# OK Now I am asking in Great Debates... Whites cannot use the N word and blacks can.  Racist idea?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-now-i-am-asking-in-great-debates-whites-cannot-use-the-n-word-and-blacks-can-racist-idea/662219>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 29, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-now-i-am-asking-in-great-debates-whites-cannot-use-the-n-word-and-blacks-can-racist-idea/662219 "2013-06-29T20:27:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 11

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**Author:** ![Renee\_RL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7c8e57/32.png) [@Renee\_RL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee_RL)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-now-i-am-asking-in-great-debates-whites-cannot-use-the-n-word-and-blacks-can-racist-idea/662219/201 "2013-08-19T19:18:03Z")

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> [@Mijin](#):
>
> Let me put it to you like this, **ombre12**.
> 
> You’re 70 years old.  
> There are a couple of social events I go to that have a high proportion of senior citizens e.g. chess club. When I go there I note that several of the people are comfortable calling each other (and themselves) “old gits” and similar terms.  
> However, even though I am good friends with some of those guys, I can’t use terms like that because I know it would be offensive coming from a young person (I’m 34 but still).
> 
> Is this ageism? Should the old people that use such terms be reprimanded?

Same with women referring to each other as girls, but it isn’t the same when a boss refers to the women as girls,

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