To Blacks - Is this word acceptable?
436090
It's so funny you mention that. I work with an 83 tear old man who still uses "negro" and every one thinks he's like the Grand Dragon or something , what they fail to realize that in his generation,that was the acceptable terminology.Jesse Jackson came up with African-American and most blacks,including myself really cannot accept this because we are all mixed anyway. If you took all of us and dropped us off in Africa,we'd be lost. The N word,however,is unacceptable no matter what. It has become envougue for the younger generation to use,that disgusts me.
1083291
It is not politically correct to use the word "colored" or the "n-word" or "gal" but I think "black" is okay for me, sometimes. \n\nFor example at work, this person asked someone "Who is Monique?" And her response was that black lady with the curly hair. She wasn't referring to me, but somehow it pissed me off. Why couldn't she say, "Monique is the lady at the nurse's station with the purple scrubs that has bumble bees on the blouse." \n\nWhen we speak of white people we don't always say Caucasian. But when someone say's "Who's Becky?" we don't say "The white girl with the blue scrubs." If I were white I would think that to be strange. I am sure that this situation would be brought the attention of the nurse manager and we would get in trouble for being "difficult"\n\nI like to use the word black when we are talking to each other you know like when we say "Girl, it's a black thang, they don't understand." I prefer that people of other ethnicities refer to us as African-American.
1173376
To be honest - I've only ever heard black people use the 'N' word.
161102
I think the N word is very crass for both blacks and whites,and it should be taken out of the vocabulary of every person on earth!I dont think its cool and everyone should stop using it.And to answer your question why do you care if blacks use it verses whites?I mean just because they are talking with dirty mouths doesnt mean you have to stoop to that level.Just dont use the words,and ignore others who do! they are not nice at all coming from anyones mouth whether,black,white,mexican,chinese u name it...its just racist slang and its just plain rude.
1131637
I believe it is the intent of the person saying the word.  If someone is using it as an insult or to degrade another person, I think any word is inappropriate.
1148021
Because blacks requested it at one time .. that was after they requested that they be called black, people of color, negroes, colored people etc ... at 43 I have seen the "politically correct" requested term change many times .. it is all VERY silly.
942880
.As a black person i fell that we  must teach our children the sevenpence of this ugly word, that means the history and how it was used to demoralize us and how some of us died to eradicate this word in  association with our Race. It also has to do with self hater. we must at all cost  educate to never except this in our ever day conversation. I can't say the word either but my parents instill the important of it.  we come from the greatest civilizations.  Lets wrap ourselves in it we mustn't forget those that died for the right to definite ourselves. Great subject thanks for asking.
443638
I think blacks(African Americans) feel comfortable in using the word,because they have adapted an separate meaning from the word's original intent, but get mad when other races use it because it was used as an insult to our race for so long! But to be honest, some black people are offended when they word is used so carelessly and freely by other blacks, because it was a word to express the ultimate disgust and disrespect for a race that whites did not even consider human...we were considered 3/5 of a person!!! So actually, NONE of us should use "their" (not their meaning white people, but their meaning RACIST people) term of disrespect for us as a term of "brotherhood"...but it happens.  I don't know why its so comfortable for it to just slip out of our mouths!!! But when I think about how painful it must have been for our ancestors to be disrespected in such a way, it always makes me think more conciously about what come out of my mouth and not use the word freely as a slang term.\n\nBTW...I like your question because you were not a smart azz in asking it!!! And its something that Black people definitely should think about!!!
1171480
I'm Black and I speak proper English at all times unless I'm just hangin' w/ friends.  However, when it matters, and when I hear Black people speaking Ebonics -- or what I just plain call "ghetto" -- I think they are simply uneducated.  I think they're low-class and I think they reflect poorly on ALL Blacks.
309470
It usually depends why you are saying it. Oprah does not like the "N" word even when the brothers use it as a friendly gesture.\nI guess it depends on who you are. This word can hurt your feelings if said in a cut down way.
755814
I've seen whites call each other the c-word, but I don't call white people that word. That's up to them. Yep, whites reserve the right to use that word and all though by definition it cannot be used derogatorily towards a white person, I will continue NOT to use it towards white people. It's just out of respect and common decency to just let it be.\n\nI wish white people will look at the n-word in the same light as I do, because if we start nitpicking we're going to start getting into freedom of speech issues. \n\nBlacks and other subcultures of the United States (i.e., Italians, Latinos, Irish, Polish) also reserve the right to use their respective racial epithets within their respective groups. \n\nNow if everyone agrees to accept this and not use racial epithets against other groups of people we will all be able to move on with our lives peaceably.\n\nI have a sub-question and I hope you can answer it:\nWhy are whites offended by blacks using the n-word amongst themselves? \n(A) Is it a "I don't want to hear it used in public"-thing? \nOr\n(B) Is it a "I feel that if they can use it amongst each other, I should be able to use it towards them, too"-thing?\n\nIf it's B, tough noogies, no one black person in their right mind is going to co-sign that BS.\n\nGood day!
418553
Why can I call my girlfriend ugly, or an idiot, and she thinks it funny, but if someone else says it she'd probably be offended and cry?\n\nAh, probably because the ways it's said, the meaning behind it, the sharing of feeling behind it.\n\nI think a black person is right to be offended when a person of ANY other race says that.  If they wish to use that term as a word of kinship and sharing amongst themselves, great.. but from anyone else it still is truly a word of disrespect.
144489
I am white and I would never use that word. Among our friends, I can't think of anyone who uses that word so please do not classify all whites in the same category, okay? Oh to answer your question. NO, it is not OKAY!
508747
Ask the black folk. Besides duh (the) dat (that) woot (would) and a host of other words in the English language they were raised with and will not pronounce, they say nigger pretty much with every breath they take. Watch how they edit the word in my answer. Yet these same people in media will air the word if a black person utters it. The person under me here is a good example of what I mean. Nigger is a no-no for white people for voting reasons. We got to get dem (them) people to vote for Democrats.
186350
alright people listen up..i've read a couple of the responses to this question and i came to this conclusion.  the word "nigger" only has negitive meaning because we give it this meaning,  not to say it is ever accepable to use this word for it's originally intended purpose(to degrade, insult and characterize based on skin color)it's not "your" word if your black just like cracker isn't a white people only word.  THEY ARE JUST WORDS and until our society can get passed these words of ignorance there will always be problems with race.  i'm a "nigger" & a "cracker" and so are all of us.  so i urge all of you to quit using these old words and lets think of a word that discribes us all...\n.....maybe something like "human"\n\nP.S. I think its real funny that the word nigger won't show up on the board but "cracker" will.(thats a double standard)
949667
I think it's because the "n" word has historically been such an oppressive, negatively-charged word... it was used in a very derogatory way back when slavery and segregation were a normal part of life.  For white people to use the word in modern times is like giving a nod of approval to the way black people were treated back then.  Black people using racial slurs to refer to white people is still a bit unpleasant, but it doesn't have quite that same historical undertone to it.
953731
Why can't we make the "N" word powerless for our generation and from now on. It's been a long time now since the slave days.  Let take the hurt out of it, after all the origin of the word is the spanish word for black.