The Word Nigger

Those that are against its use will point to controversial instances where the “N” word has been used or even cases where other slang words have been used as an insult against Blacks (ex. when American rapper Eminem, used the slang term in a rap song, or Matt Barnes saying the “N” word) would serve as proof of the damaging effect that the connotation has on what is viewed by whites, as acceptable when discussing issue regarding about race. While they’re many African-American observers, mainly conservatives. The positions at where they stand are controversial, and can lead to greater argument over whether the legacy and all the work and struggle gone through during the civil rights is being demoralized. In the end, these questions and assumptions can swell a damaging personal

“You’re just another stupid nigger,” says a classmate. I was in the third grade, he [the classmate], felt threatened by my intellectual superiority I realize now. As a child, who didn’t know what to make of the tern nigger, I decided to ask my teacher. Retelling the incident to her, she decides to tell the principal and have my classmate suspended. I thought of it being odd, as this child, like I, was in the third grade, gets suspended for a word, which I didn’t know was a derogatory word at the time. Nigger – a derogatory name for a Black person. As I asked my elder brother to explain what a nigger is, I was informed on the period of slavery, racial segregation, Jim Crow laws, and what the definition of a nigger. Was that what I was to other people? Just a young nigger girl? Is there nothing else that can be used to describe myself besides the color of my race? As a young girl, I was very conflicted and overwhelmed with all of this

Racist terms can be used positively, but only depending on the preference of the person being addressed. The society that we live in today opposes the use of racist language, but it can be used positively with other people. In her essay “The Meaning of a Word,” Gloria Naylor wants the audience to understand her past experience with the word “nigger.” According to Naylor, the racist term can impact anybody negatively. However, I believe such languages can bring out unity, diversity, and a feeling of acknowledgment. Different races also use racist terms in a funny and friendly way. The common word “nigga” is used almost everywhere in this way. Similarly, Christine Leong’s essay “Being a Chink” discusses how racist terms like “chink” are used in a friendly and compassionate way. From the two essays, I favor Leong’s essay because she states how racist terms can be used as a trend of assimilating everyone together. At the end of the day, racist terms can express unity and diversity.

When some think about the word nigger they immediately think about negativity and some might even venture to say that it is a "bad" word. It takes you back to a time when blacks were oppressed and demoralized. When blacks were looked at as inferior and not worthy to obtain equal rights in America. But that was decades ago and it is now the 21st century. Not only have we changed the spelling of the word, by dropping the er and adding a, but the definition has changed also. According to Gloria Naylor, we have took our "past history of struggle and present survival against the odds" and transcended the word nigger into a "victorious statement of being". So a word that was used to depict

Racism can occur in different ways, the most common is the use of offensive words, for example “nigger boy” to refer to the color of the skin in a derogatory and rude way. “Don’t you listen to that Quaker Abolitionist and that free nigger boy," he cries out as he whips the men in chains."They got evil in their words and destruction in their

The word has been put to other uses. Some African- Americans, for example, use "nigger" amid themselves as a word of affection. But this is usually done with a sense of cynicism that is established upon a comprehension of the words ’s racist commencement and a close bond with the person to whom the word is being expressed to. Today's urban community has altered the meaning and the spelling of this word. Which was once used to denigrate those of African-American ancestry. Now, the meaning as manifested through todays adolescence, it holds several denotations both good and bad. Has the meaning really changed? Or is today's community just uneducated and blinded by the privations of our predecessors, when they continuously use a world that was intended to oppress black people in the 1800’s. If I was to ask someone which of the two was the racial slur they would most likely say “nigger,” but in reality, there is no real difference one word was taken from the other and that means that both are racial slurs. When they word in question “nigga” is used, most people find no offense to it because it’s used in a different context, but how is it any different from “nigger,” just because someone self-proclaims it to be an endearing term doesn’t mean that it automatically is. What made people think that they can just change that meaning of a racial slur to “homie” or “bro,” that’s not how it works, but that seems to be what is taking place at this moment. According to Kim Hong Nguyen’s

The word "nigger" has become a popular saying amongst our current population. The word appears to be used more each day by an assorted group of people. I've conducted a research in order to gather a better understanding as of to why the word "nigger" is so commonly used. I've collected responses from my fellow class mates and read a book called nigger to acquire addition information about the different opinions brought on by its usage. In these responses were patterns that helped me to get better acquainted with this idea. Most writes provided me with the same answer, that the reason why people call each other "nigger" is because it is used in a positive way. With this information given, the next question that came to mind was is it

The word ‘ni**er’ is a pejorative directed to people of whom have a black skin tone. It was used very widely and was prevalent in the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries. The term was mainly used by white plantation and slave owners and was directed towards said slaves. In today’s day and age, there is still an abundance of racism and the n-word is still used.

Over the years, we, the African American community, took the word and turned into a word of endearment, something that we use to speak of or to another black man/woman. Growing up, I lived in two of the most diverse cities in America. Queens, New York and Houston, Texas, so I personally have never experienced racism in my life, until my family and I stopped at Vider, Texas for gas. As a young child, my older cousins would say the word nigger or nigga as frequently as the word bro or dude. It is a way to refer to your fellow African American.

Aside from your community, the issue goes more into depth when entering the household. As young children, blacks and whites played together but as they grew up, the whites were taught a life changing word, “nigger.” Slowly but surely, they grew up being presurred with the mind set that they were superior

The word “nigger” has been around since the beginning of our nation. It has made an appearance in numerous songs, speeches, and even literary classics such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Over the years, the word and its meaning have changed drastically to mean positive things in the black community, however the original insult is still present in some contexts. Many believe we should prohibit the use of the word as best we can in order to put an end to the negative uses. However, I believe that we should instead be working towards changing the meaning of the word forever instead of condemning it. Although many argue the “n” word should be censored at all times, I believe it should not be censored because it is vital in understanding out nation's past, the meaning of the word has adapted throughout time to be positive, and condemning it would only allow the word to sustain its negative meaning.

I always got annoyed when African Americans would use the word nigger all the time in their conversations, songs, and raps; but if any other race uses the word, its RACIST.

They have too different meanings. A slave is a person who works for someone and does whatever they say . A “Nigger” is just a Black Skinned Person. Francine Prose explains, “...the word “nigger” should be more freighted, more troubling, the cause of more “resentment” than the word “slave.” Clearly, the word “nigger” will case the reader to have qute a different feeling while reading than if they were to read theword “slave” 219 times.

As a black American male, the word nigger conjures up within me hate, hostility, violence, oppression, and a very shameful

Likewise, if you do not know the history or understand the meaning of a word you should not be able to use words that have such powerful meanings. I have never been called an N**** or experience what it was like to have the negative connotations following. Yet, I feel that because of my skin color I hold the power to express the word but I do not. However, when a fair skinned person uses the word people are quick to call it racist and often times it is. Moreover, when people of African lineage use the word to degrade their fellow African-Americans is it not self-hate. Society places us in a box with limited space but we hold the power to enhance that space. I don't want to be labeled as just an N**** . Sadly the world we live in sees me as such but I will not be submissive to that word, I will grab the word by my hands and control it the way I choose. “ Niggers were the ones hanging on the rope, Niggas is the ones with the gold chains hanging on their neck .’’- Tupac