[Serious] Singing the N-word

[BrokenQuill92]

Just don’t. Like what is white people’s obsession with the word? Seriously don’t do it. Why is there such big debate? I notice white Americans will bend and twist to find any excuse to use use the word but let someone say the r word or even use gay or queer as a slur they’ll flip their shit. Let’s stop lying here. They don’t care that it’s in a song they just wanna say it because black people make them uncomfortable and such a hurtful word would let them reassert their dominance in the racial hierarchy. And that’s just the truth of it. People want to do and say racist shit without being called to the carpet for their racism.

Yeah, no. I don’t want to do and say racist shit. I want to sing along to some of my favorite music, which only very occasionally contains racial slurs, typically not used as a slur.

Have you ever thought about not supporting an “artist” that would degrade their own by using that word in their work? Perhaps that’s a bigger part of the problem. Why listen to or buy the music of someone like that? That being said if you just want to say it no one is stopping you. Is that yeah it’s racist for you to say it song or not. And you literally proved my point by making the excuse of it’s in a song. Being in song does not excuse that you said a sickening slur. How is that hard to compute?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I think people should be able to do what they want. if you want to sing along with a rap tune that says racial slurs, free country baby! just know that some folks will get pissed off. its up to you whether you give a shit about that or not. LOL

Personally, I don't like rap music. I'm a country fan. (and I don't care if that makes some folks call me a racist)  anyway, I don't like being called a redneck by some elitist snob, like Bill Maher, used as a put down, but to be honest if Bill Maher was singing along with an Alan Jackson tune that had the word "redneck" in it, because he liked it, I wouldn't care. its all context for me. context should be the key. a word without context is meaningless.  

from my experience the same applies with black people. (or anybody really) Some will take offense, some won't care. knowing your audience is advisable though with controversial stuff like this, unless you don't mind risking the blow back. beyond that its an individual choice.  

anyway this thread calls for this hilarious clip from clerks 2.  WARNING: NSFW!!! (contains profanity and racial slurs) 

Moderator Notice
Deleted video

Seriously, mate - what the fuck is wrong with you??

Boru

[Shell B]

Yeah, no. I don’t want to do and say racist shit. I want to sing along to some of my favorite music, which only very occasionally contains racial slurs, typically not used as a slur.

Have you ever thought about not supporting an “artist” that would degrade their own by using that word in their work? Perhaps that’s a bigger part of the problem. Why listen to or buy the music of someone like that? That being said if you just want to say it no one is stopping you. Is that yeah it’s racist for you to say it song or not. And you literally proved my point by making the excuse of it’s in a song. Being in song does not excuse that you said a sickening slur. How is that hard to compute?

Why would I not support black artists who use the term in the more modern sense of their culture and not as a racist slur? Why would I care if you think it makes me racist to sing along? Your virtue signaling doesn’t change the reality that the word, while sickening in most contexts, can be used in more than one context. Chill out. I’d be disgusted if it was in a song as a slur and never, ever listen to it. Take into account people’s true intentions, not the ones you just make up for them.

[Mermaid]

If someone from a group I do not belong to tells me something is offensive to them, I take it at face value as a matter of decency. It costs me nothing.

[LastPoet]

I fear that racism in the US has become culture.

[brewer]

Blacks using the n-word has created a double standard. I thought double standards are/were a bad thing. .

[Rev. Rye]

Blacks using the n-word has created a double standard. I thought double standards are/were a bad thing. .

Yeah, honestly, the reason this whole debate exists is because of all the many racial slurs used against black people, the N-word is one of very few they've tried to reclaim, and it's the only one that many of the reclaimers use that casually. If not for that, there'd be no real debate. You can argue about whether or not trying to reclaim the N-word is a good idea, and the thing is, if you said it isn't (like I’m fairly certain Brokenquill has been), I'd actually be inclined to agree with you. But this is the world we live in, and the fact that the situation sucks doesn't change that fact.

[Shell B]

If someone from a group I do not belong to tells me something is offensive to them, I take it at face value as a matter of decency. It costs me nothing.

If one individual tells me something is offensive to them, I take it that they are offended, not that every single person who is in any grouping they could feasibly fit into feels the same way. Artists like it when you sing their music, go to their shows, buy their merch.

I don't particularly want men to think of women as hos, but I'm not going to ask people not to sing along to "Hoochie Mama." If a specific woman felt that way, don't blast the song and sing it in her face as a matter of decency. I don't share that view, so come sing along with me. Don't assume the offended speak for a whole group of people.

There is a world of difference between the way it's meant in most music and the way it's meant when a racist says it. If you can't recognize the subtleties and cultural nuances of language, that's fine. Just don't expect me to similarly limit myself. Believe me, I'm equally offended when it's used in an offensive manner. It has a horrible history, but it's not up to me to tell black people they can't use it in a new way.

[LastPoet]

Blacks using the n-word has created a double standard. I thought double standards are/were a bad thing. .

To me its an US thing. It has become... cultural racism both ways. Its something the US citizens should fight agaisnt not feed. But I am Portuguese and after your skin colour problems are resolved and you wish to bomb us, the capital city is Madrid.

[brewer]

Blacks using the n-word has created a double standard. I thought double standards are/were a bad thing. .

To me its an US thing. It has become... cultural racism both ways.  Its something the US citizens should fight agaisnt not feed. But I am Portuguese and after your skin colour problems are resolved and you wish to bomb us, the capital city is Madrid.

Nah, no bombing, weaponized tularemia in rabbits we'll send at Easter. 

We were saving this for NK but you've given us no choice.