# "That nigger's crazy" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 1, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208 "2003-12-01T06:18:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208/101 "2003-12-08T19:11:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*I’ll certainly buy the discussion of Huck Finn as a “useful” discussion involving the word. Of course, not every mention of HF must also include “nigger.” \*\* I can dig it, **dantheman**. It’s just a little poke at the ubiquitous School Bannings of and resultant Pit Threads regarding _Huckleberry Finn_ and the word “nigger.” I do believe this thread topic is useful, **dan** , in real-life discussions as well. Not to disagree with you, but I prefer to say “nigger” in intellectual conversations about the word; to me, the word is every bit as powerful and dangerous as a gun. And like a gun, unless you personally touch and become accustomed to its cold weight, the consequences of _nigger_ may seem meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208/102 "2003-12-08T20:09:50Z")
I would think that in intellectual discussions - in which each participant is using the word in the context of the book - it would be quite appropriate to say “nigger.” Conversely … I don’t know about you, but the vast, vast majority of my conversations aren’t of the intellectual nature. At least not on that particular level. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208/103 "2003-12-08T22:53:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. B \* > \*\*Not to disagree with you, but I prefer to say “nigger” in intellectual conversations about the word; to me, the word is every bit as powerful and dangerous as a gun. And like a gun, unless you personally touch and become accustomed to its cold weight, the consequences of _nigger_ may seem meaningless. \*\* Jeez, what I would have said if I knew how. Thanks. I think saying “the n-word” as if the Rev. Jesse Jackson was going to pop up behind you is stupid. I can’t believe my ears (or my eyes) when I see kids at a mall or wherever greet each other with “my nigger.” Black kids, white kids, whoever. I am only 36, but I feel like an old crotchety lady when I see it. I want to run over and smack them and say “wake up, shut up and educate yourself. What you see on MTV isn’t the real world.” But so much of their world _is_ television, popular music and video games. I hope that most of them just don’t understand the baggage attached to the word nigger, but somebody sure as hell should have let them know by now. I know they are just trying to be cool, we all did it at one point, but it is never cool to offend people. I don’t use the word nigger in conversation except when the discussion is about the word itself. There is no need to use it. I don’t want to offend people if I can help it. And can I ask a question? Early in this thread, **elucidator** posted comments from the perspective of a “life-long peckerwood.” Could I get an official definition of peckerwood, please? It was my understanding that it was a group that had strong white supremacist ties. Am I wrong? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208/104 "2003-12-09T21:25:16Z")
Thanks, **EJsGirl**! ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208/105 "2003-12-09T22:51:48Z")
Peckerwood is a derogatory name for white people, commonly used in the South. ---
**Author:** ![Epileptik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f1d935/32.png) [@Epileptik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epileptik)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208/106 "2003-12-10T08:14:54Z")
As a quick aside, although he may have popularized it, Snoop didn’t invent this type of slang. It’s been around for years. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208/107 "2003-12-16T21:55:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by monstro \* > \*\*Peckerwood is a derogatory name for white people, commonly used in the South. \*\* But is that all? I see people with tattoos of the word, and woodpeckers, quite a bit, and at inland empire schools all mention of “peckerwood” is banned on campus. It makes it sound more like a group. But I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208/108 "2003-12-16T22:32:16Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ll certainly buy the discussion of Huck Finn as a “useful” discussion involving the word. Of course, not every mention of HF must also include “nigger.” No, of course not. I’m talking mostly about conversations about the word itself, people’s feelings, reactions to it, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-niggers-crazy/216208.md?page=5)