Someone Explain This To Me.

[Al Agnew]

Let's put it this way...if you use the word in conversation with ANYBODY that you don't know well enough to know whether they will be offended by it, it's no different from using the f... word in the same conversation. Like it or not, the word is highly charged, and deservedly so. You cannot just say, as somebody above said, that it's historical roots were as a southern corruption of "negro", even though that's perfectly true. Because it was used back then, and ever since, as a word for a race that the white people using it considered inferior at best. And just because black people use it to describe other black people doesn't mean it's okay for a white person to use it, because when you use it, everybody who is hearing you use it will believe that you're using it to describe a person of a race you consider inferior to yourself. Sure, you have the right to use it, but using it will immediately label you as a racist to anybody who doesn't know you well enough to know whether you are or not. That's reality. It may not be right, but that's the perception you'll give people. And it's darned well the perception you'll give me. What was accepted to a point 50 years ago among certain groups of people is simply not acceptable today. Things change.

[Guest Brian B.]

You could always call "them" (who ever your "them" is) "Mondays"...

Man I tell ya'... Sometimes I just hate "Mondays"

"Moon Crickets", "athletes"... "Canadians"...

[fishinwrench]

There's all kinds of descriptive terms for people that are obviously "different" than the majority, or that stand out in a crowd.

The dude (or gal) that you can't pass in the grocery store isle is.....a Lardass.

The dude in front of the Lardass with high heels, spandex and lip gloss is....a Fag.

The dude (or gal) covered in tatoo's and making a scene at the convenience store is....a Freakin' Crackhead.

The people behind the counter at the license bureau and most are.... Dickheads and Cunts.

A dude(or gal) from my neighborhood, when in the city is....a Hick.

A child being obnoxious in public is....a Brat.

And a black dude(or gal) when out in the country is....a Nigger.

They are nothing more than slang terms used to describe someone that stands out in any given place due to their appearance, actions, or personality.

You never hear the word "Polock" anymore. That was a big one when I was a kid.

Who's gonna throw a BF next? Blondes?

[Feathers and Fins]

Wrech, that is the entire point I was getting at. There are many words out there you hear and depending on where you are from. Why is that word the ones that is so bad. My best friends a Pollock and trust me I still call him one. Of all the words you listed only the "C" word is the only one I would even find distasteful and it takes me being very angry to use it.

I've been called a cracker, redneck, hillbilly and even honkey! Maybe it is simply I don't care about a word ( sticks and Stones ) What I find pathetic is people are offended by a word! It is a Racial thing but the word is not the problem its those in the race that are using it as a crutch of some sort! America was a country in 1783 Slavery was abolished in 1865 that's 82 years of our history slavery was legal out of 230 years! And the real kicker is some of the largest slave holders were Blacks.

I am from the Teddy school on America ( There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.” ) I get so tired of hearing African-American and Mexican-American and Japanese-American etc. The Nationality and Allegiance of America is AMERICANS!

Racial slurs are only racial when someone lets them be. They have no power..... I been thinking about it a word that use to have power as an example is WAR, now its war everything and the word doesn't mean or carry the weight it use to neither does nigger. Even the most powerful word the world has ever known ( Love ) can lose its power when its said to often or in just figurative.

[fishinwrench]

So the PC term is now "inword" ...... got it.

This truly is a country full of people with nothing else to worry about, isn't it? Wow

[Flysmallie]

I think all of this is ignorant and part of the problem. It's not okay for me to use that word or a lot of other words. But it's okay for those people to use it and say whatever they want about white people. I'm tired of them always finding a way to make everything about racism. I really don't care what color you are. Makes no difference to me. You are either a good person or not.

It's funny that this country will destroy a person's life over using a stupid word but we allow the Westboro Church idiots to stand outside a NASCAR race with children holding signs that say God hates fags. Nobody does anything about that. This country has some issues with respect.