ThE "N" Word!

[copabeat]

The "N" word is something I have to admit escapes me. I am a Police Sergeant assinged to supervise an aggressive plainclothes street detail in the inner city.

Black's seem to use the word today more than anyone, they even use it as a greeting, Yo, "N" whats up and such. I have to step to many of the Black Officers on my squad and ask them to refrain from those words. They usually reply "Sarge" it's alright for me to say it, just not you.

I remember once as a young Police Officer riding along with a black Sergeant ( Great Guy) and there was a report of a woman who had her pocket-book snatched. ( or something don't remember been almost 18 years now) As we pulled into a parking lot there was a young black male who sort of matched the description. The Sergeant told me to " Pull up on that "N". We got out of the car and he said to the young man " Yo, N******, come here. The man looked schocked and looked me right in the face and said "what did you call me you F******* white Devil. The Sergeant replied no, I said it, now get over here ni**** before I make you.
The man was shortly detained as the actual suspect was apprehended a short distance away. When the man was released he asked the Sergeant why he was stopped and the Sergeant "replied" "Cause you were the first N****** I saw." The man was pissed to say the least, wrote both our shield numbers down and made a complaint against both of us, not even out of training yet and I have a complaint against me for racial slurs.
Fortunatly the Sergeant admitted he was the one who said it and not me, Wew! He even forced me to write a internal affairs report against him detailing the incident, I did reluctently. He received a two day suspension w/o pay and lost a few vacation days. Before anyone starts to condem this man let me tell you I knew him fifteen years and that was the first and only time I ever seen him act like that or do something wrong. This is an honorable vietnam combat decorated Marine, and a great cop., wish I could be 1/2 what he was. (He died a couple years ago from Cancer) His son now works on my Squad, spitten image, great "Kidd" as his father used to call me.

But, I do have to admit when blacks call it "N" to each other that is fine. I do however know of one word that will send a Black man over the edge when said to them by another Black person. I wont repeat it as I don't want it to get to wide spread if it isn't already. I have seen Black Men almost loose thier minds when called that word, Strange!

[Zhavric]

Very little of how we communicate is actually verbal.

Imagine for a moment these two scenarios:

1) I walk up to you, fists clenched, teeth bared, brow furrowed, face red, and (standing inside your comfort zone) I say through my clenched jaw "Morning! Nice day!"

2) I stroll up to you, relaxed, smiling and in a chearful voice say "Morning! Nice Day!"

Same phrase, but I'm betting the first one will get me arrested.

Other words carry connotations with them that are hard to shake. Tell a Jew who was alive in Europe during the 1940's that they're "being a nazi" about something and they'll likely not react well.

No, you've never owned slaves or oppressed any black people. There's a very good chance none of your ancestors did, either. However, the word nig*** carries a bad connotation when spoken by whites.

Now, how it became acceptable for blacks to call one another "niggah" is beyond me. I don't know that bit of history or how it gained acceptability between blacks, but remains tabboo for anyone EXCEPT blacks.

Those are simply the rules. It's a strange custom in our society that I've learned to live with. Having a sister who's adopted and happens to be genetically black has offered an interesting perspective.

[Fonceai]

It's stupidity, is what it is.

Not all blacks use that word.

My cousin and I were arguing once and he said to me, "Nigger, please."

My grandmother hit him so fast and hard that I barely saw her move.

The lesson she proceeded to teach, after he got up off the ground, is that that word should never be used out of anything but digust and hate because it's a disgusting and hateful word.

She said something to the effect that it's the rioting, gangbanging, rap-culture type Negro that are niggers. They don't take pride in being black; they are Proud. Anyone who speaks ignorance with pride is a nigger, no matter what color they are.

People will try to say that blacks are "taking the word back" from white people or whatever fluffy sociological excuse they want to make.

The truth is that by honoring the word and giving it complexity, blacks aren't helping to prevent racism.

[tinybear]

Nah, I think people are over-sensitive 'bout this sorta thing. Sure it's unpleasant to be the target of a racial slur, but that doesn't give you the right to go berserk.

Hey, I suppose it's alright for me the use the word "Chink", right? :)

[Fonceai]

I wouldn't think so.

I think it makes you just as ignorant.

If you were the type to do so, I mean.

[alexGERMAN]

I think its flat out the worst thing urban black youth, as a group ever did, was start this image that they were gangsta/rebel/hard/gangbangin. You know once they reach the age of 35 there going to relize they wasted there youth not getting an education, good job or wife, but theat they wasted it causing society problems. But the majority of us dont care. As a white male i dont give a s*** whatever blacks think about me (btw, im not the nerdy type, but they really do like to label us all as nerds :)

What i care about is stupid white guys that accept being pushed around by blacks(not all) as if we are now supposed to look up to them because they ride around in SUVs dressed in furcoats and have alot of prositute girlfirends. Why are we accually giving that respect???

[Cephus]

It's just a word people and words only have the power that we give to them. People have to *CHOOSE* to take offense to words and far too many people *CHOOSE* to be offended by stupid words.

Hell, call me a honky or a cracker or whatever you want. Have a good time, I don't care. Whatever floats your boat. But jeez, there are more important things to get excited about than the sounds that happen when air passes over some person's vocal chords.

[GHook93]

NYC cop huh! Must be crazy in NYC, with the negative PR of Cops killing unarmed men before one of them was planning to ger married the next day and who has 2 young children.

Care to shed light on the situation?

[brien]

Quote by: Fonceai It's stupidity, is what it is. Not all blacks use that word. My cousin and I were arguing once and he said to me, "Nigger, please." My grandmother hit him so fast and hard that I barely saw her move. The lesson she proceeded to teach, after he got up off the ground, is that that word should never be used out of anything but digust and hate because it's a disgusting and hateful word. She said something to the effect that it's the rioting, gangbanging, rap-culture type Negro that are niggers. They don't take pride in being black; they are Proud. Anyone who speaks ignorance with pride is a nigger, no matter what color they are. People will try to say that blacks are "taking the word back" from white people or whatever fluffy sociological excuse they want to make. The truth is that by honoring the word and giving it complexity, blacks aren't helping to prevent racism.

Well said Fonce. Your Gandmother sounds like she knew mine.

I remember Lenny Bruce when he was repeatedly arrested for using profanity in his stand up routine. His theory was that if one uses profanity enough it dillutes the meaning of the word, or can even change the meaning of the word altogether. Some believe perhaps in this case, the same could apply. Maybe, maybe not. I rather think not here.

We are dealing with a concept, not merely a word. this is what is so offensive about the "n" word. It would be like saying "Heil Hitler" to a Jew. No amount of sanitizing or repetition will evere erase the inhumanity of the concept behind these words. Their meanings are what remains offensive to this very day. We should not forget.

Now on the PC side of the coin, I remember a few years back, a teacher in the DC area was condemned for using the owrd "niggardly" in her classroom. This was prepsterous because it is a perfectly acceptable word in the English language that means to be cheap. It has nothing to do with bigotry. It is only a racist that would fabricate this into something evil.

What this issue boils down to is the concept behind our words. When the meaning is derived at the expense of another race which has paid the price of the word with their lives and human dignity, it is a word that should never be forgotten but also should not be used in our daily vernacular without the careful understanding of its history.

[G. Adams]

Quote by: GHook93 NYC cop huh! Must be crazy in NYC, with the negative PR of Cops killing unarmed men before one of them was planning to ger married the next day and who has 2 young children. Care to shed light on the situation?

Care to keep it in the correct thread while your at it. Bollocks, sound like a mod.

It IS, as far as I can see, an attempt to reclaim the word. However, it would only undermine the racist implications if it were okay for everyone to use it. Otherwise it still carries the same power to offend as it always did. In otherwords, I think the reclamation has failed.

[Fonceai]

Quote by: brien When the meaning is derived at the expense of another race which has paid the price of the word with their lives and human dignity, it is a word that should never be forgotten but also should not be used in our daily vernacular without the careful understanding of its history.

QFT

Absolutely.

It's highly unfortunate that the younger members of that race forget the price that was paid.

[Osborn F Enready]

As long as people let "namecalling" upset them, people will use namecalling to upset people.

It seems to me to be much better to all agree to be adults, and let namecalling pass without notice.

I can't think of a name I haven't been called, and in the past, they upset me.

Now I laugh it off, ever since I realized stick and stones could possibly break bones, but names never really hurt me.

[GHook93]

Quote by: G. Adams Care to keep it in the correct thread while your at it. Bollocks, sound like a mod. It IS, as far as I can see, an attempt to reclaim the word. However, it would only undermine the racist implications if it were okay for everyone to use it. Otherwise it still carries the same power to offend as it always did. In otherwords, I think the reclamation has failed.

I usually try to stay on the topic, but I think it would be interesting to hear a NY Cops side of the story directly.

[Scribbler1]

It's simple. Stop using the word if we are all agreed that it's unacceptable. This means EVERYONE! Blacks stop saying it, particularly rappers, actors and comics. And Whites stop saying it, especially when it has been wrapped up in pretty paper (the N word).

Or use it as much as possible until it means nothing, as a very wise Lenny Bruce once suggested.

But lose this "N-word" garbage as it keeps the word alive no matter how PC you make it.

[ByaKya]

To the officer, nice story.
N word is for blacks, they can say it to each other, whites can't ever say it.
That's how it is, its not difficult to understand.
Its true there's an attempt to reclaim it, but it appears to have no effect on the word, hence he outrage blacks feel when a white person calls them that.

To the white guy whining about being a nerd and not hip enough to live thug life, get a grip, what blacks do you see riding in chromed out SUVs with model girlfreinds ? Rap Movies only, there's no such thing so we can't "worship' it or whatever you were crying about. And about the being called honky and it not effecting you, that's great. When your race is enslaved for 350 years, and honky is the name for anyone of your entire race, then you can tell me how awesome you are that you're able to just brush off "honky"

[ByaKya]

To the officer, nice story.
N word is for blacks, they can say it to each other, whites can't ever say it.
That's how it is, its not difficult to understand.
Its true there's an attempt to reclaim it, but it appears to have no effect on the word, hence he outrage blacks feel when a white person calls them that.

To the white guy whining about being a nerd and not hip enough to live thug life, get a grip, what blacks do you see riding in chromed out SUVs with model girlfreinds ? Rap Movies only, there's no such thing so we can't "worship' it or whatever you were crying about. And about the being called honky and it not effecting you, that's great. When your race is enslaved for 350 years, and honky is the name for anyone of your entire race, then you can tell me how awesome you are that you're able to just brush off "honky"

[Scribbler1]

Quote by: ByaKya To the officer, nice story. N word is for blacks, they can say it to each other, whites can't ever say it. That's how it is, its not difficult to understand. Its true there's an attempt to reclaim it, but it appears to have no effect on the word, hence he outrage blacks feel when a white person calls them that.

That makes a lot of sense. You say Blacks want to RECLAIM a word they hate?? Why in the HELL would they want to "reclaim" the word instead of ELIMINATE it?
By the way, to "reclaim" something means they had it FIRST and they want it BACK. Explain THAT one if you can!

To the white guy whining about being a nerd and not hip enough to live thug life, get a grip, what blacks do you see riding in chromed out SUVs with model girlfreinds ? Rap Movies only, there's no such thing so we can't "worship' it or whatever you were crying about.

Have you actually read this thread? That makes no sense whatsoever.

And about the being called honky and it not effecting you, that's great. When your race is enslaved for 350 years, and honky is the name for anyone of your entire race, then you can tell me how awesome you are that you're able to just brush off "honky"

I for one DON'T "brush off" the word. It's ignorant and racist. What's your point, that it's okay for blacks to be bigots?

[alexGERMAN]

Quote by: Scribbler1 What's your point, that it's okay for blacks to be bigots?

Alot of dipsh*ts think so.

[Osborn F Enready]

Usually those that back affirmative action....

[Cephus]

Quote by: ByaKya N word is for blacks, they can say it to each other, whites can't ever say it.

Which is outright stupid. If it's a "bad" word, it's bad for everyone. If it's not bad for everyone, it's not a "bad" word. We don't need racism in our racist language.