All from using one silly six-letter word?
Now, anyone who knows me (and I’m surprise that these people seem to not know me after a year of posting) knows that that’s not a word I use very often, and its particular use there was merely “for effect.” I tried to explain that, but the responses I got to THAT were even more vitrolic. (And I’m certainly not a racist, at least not beyond the fact that I hate ALL people, as a general rule!)
Has our politically correct society reached the point where you can’t use certain words AT ALL, even for effect? Help me out here.
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### Author:  [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/2 "2002-07-12T22:58:21Z")
Using the term “nigger” is inappropriate in the regard that referring to a Jew as a “greedy kike” would be inappropriate. Our “PC society” shuns racial slurs that for decades were used to degrade an entire race, now that we’ve largely come out of that era.
And, racial slurs do not add effect in any regard except that of the “look, I’m racist!” effect. If I were criticizing Vicente Fox, and wanted to make an effect with it, I would probably not call him a “dirty wetback” or “mud person” or whathaveyou, because that’s offensive, ad hominem, irrelevant, inappropriate, and just stupid.
Now any second you may expect people to tear you a new one here over that comment. All I say is “reap what you sow.”
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### Author:  [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/3 "2002-07-12T22:58:30Z")
You used a word for effect, and you got an effect.
And you’re surprised why?
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### Author:  [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/4 "2002-07-12T23:00:46Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _from the other thread_
> I knew I was gonna get flamed for that…
>
> Anyone who knows me knows that “nigger” isn’t a word I use very often. The fact that I used it at all shows that I’m referring to something that I’m _very_ upset about. Oh, and for effect.
>
> On the other hand, making snap judgments about someone based on their choice of politically incorrect words sounds like a good subject for another thread…hmm…
As an initial matter, the fact that you get _very_ upset about what kind of music videos are played on TV indicates you already have problems.
As for your question, the use of any particular word does not make one a racist. Context is always relevant.
In this case, the context in which you used the word would indicate to a reasonably prudent person that you are racist.
Sua
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### Author:  [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/5 "2002-07-12T23:02:00Z")
Read the thread. It was offensive.
What, exactly, is “nigger music,” anyway? I’m sure your response will be culturally enlightening to us all…
Esprix
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### Author:  [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/6 "2002-07-12T23:06:27Z")
What’s wrong, JET? No school shootings to troll about lately?
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### Author:  [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/7 "2002-07-12T23:11:04Z")
Using that word in that way says, I don’t like the music **because** it’s performed by Blacks. Is that the effect you were going for?
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### Author:  [@Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeremy_s_Evil_Twin)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/8 "2002-07-12T23:12:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SuaSponte \*
> **As an initial matter, the fact that you get _very_ upset about what kind of music videos are played on TV indicates you already have problems.**
What upsets me is that the almighty powers of the music industry (esp. MTv) have decided that the ONLY music you are allowed to see on television is hip-hop, rap, and its various permutations. The fact that the majority of these artists are black has nothing to do with it – I hate that form of music even if it’s a white or latino person singing.
You can’t tell me to “change the channel” because there IS no channel to change to. Well, there was MTV-X, which was the only pure ROCK video station out there (on my cable system, at least…like I have a choice in THAT matter!) Except they replaced it with “MTV Jams” So now I have a choice of MTV, MTV Jams, VH1 Soul, or BET Videos. Oh, and VH1 Country (whee, sheep-fucking redneck honkies!!!)
Not to mention that the big labels have taken steps to shut down ANY avenue of independent, non-mainstream music, from Napster/Audiogalaxy to the recent rulings against Internet Radio.
And you have the fucking audacity to suggest that _I_ have the problem, since I’m upset about it???
The mind reels.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/9 "2002-07-12T23:16:59Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Has our politically correct society reached the point where you can’t use certain words AT ALL, even for effect? Help me out here.
OK. There are few words in the English language more loaded with bad baggage than “nigger”. Your use of it as an “offhand” reference to certain kinds of music makes you at the very least clumsy and insensitive, and at the most a racist.
> [@](#):
>
> Now, anyone who knows me (and I’m surprise that these people seem to not know me after a year of posting) knows that that’s not a word I use very often, and its particular use there was merely “for effect.”
Perhaps the vitriolic reaction is based on the posters to this board knowing you all too well. I’m sure the majority of us know you only through your posts, and you seems to have a history of showing a lack of concern for the feelings of others. Hell, in the OP of this thread, you state “I hate ALL people, as a general rule.” Since you don’t actually know ALL people, this seems to indicate that you consider it valid to act on prejudice.
As for “effect”, obviously you did not get the effect you intended (although I have no clue what your intent may have been). Please don’t blame the reader for your inability to express a thought coherently.
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### Author:  [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/10 "2002-07-12T23:19:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Now, anyone who knows me (and I’m surprise that these people seem to not know me after a year of posting) knows that that’s not a word I use very often
I’d wager it’s not a word that most posters here use ever. For the life of me, I can’t imagine a situation in which using that word in ANY context would be appropriate for a caucasian.
> [@](#):
>
> Has our politically correct society reached the point where you can’t use certain words AT ALL, even for effect?
I can think of but one effect for using that word: to be racist. Whether you are or not is beside the point - you are sending no other message by using it here.
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### Author:  [@Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeremy_s_Evil_Twin)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/11 "2002-07-12T23:19:43Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by minty green \*
> \*\*What’s wrong, JET? No school shootings to troll about lately? \*\*
Hey, it’s one of my old fans!! 😃
Well, since you asked, I’ve kinda backed off the more violent themes since 9/11. I’ve always maintained that my glee over such incidents was because of the big wake-up call it gave to the victims (the ones who survived, at least.) And since 9/11 was a big wake-up call for EVERYBODY, well…it just didn’t seem necessary, anymore.
Back to the subject at hand, I already explained that my particular term “nigger music” was more an expression of disgust than anything else. If salsa/tejano was as popular as hip-hop, I probably would have said “wetback music” instead – or “redneck music”, if it were country.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if very few people got upset over “redneck” as opposed to the other two terms. Now _that’s_ a double standard…
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### Author:  [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/12 "2002-07-12T23:23:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by Jeremy’s Evil Twin \*
> \*\*
> What upsets me is that the almighty powers of the music industry (esp. MTv) have decided that the ONLY music you are allowed to see on television is hip-hop, rap, and its various permutations. The fact that the majority of these artists are black has nothing to do with it – I hate that form of music even if it’s a white or latino person singing._\*
Then perhaps you should have called it “that shitty rap music” or some other turn of phrase that didn’t indicate race.
Just my 2 cents…
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### Author:  [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/13 "2002-07-12T23:26:31Z")
Funny thing is, JET laments the lack of rock alternatives on his TV. People who objected to Rock and Roll in the early years (50’s) frequently referred to it as “nigger” music and “jungle” music.
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### Author:  [@Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeremy_s_Evil_Twin)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/14 "2002-07-12T23:29:33Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by El\_Kabong \*
> **There are few words in the English language more loaded with bad baggage than “nigger”. Your use of it as an “offhand” reference to certain kinds of music makes you at the very least clumsy and insensitive, and at the most a racist.**
But they are just _words_. And I’ll grant that it was partially insensitive, but mostly what I was going for was an expression of total disgust. It’s not like I said, “music created by niggers.” It’s the _music_ I was railing against, and attaching such an un-PC word to it was aimed at expressing the ultimate form of disgust. For some reason, “that shitty rap music” just doesn’t have quite the same effect I was looking for.
And how do you guys know I’m caucasian, anyway? 😉 Would it make any difference, if I were known to be black?
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### Author:  [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/15 "2002-07-12T23:30:59Z")
So, you ask what people think, and then when they spell it out for you, you try to explain and justify your remarks.
Maybe a better question would be, “Is it possible to be racist and not know it?” I think yes.
I would encourage you to look at this issue honestly and with an open mind and heart.
I think it is impossible to justify or explain this remark in any context. I am offended when I hear this word spoken. When I hear someone use the word, I usually think that they are racist.
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### Author:  [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/16 "2002-07-12T23:31:21Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jeremy’s Evil Twin \*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > _from SuaSponte_
> > **As an initial matter, the fact that you get _very_ upset about what kind of music videos are played on TV indicates you already have problems.**
>
> What upsets me is that the almighty powers of the music industry (esp. MTv) have decided that the ONLY music you are allowed to see on television is hip-hop, rap, and its various permutations. The fact that the majority of these artists are black has nothing to do with it – I hate that form of music even if it’s a white or latino person singing.
> [snip]
> And you have the fucking audacity to suggest that _I_ have the problem, since I’m upset about it???
>
> The mind reels.
It’s worse than I thought.
Yes, I have the “fucking audacity” to assert that the predominance of rap and similar music on music videos causes you such upset that you feel the need to resort to bigotry. I don’t see it as audacity, fucking or otherwise. I see it as a logical inference from facts presented.
Last I checked, any type of music video, “pure ROCK” or not, are pretty bloody insignificant, in the grand, or even picayune, scheme of things. A person whose equilibrium is dependent upon the ready availability of a particular type of television programming has, shall we say, deeper issues.
Sua
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/17 "2002-07-12T23:32:44Z")
> [@](#):
>
> What upsets me is that the almighty powers of the music industry (esp. MTv) have decided that the ONLY music you are allowed to see on television is hip-hop, rap, and its various permutations. The fact that the majority of these artists are black has nothing to do with it – I hate that form of music even if it’s a white or latino person singing.
MTV and other outlets are going to present whatever ELL. If music made by 88-year-old grandmas playing oatmeal boxes and yodeling in Japanese was popular, then MTV, et al, would be playing that 24-7.
---
### Author:  [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/18 "2002-07-12T23:40:19Z")
So, you ask what people think, and then when they spell it out for you, you try to explain and justify your remarks.
Maybe a better question would be, “Is it possible to be racist and not know it?” I think yes.
I would encourage you to look at this issue honestly and with an open mind and heart.
I think it is impossible to justify or explain this remark in any context. I am offended when I hear this word spoken. When I hear someone use the word, I usually think that they are racist.
---
### Author:  [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/19 "2002-07-12T23:40:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jeremy’s Evil Twin \*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > _from SuaSponte_
> > **As an initial matter, the fact that you get _very_ upset about what kind of music videos are played on TV indicates you already have problems.**
>
> What upsets me is that the almighty powers of the music industry (esp. MTv) have decided that the ONLY music you are allowed to see on television is hip-hop, rap, and its various permutations. The fact that the majority of these artists are black has nothing to do with it – I hate that form of music even if it’s a white or latino person singing.
> [snip]
> And you have the fucking audacity to suggest that _I_ have the problem, since I’m upset about it???
>
> The mind reels.
It’s worse than I thought.
Yes, I have the “fucking audacity” to assert that the predominance of rap and similar music on music videos causes you such upset that you feel the need to resort to bigotry. I don’t see it as audacity, fucking or otherwise. I see it as a logical inference from facts presented.
A person whose equilibrium is dependent upon the ready availability of a particular type of television programming has, shall we say, deeper issues.
Sua
---
### Author:  [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-using-the-word-nigger-automatically-make-me-racist/118709/20 "2002-07-12T23:50:55Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by Jeremy’s Evil Twin \*
> \*\*
> But they are just words. And I’ll grant that it was partially insensitive, but mostly what I was going for was an expression of total disgust. It’s not like I said, “music created by niggers.” It’s the music I was railing against, and attaching such an un-PC word to it was aimed at expressing the ultimate form of disgust. For some reason, “that shitty rap music” just doesn’t have quite the same effect I was looking for._\*
Wow. I _might_ have been able to give you the benefit of the doubt before you wrote that, but that tears it. You used the word because to you it’s “the expression of ultimate disgust”?
Words fail me. (Hopefully, this will get moved to the Pit…)
So to answer your question: No, _using_ the word doesn’t _make_ you racist. You’ve got the causality wrong. You use the word _because_ you are racist.
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