Knee-jerk Reaction

It seems to me that there's such a knee-jerk reaction to percieved intolerances such as racism these days that the reaction becomes intollerant in itself. For example, I once had a teacher tell me to use the term 'African American' when I said 'black' in class. But see, the thing is that I was referring to a group of British people. As in people who weren't American. The term in itself is inherently ignorant because it assumes that a) a person's family originated from Africa and b) that a person is an American. People don't think about this, though, because it's commonly accepted, and they have no problem spewing out self righteous bullcrap towards anything they're not used to hearing. This seems to happen to everything that could, remotely, by some stretch, possibly at some period be considered a little bit racist.

Thus people who are intelligent enough to know that their humor is racist and not believe what they say are being nailed to the cross while there's real racism going around that's being left totally unchecked, like that dickhead Fred Phelps. Am I the only one disgusted by that?

I guess what's being left for debate is whether society has taken political correctness so far that it's become ignorant in itself.

Absolutely, but I think this is more of an American thing than a PC thing. I think Americans are just ignorant in general, and don't take the time to think about what they say before they say it. For instance; I work with a guy who hates this Indian guy next door because he's a foreigner. I asked him why, and he said, "After 9-11, I hate all foreigners." The guy's from India, for christ's sake. Most of this issue, in my eyes anyway, stems from mimicking what we see and hear, and most of what is on TV these days is white people attacking brown people. Also, George Carlin said that one day political correctness was going to go too far.

Thus people who are intelligent enough to know that their humor is racist and not believe what they say are being nailed to the cross while there's real racism going around that's being left totally unchecked, like that dickhead Fred Phelps.

I don't know what you're trying to say here, your phrasing is a bit odd to me, but if I assume correctly, you're saying that the normal people who think that saying "black" is OK are deplored, while people who wrongly use "soft language" (which is a laughable term in itself,) are being lauded as progressives.

I can agree with that for the most part, and I think a lot of it is very one-sided. I am not a racist person in the least, but I'll admit that I laughed at a few racist jokes. Not because they were cruel, but because they were funny. Hell, I laugh at jokes about blondes being stupid and I am one. My point is, black comedians get on stage everyday and tell "cracker-ass cracker" jokes, but if a white guy were to tell a "nigger" joke, his career would be over. Just ask Michael Richards.

Also, I can't stand the pundits like Jesse Jackson, who's only ability is to see discrimination where there is none, yet turn a blind eye on it when it is obvious. Could you imagine a White Entertainment Television? How about an NAAWP?

First thing, Fred Phelps is someone I do not want my kids to know exist. If I had a choice, he would never exist.

I agree with your point of "African American". I do understand you point, and I fully agree that it is ridiculous how protected and gated our western society has become. It is not like you were saying "those niggers" which is a derogatory term used for "individuals of African decent". If you want to to be completely correct, I suppose thats what you would have to say, "Individuals of African Decent"..


This pertains to other incidents as well, like we cannot call the gays gay because they are homosexuals. It would be worse if you called then fags and dykes, but for "political correctness" they ban "gay" as well.

I guess what's being left for debate is whether society has taken political correctness so far that it's become ignorant in itself.

I do not think I could have said it better myself. I agree completely with that statement.

"Individuals of African Decent".

Not all black people are from African Descent.

My point is, black comedians get on stage everyday and tell "cracker-ass cracker" jokes, but if a white guy were to tell a "nigger" joke, his career would be over. Just ask Michael Richards.

I believe the cause of that is the way the word, "nigger" is so widely broadcast as a derogatory term. The majority of people who are "insulted" by this term are most likely looking for a reason to be angry, rather than actually being angry because someone insulted them. Instead, they are angry because someone said something that is forbidden, and is broadcast as a hateful word, so they believe they have a right to be offended because everyone else is. The reason "white cracker" isn't considered to be an offensive term, is because it was never broadcast as one. I don't know about other countries, but in the United States if one idea is said on multiple news stations, the majority of Americans will follow what was said. They may not even understand why they believe in it, but they still protest it because of the simple fact that it was widely broadcast. I'm not saying all Americans are that way, but a large amount of them are.

That Fred guy is a psycho in my eye.
"Nigger" is only derogatory when any other color, other than black, says it.
Yes, it's true, 95% of Americans are stupid, not ignorant, plain stupid.

That Fred guy is a psycho in my eye.
"Nigger" is only derogatory when any other color, other than black, says it.
Yes, it's true, 95% of Americans are stupid, not ignorant, plain stupid.

No, "Nigger" is completely unacceptable.

However, "friendly black fellow" is completely fine...

What is our world coming to?

'nigger' - word derived from the Spanish 'negro' that is generally used with connotations towards those of or those percieved to be of African ancestry
'friendly black fellow' - Controversial reclamation in modern culture having completely different connotations than that off the aforementioned pejorative term until associated with it's predecessor

Being a white male, it's not my place to take a stance on this. However, being the assumptious, conceited prick that I am, I've gone and done the math anyway and arrived at the conclusion that 'friendly black fellow's' derogatory subtext comes soley from an association with 'nigger,' and therefore offense to the former comes from preconceived notions alone.

As for whether it's "OK or not" to use... hell, it's a word. What matters is the intent. After all, a very small percentage of communication exists in literal application of the words themselves.

And yet, despite coming to that conclusion every time, I'm still not entirely certain of myself. Whether that's a result of a lifetime of being hammered with propaganda or an incongruity in my argument I haven't worked out yet is something I can't say for sure.

No, "Nigger" is completely unacceptable.

However, "friendly black fellow" is completely fine...

What is our world coming to?

I heard Black people say "nigger" as well as "friendly black fellow", I clearly heard the r.
So it seems to be acceptable in their culture.

And a site note:
Calling a black person a "Negro" was supposed to be a sign of respect. lol.
I'd get punched for verbally abused if I were to call a black person.

I heard Black people say "nigger" as well as "friendly black fellow", I clearly heard the r.
So it seems to be acceptable in their culture.

You speak as though having an increased melanin count makes you part of a collective entity. :/

I am black and once again, saying what I said in over 9000 other racism topics.

Nigger is just a word.
friendly black fellow is just a word(?)
Negro is just a word, and a colour in a different language if I remember correctly.

Yes, African American is assuming that black people are all from Africa, also it is hilarious due to people trying to avoid being racist, which, in my opinion, is kind of annoying. I can see where you are coming from, people trying to soften a "racist blow" which doesn't exist is annoying and odd, I don't mind friends calling me nigger and a lot of them are white (actually, I only have two black friends when I think about it, but who really cares?). My view is unorthodox and is "different" from other people's views.

Lastly, a lot of black people still find calling them "black people" offensive and some think "African American" is offensive too, while I agree TO A POINT that African American is not right, I think calling people black people black (lol) is fine.

I believe the cause of that is the way the word, "nigger" is so widely broadcast as a derogatory term. The majority of people who are "insulted" by this term are most likely looking for a reason to be angry, rather than actually being angry because someone insulted them. Instead, they are angry because someone said something that is forbidden.

Think about it this way, nigger being forbidden even though it is way past what it meant years and years ago, why? Because people get insulted over there family in the past that was in slavery? No, it is because people can use it as a "card" so to speak, that they can use to avoid things, such as the law in some cases, but black people use it on each other? There is no sense there, the only conclusion(s) that you can see in the end are:

• Nigger is bad when people say it, except black people.
• It has lost it's meaning.

It is both, but the latter is the one that makes sense.


I hope I got the right idea of this topic.

I heard Black people say "nigger" as well as "friendly black fellow", I clearly heard the r.
So it seems to be acceptable in their culture.

You speak as though having an increased melanin count makes you part of a collective entity. :/

Actually, I believe it is so.
It's called a sub-culture.
There are some exceptions, however.

@Tezuka
Well said!
Your absolutely right.

I hate all this, we cant say this and that, hell i call my friends nigger,cracker,honky,gook etc etc, and we all laugh.

The only problem is when one race/color (or whatever ) kicks up more of a fuss, i mean over here we get big ass gangs(nothing new) of Indians, but they think there gods gift to women, and think they own everything, 'cus there in a big ass gang and obviously not many people will fight back, this is where a racist terms can be used most repeatedly as some people cant keep a lid on it (Shadowdude managed to start a race fight in my old high school being an example) and this is where the race words start to appear and being more widely spreed.

Then again as i say this the exact same thing can be said for blacks and whites, they too walk about in groups =/ so you cant really do anything about the knowledge of different races =(