# Rioters are not Niggers! Or something. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 28, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759 "2015-04-28T23:40:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/1 "2015-04-28T23:40:28Z")
So **Hail Ants** is on a time out, a one-week suspension, for this _Humble Opinion_: > [@](#): > > I understand the rioting. The same way I understand a prison riot. These are uneducated, racist, opportunistic, self-serving criminal scumbags let loose. They should declare marshal law and send in the National Guard and mow them all down dead with M60s. Stop the rioting and eliminate a huge amount of worthless ‘humanity’ along with any future offspring. There’s a reason these people are called ‘niggers’. They are the black version of racist white trash rednecks and should all be shot on sight. > > Go there and see how far your politically correct liberal guilt gets you (Hint: It would get you robbed, beaten & killed). It’s 2015 for Christ’s sake, not 1968… The reason cited was “Hate Speech.” Now, I’m assuming it was his using the word “niggers,” that earned him the suspension. But I’m puzzled as to whom the targets of his “hate” are. Are rioters really a group that can’t be hated on on this message board? Who’s concerned about the prickly sensibilities of rioters? I realize **Hail Ants** can’t respond, but I don’t think he needs to. My question is: what constitutes “hate speech” after you’ve narrowed the target to criminals? (Would someone really be suspended for writing: “That nigger, Wayne Williams, should have been executed by Georgia 30 years ago for killing those kids in Atlanta.”?) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/2 "2015-04-28T23:44:51Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > (Would someone really be suspended for writing: “That nigger, Wayne Williams, should have been executed by Georgia 30 years ago for killing those kids in Atlanta.”?) I would certainly hope so. In fact, I think they should be banned for it. And shunned. And pointed at. And mocked for their stupidity. But I’d settle for banned. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/3 "2015-04-28T23:47:32Z")
I rather suspect it was the claim that they should all be mown down with M60s that did it. Saying people should be killed because of their race is definitely hate speech, and **Hail Ants** was extremely close to saying that. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/4 "2015-04-28T23:54:46Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I would certainly hope so. In fact, I think they should be banned for it. And shunned. And pointed at. And mocked for their stupidity. But I’d settle for banned. I didn’t realize Wayne Williams had any supporters. It would be interesting to ask his black victims if they object to him being called a " nigger." But we can’t because he killed them. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/5 "2015-04-28T23:59:55Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > I rather suspect it was the claim that they should all be mown down with M60s that did it. Saying people should be killed because of their race is definitely hate speech, and **Hail Ants** was extremely close to saying that. I wondered about that, but the official police policy in the Detroit riots of '67 was to shoot rioters (looters?) on sight. It’s not, historically, a terribly controversial policy. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/6 "2015-04-29T00:00:09Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > I rather suspect it was the claim that they should all be mown down with M60s that did it. Saying people should be killed because of their race is definitely hate speech, and **Hail Ants** was extremely close to saying that. As I read it, he was saying that they should be shot because of their actions (rioting), not because of their race. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/7 "2015-04-29T00:01:42Z")
He’s only getting one _week_? I would think something that disgusting (the “n-word” plus stating that blacks should be “mowed down”) should get at least a month. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/8 "2015-04-29T00:06:38Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > … > But I’m puzzled as to whom the targets of his “hate” are… Seemed rather obvious to me. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/9 "2015-04-29T00:08:26Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Seemed rather obvious to me. The rioters, right? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/10 "2015-04-29T00:12:50Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > My question is: what constitutes “hate speech” after you’ve narrowed the target to criminals? (Would someone really be suspended for writing: “That nigger, Wayne Williams, should have been executed by Georgia 30 years ago for killing those kids in Atlanta.”?) In my opinion as I moderator, that would probably earn someone at least a suspension, even in the Pit. Williams race doesn’t have anything to do with his crimes, and using “nigger” there has no point other than a racist comment. > [@](#): > > Now, I’m assuming it was his using the word “niggers,” that earned him the suspension. That had a bearing, to be sure. However, in my personal opinion, advocating that “racist white trash rednecks … should all be shot on sight” would also not have been an acceptable remark on this board. > [@](#): > > My question is: what constitutes “hate speech” after you’ve narrowed the target to criminals? I’m sorry, I’m having a real problem understanding how you could think that’s all he was doing, or why you might imagine that a remark like that would be acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/11 "2015-04-29T00:13:16Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > The rioters, right? Black rioters. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/12 "2015-04-29T00:13:28Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > I didn’t realize Wayne Williams had any supporters. It would be interesting to ask his black victims if they object to him being called a " nigger." > > But we can’t because he killed them. So you think not calling Wayne Williams a nigger means that I am a supporter of Wayne Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/13 "2015-04-29T00:16:29Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > So **Hail Ants** is on a time out, a one-week suspension, for this _Humble Opinion_: > > The reason cited was “Hate Speech.” Now, I’m assuming it was his using the word “niggers,” that earned him the suspension. > > But I’m puzzled as to whom the targets of his “hate” are. Are rioters really a group that can’t be hated on on this message board? Who’s concerned about the prickly sensibilities of rioters? > > I realize **Hail Ants** can’t respond, but I don’t think he needs to. My question is: what constitutes “hate speech” after you’ve narrowed the target to criminals? (Would someone really be suspended for writing: “That nigger, Wayne Williams, should have been executed by Georgia 30 years ago for killing those kids in Atlanta.”?) A group of people of a particular race deserve to be called by a racial slur. Further, those people, who are referred to by a racial slur, should be murdered. That constitutes hate speech. And yes, in your other example, that would also constitute hate speech. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/14 "2015-04-29T00:19:15Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > So you think not calling Wayne Williams a nigger means that I am a supporter of Wayne Williams. No, I think seeking ostracism and banning of someone who calls him a “nigger” does. My response would be, “Eh, convicted child murderer? People can call him whatever they want.” ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/15 "2015-04-29T00:23:43Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > No, I think seeking ostracism and banning of someone who calls him a “nigger” does. My response would be, “Eh, convicted child murderer? People can call him whatever they want.” Well, you certainly can call him whatever you want. I would simply support your banning if you did it here. And if I knew you in person, I would stop interacting with you. That’s how it works. You can say offensive and nasty stuff, and other people can reject it and/or you. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/16 "2015-04-29T00:24:23Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > No, I think seeking ostracism and banning of someone who calls him a “nigger” does. My response would be, “Eh, convicted child murderer? People can call him whatever they want.” Speaking personally, I would say that this is probably not the right board for you then. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/17 "2015-04-29T00:29:32Z")
::facepalm:: ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/18 "2015-04-29T00:32:17Z")
This is a level of cluelessness I have never encountered before. And I’m a teacher. ---
**Author:** ![piepiepie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@piepiepie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/piepiepie)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/19 "2015-04-29T00:32:34Z")
I will never understand how hatred like the shit Hail Ants spewed is not a bannable offense on this board. Very smart. Very hip. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/20 "2015-04-29T00:34:13Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > A group of people of a particular race deserve to be called by a racial slur. Further, those people, who are referred to by a racial slur, should be murdered. > > That constitutes hate speech. And yes, in your other example, that would also constitute hate speech. I thought he was referring to a group of people, of a particular race, who happened to be caught committing a crime. I must’ve read it wrong, because I didn’t read the shooting part as “deserved to be murdered,” but rather as, “should be shot and stopped before they hurt more people and destroy more property.” Got it. Bannings will be handed out for calling Wayne Williams the N-word. I won’t do that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759.md?page=2)