Why do SOME black people choose to use this word to refer to each other? Is it OK or not for them to do so?

I personally don't like to hear it, I bought 'exodus' by the NPG the other day and it pisses me off, the constant usage of the word.

the only explanation i can think of is it somehow diminishes the power of the word if black folk use it on each other.I tend to think it perpetuates the words existence when really it should be left in the past.

opinions?


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[This message was edited Tue Nov 19 12:22:44 PST 2002 by Thecherryloon]

Being that the word stands for the one of the worst things you can call anyone...it should (in my opinion) never be used or written.

Secondly, in my observation, whenever I've heard this word used "playfully" it's been "nigga", and not "nigger". I think that sorta separates playful from nasty.

and why would you feel the need to even give this word enough importance to use it as the title of a thread?

LaVisHh said:

i'll change it accordingly, i did think about that but phonetically it sounds the same when you hear it.

Cherryloon you just came here not too long ago huh? Welp, I think you should do a search and see how these threads ended up...it wasn't too pretty.

I watched the old Richard Pryor standup on HBO not too long ago and he said no matter who you are, n***a should not be used. He got a standing ovation.

rio said:

good point.I actually heard two stupid WHITE teens calling it each other.One had bleached blonde hair and a D12 tatoo.

it seems it is prevalent in society again for some reason.

Thecherryloon said:

Goddamn, I hate those little fucks that do that!!!

hmmm..."nigger" is different than "nigga" in the manner that it is used. I think this is a situation that if you are uncomfortable with the term, then don't use it. I don't think when the term "nigga" used that it is used as a put down but a term of endearment or some sort.

Using the word "nigger" would get you

Rhondab said:

Everybody knows this by now regardles if they're trying to be inquisitive or not.

rdhull said:

Am i missing something?Can you people see how words are spelt as they are coming out of peoples mouths?

I'm not talking about the written word.

Actually she revised the title of her thread. Which was a kind gesture in itself..

sag10 said:

She's a He. (except at the weekends!)

Thecherryloon said:

Sorry!

Thecherryloon said:

Yes I know you are not talking about the written word..but I also find it hard to believe that you needed Rhondas explanation. If so then you must be very isolated in your area of basic diversity, in which case your inquiry shouldnt even be made since it is something you need not wory about. In other words..do you live under a rock? And if so, then it is something that really shouldnt be of concern.

rdhull said:

I don't need an explanation, of course i knew that. i wanted opinions.My geographical location has no bearing on the subject thankyou.

Rhondab said:

RHONDA B...
again i would like to point out that the TERM of ENDEARMENT
is N I G G A, not all blacks like or use it.
and it has only become a problem sence we accepted this
term among ourselves...
there is still some danger in other peeps using this term
as it is still a sure way of getting ones JAW WIRED UP.

CarrieLee said:

Yeah Richard had an expeience that changed his life upon a trip he took to Africa. He talks about it on his movie, a documentary of one of his standup shows entitled Richard Pryor Live On Sunset Strip. He said that the experience made him cry. So many beautiful people and personalities and all in Africa. He said...(quote)

"A voice asked me..do you see any niggas, I said "no", the voice said you know why..because there aren't any., and it started making me cry man, I mean all this time as an artist and comedian I've been trying to make a statement and I've been up there on stage saying that, and that is devastating (expletive) word. That has nothing to do with us".
---
I'd say in a nutshell, that's what made Richard such a comic genius. His amazing ability to weave in serious social commentary in his shows and still keep his comic edge intact(all of this without losing the humorous vibe and flavor of the overall show) To this day, I haven't seen a comedian take the standup routine as far as Rich took it in his heyday.

00769BAD said:

kill the word...

SkletonKee said:

as i said,
it ain't for everybody, to each his reach baby!!!

Richard Pryor is an amazing man, i saw one if his shows from the early 80's the other week.he was talking about his 'freebasing' accident when he got severely burnt, and took a walk down the street with his flesh hanging off.

I think he mentioned a police officer running away in terror at the sight of him, and the state he was in.

I found it amazing (and a little unsettling) he could make a joke out of what must have been the worst experience in his life.Brave and crazy guy.

Brother915 said:

and "its a word to describe our own wretchedness"



Agreed...but some credit must also go to his co-writer, Paul Mooney.

rdhull said:

Co-sign. It's all so simple and obvious. What more's to say or discuss?

The word "nigger" orginally meant; sloathful and lazy. I dislike to even hear the word. I am african american and anyone that knows me no matter what color of their skin will not say that word around me. I will tell them number one I am not lazy. Two I am no where near stupid or slow,thats what sloathful means by the way. And three that name is not on my birth certificate. And Four I highly doubt if you know me well enough to judge if I am lazy or to question how intelligent I am or not.Thank you. End of conversation. The fact the people are calling themselves lazy and stupid means that Mr.Webster got over on a bunch of you fools. Try cracking open an unabridged dictionary. Liberate your minds and read a book or two.
I do not allow that or any form of the word to be uttered in my presence. Mainly because of the maliousness of the origins of the word. It had nothing to do with race but gradually became used more and more aimed at belittling someone. And those that say it used to be deogretory but it's not any more. You are only fooling yourself. Racism increases in stressfull times. The more you hear the word the more you know that Racism has not gone anywhere.

Thecherryloon said:

i love niggas..prince is a nigga

Thecherryloon said:

Oh well then that changes everything as if you don't already know what opinions would be forthcoming.

rdhull said:

I know, and i know that you know.Does little Eminem wannabe johnny know though? cause i really don't think kids do.The last ten years especially in Hip Hop have brought it back.

It isn't as simple as brushing it off with 'everyone knows' cause that is plainly not the case.

I think we (= "black" people) should get over this word.


Yes, I know the history of this word, how it has been used for many years to degrade & humiliate. I know that when this word comes from the lips of hateful/evil caucasian (="white") people, it can pack a lot of hurt..

but it only does this because we ALLOW it to.

There have always been evil & ignorant people on this planet, & there always will be. Having a certain,
"melanin-rich"
complexion in this society
(which of course, was essentially founded on violence & deceit) implies certain.. realities. Those of us melanin-rich types figure this out-
in no uncertain terms-
before too long. Once this reality sets in, there are basically 2 options of how to respond:

1) be a victim to it
2) overcome it & succeed despite it

DAMN if I am going to let the word "nigger"
(or any other word)
paralyze me or distract me for any longer than a half a second.
(& even THAT is a half second too long!)
Life is already too short, & I have many things that I plan to accomplish..
so to hell with that, letting some word discombobulate me!

This is 2002!


Think back to "the good old days"-
the 1950s & before-
when discrimination was much more blatant, when we had to "grin & bear it" or lower our heads or whatever..
we got called nigger every hour of the day, & did we literally die, just hearing that word?
NO.
Back then, it was more from the rapes, lynchings, murders & other random acts of violence/bullshit.
There was the (quiet) “dignity” of holding your head up in the face of such raw hatred. We didn't faint or fall out every time some evil/ignorant person called us that..
again, there were more important things to do-
like just survive.


It is a sort of "double standard" that we can call each other "nigga"- either out of contempt or out of affection- but "white" people can't..
yeah, they've mostly done it with negative & hateful intentions..
but in the last 30 or so years, look at all the "black-on-black" crime..
what's the difference?


While I don't say nigga everyday myself, I have no hesitation to use it whenever I think it's warrented, or simply whenever I feel like using it. Sometimes I even call some caucasian friends nigga.. & you could imagine the look of surprise they usually have on their faces!


See, in this country nigga has been associated with a "complexion" for so long, that's the only way most people perceive or relate to that word. In reality, "nigga" really describes an attitude, a way of thinking which could best be described as something like.. "rebellious, with style & much attitude"..

I easily admit that there are times when I "act like a nigga"..
& I generally have a blast when I do that, & generally, when I act that way,
I d o n't c a r e
that I act that way.. that's part of the "freedom" of acting like a nigga...
you don't give a fuck! You do what ever you want, & you don't care that others point at you or whisper or stare..
"black" people don't have a monopoly on this type of attitude, this “freedom of expression”!

To me, Jack Nicholson has got some "nigga" in him.. or, at least in a lot of the roles he plays. Bill Clinton does, too..
why do y'all think he's so popular in the "black" community???
(I use quotation marks with "black" because I normally NEVER say that word to describe myself or those like me, but to keep it "simple" & get my point across in this post..)
More on Clinton, shortly..


Yes, I remember being, what, 8 years old & 1 day in school this little "white" girl called me nigger.. I was more surprised than upset.. like, "why is she calling me that?"
For many years, I too fainted or passed out or wanted to fight the person who said it, whenever some ignorant/evil "white" person called me that word..
then..
I was enlighted. It took a little while, but I really was enlightened.
Enlightened by none other than the man whom I call
"the acid test for liberal 'white' people"..

Mr. Paul Mooney.


A BRILLIANT comic mind, but more than that, he makes you THINK as much as laugh. For those of you (most of you) who don’t know, Mr. Mooney has been credited with "discovering" Richard Pryor, he wrote a lot of Richard's material. Mr. Mooney also wrote on "Sanford & Son"; my FAVORITE Mooney line from that show:
the episode where Fred is in court & he's his own lawyer.. he looks around the courtroom & says

"There's enough niggas in here to make a Tarzan movie!"

HILARIOUS.


Mr. Mooney also created & wrote for the character "Homey D. Clown" on "In Living Color" He appears in movies occasionally, most recently (I think) in Spike Lee's "Bamboozled" where in that movie he basically plays himself. He tours comedy clubs nationwide, & every time he comes to The Improv in DC, I cancel anything else I have planned & I go see him. EVERY TIME I see him, I more than get my money's worth.
Enough of the "bio"; here are some words-
not verbatum, but from memory:

Mr. Paul Mooney, on "that word":
"white people made up 'nigga' & don't want me to say it- ain't that a bitch?!? I say nigga 100 times a day; it makes my teeth white. I say it, you [white people] think it- what a small, white world.."

"during the OJ trial, they used that word so much it just became the.. 'the n-word'.. they wore that word out!"


then, Mr. Mooney on the last President:
".. it's true- Bill Clinton IS a nigga! Follow me, follow me:
he likes to eat at Mickey D's..
sound like a nigga to me!
spends $100 on his hair..
sound like a nigga to me
always fake joggin..
sounds like a nigga to me
wears a size 12 shoe-
sound like a nigga to me!

loves some Aretha Franklin-
what does that sound like to you?
women always talkin' about fuckin him-
sounds like a nigga to me!

& most of all...
married to a white woman who makes him plenty of money..
SOUNDS LIKE A NIGGA TO ME."


These little written exerpts hardly do Mr. Mooney or his genius any justice, but you have an idea of what he can do. Really, the next time he passes through your town,
do yourself a favor & go see him.


In the meantime,
us "melanin-rich" folks really need to get over it when some ignorant/evil ("white") person uses that word.. usually when they do, YOU KNOW why they use it, you know what they want to accomplish when they say that.

Don't give ANYONE the power to let a
w o r d
bring you down.
Hell, don't let
a n y
1 w o r d
bring you down-
that's for A N Y B O D Y..

..REGARDLESS
of the level of the "richness" of your melanin!

mltijchr said:

great, thoughtful post.Thanks for your observations.