Bill Maher 6/9/17

[Brian37]

I don't understand the obsession of whites to want to openly use that word. It was a word used by slave masters to refer to black slaves.
Why would you want to use it?

I mean, there are certain subtexts, right? When you call someone an asshole the subtext is "Your actions were shitty therefore you're an ass". When you use the N word, it's a reminder to everyone that just heard you use it that whites used to be the slave masters of blacks. Do you think any sane black person would want to be reminded that because his forefathers were born with black skin they were destined to be used as slaves for the purpose of white people? That's a clear disrespect to them and their forefathers. Times have changed. You just can't use the word, yeah, tough shit, deal with it.

Who is obsessed? The bigots like the sickos who belong to the KKK, sure, but what the fuck does that have to do do with Bill Maher's use of it. I don't think he is "obsessed" with using it, I don't hear stories of him using it every single day which he does not. He made a very bad joke and even I said he should apologize for it and he did.

I think you should worry about bigots, not him, bigots never apologize.

Nobody is condoning slavery nor was Bill in the context of that moment. Seriously if you are going to convince whites not to use it then to be consistent blacks shouldn't use it either. I don't make that argument because I am not black. 

I am not going to bow to any type of puritan. With any word it always depends on time place and context of use. I don't use the word myself, but I have absolutely no right to tell blacks never to use it. And I am certainly not going to punish anyone using it in the context of teaching history, nor in all cases of music or satire. 

Demanding the word "nigger" never be used would be like demanding the Holocaust Museum remove every use of the word "Juden" which was a German slur to Germans whom aimed it at German and European Jews. And if you are going to insist pejoratives also never be used as endearment or satire when not done out of hate then you better condemn Mel Brooks because he made a living making comedy movies full of stereotypes and even sometimes pejoratives.

We all know the dark side of that word and we all agree it should NEVER be used to sell or spread hate, but just like any other word, even in a thread like this,  there are times when it has to be used, even if to merely discuss it's usage.