"Needs some education" WTF?

The BBQ Pit
1

So recently there was this whole big debacle at my University over someone using the word “nigger” in a perfectly legit context during a discussion… apparently someone complained, yadda yadda yadda. Follow the story starting at http://cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=17877&pid=1084

Anyway, my beef is not with people getting riled up over the use of such a benign context. No, no… it’s more the fact that people called for this person’s TERMINATION as an employee! WTF! Ok, so, their followers backed down and eventually settled on “this person just needs some education”.

Even bigger W-T-F.

Education about WHAT? I fucking HATE it when people say that things can be fixed if “people are educated”. Sometimes, yes. But in cases like this, what the hell could you possibly educate this person on?

I think it’s QUITE obvious the staff member knew what the word meant, and even more obvious that the word could be taken to be derrogatory. THAT WAS PART OF THE COMMENT.

So, please, someone tell me what the hell kind of education this person could benefit from?

My advice? FORGET IT AND FUCKING MOVE ON. Jesus.

Fixed link - CF

2

I think more explanation of the context is needed before we can comment on this.

3

Move On Jesus
Wasn’t that a Doobie Brothers song?

4

Sorry, I screwed up the link to the story:

http://cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=17877&pid=1084

5

Depends on what he said.

IF he was relating a story where someone used the word, or whatever, for example, okay.

However, the article doesn’t say.

6

What is the world coming to when you can’t even use “nigger” in public anymore? Sheesh!

7

In this part of the article:

… hasn’t he now violated that principle himself in the act of articulating it, and is he now in need of education also?

8

Something along the lines of… the situation was- they were discussing sports teams. He said something along the lines of “I can’t believe that even in today’s society we still have a team called the Redskins. That’s about as offensive to Native Americans as having a team called the Niggers would be to blacks.”

9

Yeah then he obviously does need some education - he needs to learn that from time to time stupid/angry/crazy people out there are going to attack him for no reason whatsoever.

10

Dammit, Manduck stole my thunder. That comment was just dying to be cut down, and the journalist missed quite the opportunity there!

If the context was really as described by the OP, then this is completely ridiculous.

11

Just to check: you’re not just guessing based on that article, you heard elsewhere how he used it? (I’m not doubting you, I just want to make sure, as before I’ve fallen into the trap of agreeing vociferacly with an OPs opnion of an article, and then discovered that it didn’t say that at all.)

That said I can easily believe that what you describe could happen; people are stupid.

12

People should be allowed to say any word they want at any time - but if they use it in an insulting and derogatory fashion, they should be prepared to be called on it, and perhaps be forevermore branded by that behaviour.

I think in their efforts to be Politically Correct, too many people are reactionary, ignoring context.

13

First thing I thought of upon reading this was a new Monty Python skit, “The Knights who say Ni(gger)”

Oh no! I’ve said it again!

14

Howyadoin,

Sound familiar?

[Python]
Matthias: Look. I don’t think it ought to be blasphemy, just saying “Jehovah!”

(Sensation!!! The women gasp.)
Women: (high voices) He said it again. (low voices) He said it again.
Official: (to Matthias) You’re only making it worse for yourself.
Matthias: Making it worse? How can it be worse? Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah.
(Great Sensation!!!)
Official: I’m warning you. If you say “Jehovah” once more … (He gasps at his error and claps his hand over his mouth. A stone hits him on the side of the head. He reacts.) Right! Who threw that?
Women: (high voices) It was her. It was him. (low voices) It was him.
Official: Was it you?
Culprit: Yes.
Official: All right.
Culprit: Well, you did say “Jehovah.”
[/Python]
-Rav

15

This, sir, is the tragedy of our age…
-Rav

16

So, you shouldn’t have said it, eh?

This sentence right here contridicts exactly what it’s trying to say. People are fucking idiots.

17

snickers My cousin and I used to do that. As kids we used to go around saying, “bare neggid (bare naked)” all the time, getting so giggly and silly our moms would tell us not to say it anymore.

This would of course, lead to
“We’re not allowed to say bare neggid!”
“Awwww, you said bare neggid!”
“Aaawwww, YOU said bare neggid!”

And so on and so on. Driving our moms crazy in the process.

18

Am I being whooshed, or are you so fucking dumb as to not see that linked article him/herself does not espouse the opinion that mere mention of the word is cause for censure?

Tell me I’m being whooshed, or, fuck off, I don’t care.

19

Yes, it’s a displeasing word, and even an infuriating one, but is it not still a word that can be found in the bloody dictionary? Is there not also free speech which, while it protects the offended, does it not also protect the offense?

Though I may disagree with that which you say, I shall defend to the death your right to say it.

20

Obviously he was referring to the person who was being indirectly quoted in the article, who did (according to the article) say that the word ‘nigger’ should never come up in conversation at any time.

Also, I know this is the pit, but I don’t see why you had to tell him to “fuck off”.