# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/21 "2015-04-29T00:35:21Z")
> [@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.” There are a lot of pretty awful names you can call a convicted child molester that don’t insult millions of perfectly normal, non-molesting people along with him. ---
**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, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/22 "2015-04-29T00:36:11Z")
To clarify board policy: Use of the word “nigger” is not prohibited on the board in and of itself. It can be appropriate in threads about rap music, or etymology, or _Huckleberry Finn_. However, using it as an ethnic slur, directed against an individual or group, is not acceptable. It doesn’t really matter who that individual or group might be. ---
**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, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/23 "2015-04-29T00:40:23Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > 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.” I’m honestly not sure how to respond to your interpretation of “eliminat[ing] a huge amount of worthless ‘humanity’ along with any future offspring” as simply a reasonable way to restore a little law and order. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/24 "2015-04-29T00:42:00Z")
> [@piepiepie](#): > > I will never understand how hatred like the shit Hail Ants spewed is not a bannable offense on this board. Very smart. Very hip. I think it is a bannable offense (and should be), but I think mods should have the discretion to not make an insta-ban. I’ve actually never seen that side of Hail Ants before, that I remember. I would expect that if he ever goes there again, he’ll be done. eta: I’d also like suggest the mods change the title of this thread to something a little less disgusting. ---
**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, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/25 "2015-04-29T00:43:20Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Got it. Bannings will be handed out for calling Wayne Williams the N-word. I won’t do that. What I find remarkable about threads like this is that you need the rule and the threat of banning to tell you that it’s inappropriate to call people niggers. ---
**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, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/26 "2015-04-29T00:44:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > 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. Well, then, enlighten me. What else was he doing? The reason I imagine a remark like that is acceptable is because I think in a free society the antidote to bad ideas is good ideas, not clenching one’s pearls, reaching for one’s smelling salts, and screaming for someone else to be silenced. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/27 "2015-04-29T00:47:30Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > The reason I imagine a remark like that is acceptable is because I think in a free society the antidote to bad ideas is good ideas Which neither you nor he are offering, or appear to be able to discern. ---
**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, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/28 "2015-04-29T00:47:48Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > 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. It appeared to me that **Hail Ants** was attempting to re-define the word “nigger” to apply to black criminals—whom he also thought of as racists towards whites (or something 😕 )—as if that would somehow not make it racist anymore, since they’re conducting criminal behavior. Kinda like the ‘No True Scotsman’ argument pejoratively applied to black people. Which, of course, makes absolutely no sense at all and is abundantly racist. ---
**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, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/29 "2015-04-29T00:51:50Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > What I find remarkable about threads like this is that you need the rule and the threat of banning to tell you that it’s inappropriate to call people niggers. What I find remarkable is that in a free society there are actually people who think someone should be banned for calling a child-murderer a name. (Separate stylistic question, do I want “child-murderer” or “child murderer” there?) ---
**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, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/30 "2015-04-29T00:54:52Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I think it is a bannable offense (and should be), but I think mods should have the discretion to not make an insta-ban. I’ve actually never seen that side of Hail Ants before, that I remember. I would expect that if he ever goes there again, he’ll be done. > > eta: I’d also like suggest the mods change the title of this thread to something a little less disgusting. And that’s fine and all, but after dealing with so much of this shit the past few days, I’m at that point where I won’t afford second chances to racists. If this board is supposed to have higher discourse, that should never be allowed. ---
**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, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/31 "2015-04-29T00:55:51Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > What I find remarkable is that in a free society there are actually people who think someone should be banned for calling a child-murderer a name. Yes, I think you should be banned if you use racial slurs. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/32 "2015-04-29T00:58:30Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > What I find remarkable is that in a free society there are actually people who think someone should be banned for calling a child-murderer a name. > > (Separate stylistic question, do I want “child-murderer” or “child murderer” there?) Child murderer is fine, since you’re not using that to describe another noun. Now, if you said child-murderer honky, then hyphenation would be required. It’s like the “Favorite Store Bought Salsa” thread. My favorite store always buys salsa. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/33 "2015-04-29T01:00:09Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > What I find remarkable is that in a free society there are actually people who think someone should be banned for calling a child-murderer a name. Again, there are any number of horrible names you can call a child-murderer that focus on him, and don’t implicate an entire race of people who are innocent of the act you’re insulting him for. Why is it so important to you that you get to call him a nigger? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/34 "2015-04-29T01:05:10Z")
That post reads to me as “the category of people who are called ‘niggers’ deserve to be shot”. Which, yes, is absolutely a ban-worthy thing to say, and I’m baffled how anyone could think otherwise. EDIT: Oh, an **Grotonian** , this is indeed a free society. This means, among other things, that the moderators of this message board are free to ban anyone they choose. Would you prefer to strip the moderators of that right? ---
**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, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/35 "2015-04-29T01:09:33Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Yes, I think you should be banned if you use racial slurs. You’ll have to forgive me, I’m just a dumb honkey. (So that should get me banned? That sentence is so hateful and so damaging to respectful discourse that a warning or note couldn’t cover it? People who see it will recoil in disgust? I suppose I should apologize to all the Dopers who will lose sleep tonight over it. To those Dopers: I apologize.) ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/36 "2015-04-29T01:12:15Z")
There _are_ unmoderated boards out there. **Grotonian** might find it worth his while to spend time with one. See how he likes it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/37 "2015-04-29T01:13:00Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > What I find remarkable is that in a free society there are actually people who think someone should be banned for calling a child-murderer a name. > > (Separate stylistic question, do I want “child-murderer” or “child murderer” there?) It’s not about calling him a name, it’s about calling him a racist name. The word “nigger,” when used against someone, means I hate you because you are a black. It cannot be used against someone objectively horrible because you’re still hating them for wrong reason. A child murderer is a bad person because they are a _child murderer_. Their race should not remotely enter into the conversation about how horrible they are. The fact that you see this horrible person and still want to use a term that disparages them for being black–that’s disgusting. I guess it’s possible that you have been so sheltered that you don’t know this. But I was born and raised in a community that has been so historically racist that we still can’t get black people to stick around. I’ve had exactly two real life black friends in my entire life. Yet I know how offensive terms work. I know you can’t do that shit where you say “them’s black people, but them assholes over there’s niggers.” That’s something my great uncle would say and everyone would look at him like he had two heads. (And he only got that nice a response because he was old and drunk.) NO BLACK PERSON, NO MATTER HOW VILE, IS A NIGGER. ---
**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, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/38 "2015-04-29T01:14:44Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > So that should get me banned? Sadly, I don’t see any beggars riding by on horseback. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/39 "2015-04-29T01:16:00Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > You’ll have to forgive me, I’m just a dumb honkey. > > (So that should get me banned? That sentence is so hateful and so damaging to respectful discourse that a warning or note couldn’t cover it? People who see it will recoil in disgust? I suppose I should apologize to all the Dopers who will lose sleep tonight over it. To those Dopers: I apologize.) Are you seriously arguing that racial slurs are perfectly okay as long as you don’t like what the target of the slur is doing? Great, so the target is a rioter, you disagree with that, so you can use all the hate-laden, historically loaded racial slurs you want? What’s the line that makes it ok? Ok to say something like that about child murderers, rioters, or hey, maybe some random guy who looked at you funny? Some language is NOT OK. You should be able to come up with less gross insults that still get your point across. ---
**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, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759/40 "2015-04-29T01:18:30Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Child murderer is fine, since you’re not using that to describe another noun. Now, if you said child-murderer honky, then hyphenation would be required. > > It’s like the “Favorite Store Bought Salsa” thread. My favorite store always buys salsa. Thank you. Both ways looked to me like they could mean “a child who is a murderer” or “a murderer of children.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rioters-are-not-niggers-or-something/718759.md?page=3)