well for you guys who apparently don't know , Obama uttered the word " nigger " in a statement with an interviewer .
now , I'm not inclined to use the word in my daily speech but by not using it , or not being able to use it , only gives it more power . . . it's becomes a word that is used only use when you really want to insult someone for instance .
like the word " fuck " . years ago , it was never used in common language unless you really wanted to shock or offend someone . in recent years , people who normally wouldn't even think about saying " fuck " have no problem regularly using words that sound very much like it , with the same intent and connotation : " frig " or " frick " . the " f " bomb itself just doesn't carry the same weight that it used to . my wife told me to fuck off just the other day , even though she didn't really mean it :lol: .
and yet , black people , some at least , say nigger all the time . do we just not say the word ever and hope that it remains this forbidden word that might never be spoken again ? or does it become a part of everyday speech that stands as a reminder of how americans of African descent were treated when they were brought to do the work that enriched those who enslaved them ?
try this as an example : " that guy works like a nigger " . I don't offer this as derogatory or insulting , in fact the opposite . . . it can be interpreted as " that guy works very hard for little or no money ( volunteer maybe ) for the benefit of others " .
here's another example : " Nazi " . we all know the roots of that word and what it stands for , even today . yet any of us regularly use the term " trail Nazi " to denote a particular type of trail user . there are other variations , like the " soup Nazi " on " Seinfeld " . I don't necessarily think of WW 2 atrocities when I use the term , but it does serve to keep an image alive in our everyday lives , hopefully so that it never happens again .
nigger is such a powerful word with so much emotion attached to it . by using the word and understanding it's roots , do we honor the legacy and heritage of those who suffered ( and continue to suffer ) or does it lessen the impact of the word and nullify the sacrifice forced upon American negroes ?
Interesting and well thought out take.
Anyone on the boards with German heritage or family still in Germany. What is the take on using Nazi, would it equally compared to calling someone a cracker?
I think most are thinking they need to be so politically correct it will not allow for the word to be spoken regardless of the intent.