You know what? The hell with it.
A few minutes ago I sent a general note for one of the posts in this thread. But given the context I’m walking it back. Even as mild as I tried to make the note it’s too difficult a subject to try to define.
Sorry about that.
Do I think that the government censorship is the only way, no? Of course individual violence like the mob violence can be used.
But the subject of the Freedom of expression is one that is about the
It is apparent that some persons think that Free speech means they have the freedom to say anything, and no one can criticize and they should face no social opprobrium, no countering critical free speech, for using the expressions of the bigot or of the racist etc.
This is only a childish hypocrisy.
Of course since my original comment had not one comment on the suppression or the control of the speech or the thought, and made only the reference to 'social disadvantage (ironical expression), it is very hard to understand how this connects to understanding of the Freedom of expression : "Extraordinary it is over the years to see the repeated obsession of the white americans, often newly joined the board, who are so troubled by their suffering from social disadvantage in not being able to use freely the very racially charged langauge, but of course they are entirely sans prejudices… "
It is funny the one sidedness in this.
If I write “Please Racey” instead of the racial langauge of the “Please Nigga” there is sure to be a different reaction.
Ha. Ha.
You had your answer from the middle class black american.
Her answer is an excellent good one including on the question of the respect.
From the OP:
We have been equal since always. We have been treated equally since never. There’s nothing magic about 1964.
Yes, yes it is. Glad we could help solve that one for you.
And if you’re totally bummed about about not being able to use the n-word without everyone thinking you’re a racist tool, you just need to calm down and get over it slightly. At least you can still use the phrase, “Thanks for the warning officer.”
Indeed, I’ve heard of someone on a message board complaining to the mods when another poster referred to their posting history. Without any “bad” words being used at all.
Why? What is racism and why is a particular word used continuously in a non-racist manner intrinsically racist? It seems like it’s racist to say it’s racist based merely on the color of one’s skin instead of one’s intent. People really need to put a bit of thought into context in which language either verbal or symbolic is used and stop acting like one of Pavlov’s dogs.
Yes, George Carlin was right; intent and context are everything. That said, the joy of being able to say “nigger” or even “nigga” is really overrated, and this is not the hill I want to die on, or even break a nail on.
We don’t have to call it “racism” if you don’t want to. How about “insulting.” Like “cunt” or “spic.” It seems to me that there are words that are insulting that can be easily avoided.
Y’know, I read and write a lot about race and its ugly history in the U.S. I’ve never thought of things that way and I am going to use it from now on.
It depends on one’s environment. In my environment I agree. When I was growing up living in a rough urban environment for several years I would have disagreed.
Having a word that can be said by one race and not others is a ludicrous notion and such a societal demarcation cannot last long.
I don’t think it’s about race – it’s about language and dialect. In African American Vernacular English (AAVE), the word has a different meaning than in American English. But only fluent AAVE speakers – those speaking it from birth – are likely to fully understand all the correct nuances of the use of that word. Anyone else is likely to mess it up, and the meanings in different dialects are very different. It just so happens that the vast majority of native AAVE speakers are black, but there are a very small number of non-black AAVE speakers, and they might understand the usage well enough to avoid mistakes.
Maybe it’s just my lily white Canadian ass talking, but I have never ONCE heard the word used in a non-racist manner in real life, never mind “continuously in a non-racist manner.” I’ve heard it used to express hatred for black people, full stop. There is more historical hatred packed into that word than almost any other I can think of. That historical weight is what makes the word inherently hateful and racist, not just because it is used to describe black people.