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‘That’s our word, and you can’t have it back’: Ice Cube confronts Bill Maher

there's really no point in litigating this "who can say it and when and where" because if you are genuine and decent and non black you just wont use it at all.

if aint nobody punch you in the mouth for saying it yet, gone head. just better hope the wrong negro don't hear you say it.

This is honestly what it comes down to. People can say what they want in private, but don't get around the wrong black people thinking you're down and you're really not
 

Linkyn

Member
Jesus Christ people get over yourselves. You sound like 5 year olds kicking and screaming on the ground, "but it's my word no one else can use it". Is there any other nationality in the world that has the same view on a word that only they can say?

Imo, in a perfect world, we could all say it and it wouldn't be a big deal, but then again, in that same world, people wouldn't have to experience discrimination and disenfranchisement of an institutional scale because of their complexion.
 

Liamario

Banned
Well, people did.
It's naive to think if you stop using a word, it'll disappear. At best, it'll be replaced by another. What's so difficult to comprehend that it's not the same thing to call yourself a word and having someone else call you that word ?
I don't think it will go away. I do think it'll fade somewhat. Trying to make it the exclusive use of a particular race is just never going to happen; pure fantasy.
 
I don't think it will go away. I do think it'll fade somewhat. Trying to make it the exclusive use of a particular race is just never going to happen; pure fantasy.



And it'll be replaced by another awful word. Except if you believe racism will disappear with it...

1495728251-homer12.png
 

Deepwater

Member
I don't think it will go away. I do think it'll fade somewhat. Trying to make it the exclusive use of a particular race is just never going to happen; pure fantasy.

it's not about who can , it's about who should.

People have been talking about this shit for 10 damn pages in bad faith thinking anybody can stop them from using any damn word they please.

This has always been about who should/should not be using it. If white people want to take that gamble and say it in earshot, don't be crying foul when they get checked.
 

L Thammy

Member
Since this is basically a continuation of the previous thread, I may as well post the same thoughts I had there.

Maybe I'm making a weird connection, but:

There was an older video posted earlier where Maher has a panel discussing the word, and he talks down the black panelist and repeats the word to her. In that panel, Sarah Silverman is criticized for using a racial slur. She defends herself with "but I'm fighting racism" against criticism of "if your satire isn't done well, it supports what you're trying to satirize". Bill Maher rushes to her defense.

With Ice Cube, an exchange occurs that seems to run along the same lines. Ice Cube tells Maher that he makes a lot of black jokes. Maher responds with "but it's to fight racism". I think the "sometimes you sound like a redneck trucker" is making the same point that Silverman was criticized with.

I feel like when you compare that to cases like Chris Rock and Dave Chapelle where the comedians see that the joke is being used to support something harmful regardless of the original intent and then reverse their direction on it, it makes the defenses seen on the Maher panels seem like excuses to avoid responsibility. The egocentric nature of the argument (my intent is good, so the joke is okay) makes it seem like they don't really care about the effect; they're just claiming that they're fighting racism so they can feel free to use the slur.

Also, what circumstances are white people getting into where they need to use the word so much? I'm not black either, yet I never feel like there's a circumstance where I need to use it and feel horribly restricted that I can't.

I don't even think the word is 100% restricted to black people, in that there are a few (and a very limited few) cases where it's used by necessity. To Kill a Mockingbird is my go-to example: when you're trying to accurately depict a extremely racist society that existed in real life and highlight its racism, it's necessary to show the methods it uses, which includes language. It's not running from the fact and making the excuse "I'm an ally so it's okay" or "I have black friends so it's okay". It's being used with the full awareness that it's harmful, that it isn't okay, and that it has to be used in order to demonstrate that those are true when it's was used in its historical context. There might not even be any other cases where the word is necessary aside from highlighting its own history.

But most of us aren't going to be doing that, and so if we're getting upset that we can't use the word, it isn't in those super specific context where it needs to be used. Black people have a different circumstances in that the word is used to describe them, whereas it's never really used to describe white people.

The root comes from the Spanish word for "black". It's understandable that some would think that blackness isn't bad, and so the word used to insult others based on their blackness shouldn't have to be bad. It can be used to celebrate blackness. But it's not my blackness that the word describes, nor is it the blackness of white people that is describes, it's the blackness of black people. They're the ones who have more opportunity to use it because it's used to describe something that belongs to them alone.
 
"I don't think it will go away. I do think it'll fade somewhat. Trying to make it the exclusive use of a particular race is just never going to happen; pure fantasy."


It already is exclusive.
 
"I don't think it will go away. I do think it'll fade somewhat. Trying to make it the exclusive use of a particular race is just never going to happen; pure fantasy."


It already is exclusive.



Depends by what you mean by that. Legally ? Even that isn't a given in some countries :/
 

shintoki

sparkle this bitch
Is it really just that hard not to say a word? One word?

It had some 350+ years of being used as nothing but an insult. Only recently in comparison got re-purposed. While still mainly being used as an insult by anyone not black.

Even in the black community, there are a lot of folks who grew up with that word having absolutely nothing good attached to it.

It's such a petty, pathetic complaint to have.
 

Liamario

Banned
"I don't think it will go away. I do think it'll fade somewhat. Trying to make it the exclusive use of a particular race is just never going to happen; pure fantasy."


It already is exclusive.

Let me be clear here. I don't use the word. It's horrible word. Makes my skin crawl no matter the context or the person. It isn't exclusively used by black people, that's kind of the problem.

it's not about who can , it's about who should.

People have been talking about this shit for 10 damn pages in bad faith thinking anybody can stop them from using any damn word they please.

This has always been about who should/should not be using it. If white people want to take that gamble and say it in earshot, don't be crying foul when they get checked.

Nobody should be using it.
 
"Is it really just that hard not to say a word? One word? "

Someone else said it earlier in the thread. People are used to pillaging Black everything, Here's something they can't and it's driving them insane.


" It isn't exclusively used by black people, that's kind of the problem."

And in public/professional spaces they run the risk of suffering some kind of consequences for it. Nobody really cares what people do in private amongst their other (like minded) friends, because they're doing that shit already anyway. And that won't end if Black people stop using the word.
 

Preacher

Member
The only white people who say the n word are either stupid, edgy, or both. It's the same as every edgy teen whos favorite comedian offends a group and they start a diatribe about justifying it. Some people are children

And I don't get why people keep saying black people should stop saying it.
So to appease a bunch of immature people a select group in a larger disenfranchised group must stop using a word because said immature group wants them too?

This is why people get heated in these conversations.

It's not even that you can't say the n word. It's that you shouldn't because you may offend someone because of the historical context of the word. This only seems to be a problem because their are a lot of stupid people masquerading as intelligent. What next, are people going to start saying fag and using gays saying it as justification? Please grow up
 

Dami3N

Member
Well you've really missed the point.

I don't know if you're black or white but whenever I see that viewpoint I read it as "well if white people can't say it, nobody can"

Don't care if thats how you read it. This only makes us/them mentality. Not unity. Just make it illegal to use the word, and be done with it.
 

Maddness

Member
I don't understand how non black people wanting to use that word is still a thing. Why would a non black person feel they are missing out by not saying it? Do people not associate the history of that word anymore? Do you go around saying "oh man I'm gonna rape that sandwich I'm so hungry!" or throw in any other word with an offensive meaning or history? No because you aren't an idiot (I hope) so why be one in this instance? Don't say it. Don't want to say it. What is the matter with you?
 

Liamario

Banned
"Is it really just that hard not to say a word? One word? "

Someone else said it earlier in the thread. People are used to pillaging Black everything, Here's something they can't and it's driving them insane.


" It isn't exclusively used by black people, that's kind of the problem."

And in public/professional spaces they run the risk of suffering some kind of consequences for it. Nobody really cares what people do in private amongst their other (like minded) friends, because they're doing that shit already anyway. And that won't end if Black people stop using the word.

It doesn't drive me insane, it's not part of my vocab. Just chiming in.
 
Don't care if thats how you read it. This only makes us/them mentality. Not unity. Just make it illegal to use the word, and be done with it.

I love how it's the black peoples fault that there is an us/them mentality. It's almost like there has been historically a second class... nigguhs, if you will. If only the nigga class would ignore all context of their history in America, surly racism will be over and we can all come together and say nigga in that cool way

I don't understand how non black people wanting to use that word is still a thing. Why would a non black person feel they are missing out by not saying it? Do people not associate the history of that word anymore? Do you go around saying "oh man I'm gonna rape that sandwich I'm so hungry!" or throw in any other word with an offensive meaning or history? No because you aren't an idiot (I hope) so why be one in this instance? Don't say it. Don't want to say it. What is the matter with you?

everyone want to be a nigga but no one want to be a nigga
 

Deepwater

Member
Let me be clear here. I don't use the word. It's horrible word. Makes my skin crawl no matter the context or the person. It isn't exclusively used by black people, that's kind of the problem.



Nobody should be using it.

if you're white you really don't have any leverage to dictate to my black ass how I should and shouldn't be using it,

if you're black or NBPOC, mind your damn business about what the hell I be doing. I'm gonna use it and check Non black people who do. And that's just the rules.
 

Gragen

Member
I come from a very racist part of the Midwest so I grew up hearing the word in racist context exclusively. I live in So Cal and have for a decade and even when I hear the word spoken by a black person it makes me turn to see who said it. I personally believe black people are the only people who should be able to say it.

That being said, I can't stand the term "redneck" because it generalizes a certain group of people that I was born apart of. (Yes I know the terms redneck and the n word aren't even in the same league of negative phrases.)
 

Makki

Member
I don't understand how non black people wanting to use that word is still a thing. Why would a non black person feel they are missing out by not saying it? Do people not associate the history of that word anymore? Do you go around saying "oh man I'm gonna rape that sandwich I'm so hungry!" or throw in any other word with an offensive meaning or history? No because you aren't an idiot (I hope) so why be one in this instance? Don't say it. Don't want to say it. What is the matter with you?
Pop culture. Specially for the younger generation who is lightly educated on the matter or slavery and are a few generations removed from when blacks had no rights. Although the appropriation of the word by black communities to remove the meaning of it within themselves is admirable, its inevitable for non blacks to want to take it back to use because its "cool" or they see it not hurting anyone just based on how its used now by blacks.
 

the210

Member
As someone who never uses the word I really despise how casually it's used today. It's to the point I wish everyone would stop using it. When I was a kid I probably only heard the word come out of a handful of non-black people's mouths. Today It's used everywhere. I see kids of all races calling each other the N-word both as a term of endearment and as a disparagement.
 

Liamario

Banned
if you're white you really don't have any leverage to dictate to my black ass how I should and shouldn't be using it,

if you're black or NBPOC, mind your damn business about what the hell I be doing. I'm gonna use it and check NBPOC who do. And that's just the rules.

You're rules, not mine. You don't dictate to me and I don't get to dictate to you.
 

Deepwater

Member
Pop culture. Specially for the younger generation who is lightly educated on the matter or slavery and area few generations removed from when blacks had no rights. Although the appropriation of the word by black communities to remove the meaning of it within themselves is admirable, its inevitable for non blacks to want to take it back to use because its "cool" or they see it not hurting anyone just based on how its used now by blacks. Thats just my opinion

people keep bringing up pop culture but can you tell me the last time you

1. Heard a white person say it in a song (and not receive backlash)
2. Saw a white person say it on TV (and not receive backlash)

and if all you got are comedy specials, that might tell you something. It's not "pop" culture, it's black culture. But if everybody else is only willing to engage it in private, then it's not really "pop", now is it?

You're rules, not mine.

when the last time you walked up to a black person in person and checked them for saying nigga? Since it's so important for you on who should and shouldn't be using the word
 
It's been said in this thread multiple times. If you want people to stop using the word, you can't use it yourself. You're going to have to make a choice.
Even if you were to successfully censor the word from pop culture and actively shamed people using it in public society this isn't a scenario like alcohol or weed where it loses it's appeal once everyone can freely do it or becomes more inciting when you aren't allowed. Restricting it to a word that can't be spoken makes it even more powerful when it does get used.
 

Nepenthe

Member
Because it's an open thread on a discussion forum. Would you just prefer an echo chamber?

That's not what he asked.

He asked why are you invested in your position.

What makes you as a non-black person so passionate about not being able to use the word free of social consequence?

Why does this one word upset you?
 
I didn't ask you why you posted, I asked you why you care about the subject.
If you the word doesn't affect you, why do you care about who uses it?

Lmao. Dude doesn't really care. Prolly on that "if blacks behaved better and didn't use that word they'd be treated better!" Just my speculation.
 
i'm honestly shocked by how many people are actually doing the "if we aren't allowed to say it, they shouldn't be either" thing in here. that's some bottom of the barrel shit
 

Nepenthe

Member
i'm honestly shocked by how many people are actually doing the "if we aren't allowed to say it, they shouldn't be either" thing in here. that's some bottom of the barrel shit

Doesn't really shock me. It's just tiring how people refuse to get it together. It's been centuries of discussing race issues and people still act brand new. It's not hard; people just don't want to understand.
 
Good on Cube for giving a PSA on the use of the word and its effect on black people.

Im a black man that never uses the word, but it's clear that it shouldn't be used by those outside of the race affected by it. It's funny that people can understand not to use the other derogatory terms turned terms of endearment for other minorities, but when it comes to the N word, sudddenly there's no context on how it should be used.

If you dont have the negative history that comes with the word, your opinion is meaningless to the conversation. It doesnt affect you, so you have no say.
 

Nepenthe

Member
Just an opinion. It's a discussion forum. I didn't realise it was an interview

You had a whole lot to tell black people about how they should be acting in this thread up until this point.

Now that we ask you why you believe in your opinion, you can't give an answer.

And you know this is cowardly too.
 

Enzom21

Member
Lmao. Dude doesn't really care. Prolly on that "if blacks behaved better and didn't use that word they'd be treated better!" Just my speculation.
I was thinking more along the lines of him having issue with us claiming exclusive use of the word... but it's probably both.

Just an opinion. It's a discussion forum. I didn't realise it was an interview

Like you wrote: "it's a discussion forum." so now we're discussing why you're so invested in black people not using the word.
This discussion would move forward if you would just be honest about the word's use.
 
Just an opinion. It's a discussion forum. I didn't realise it was an interview

Omg please screw off with this. If you literally have no investment in what happens with the word 'nigger' then don't muddle the topic. Either you actually care much more than you care to admit or you don't care and have spent the last few pages frustrating people and waisting both of our times for no reason. If you have an opinion on it, make it clear why people should listen and take it to heart.
 
Where are those meme posts about people trying to figure out in what situations a white person is allowed to say Nigga?

Some of y'all reaching, hiding it behind "just an opinion" or "just asking questions" is a really shallow way of pretending you're adding to the narrative.
 
Good on Cube for giving a PSA on the use of the word and its effect on black people.

Im a black man that never uses the word, but it's clear that it shouldn't be used by people outside of the race affected by it. It's funny that people can understand not to use the other derogatory terms turned terms of endearment for other minorities, but when it comes to the N word, sudddenly there's no context on how it should be used.

If you dont have the negative history that comes with the word, your opinion is meaningless to the conversation. It doesnt affect you, so you have no say.

Annnnnd thread. We are done. No more talkie, you summed it up perfectly.
 

Sai-kun

Banned
Ice Cube knows what's up though. Very teachable moment but somehow I doubt Maher will take it to heart. obv i don't know for sure but that's just my assumption of him at this point.

edit: i cant read ever im not allowed on the forums anymore bye
 
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