The N-word as slur vs. the N-word as a sequence of sounds

SubStack ^ | February 7, 2021 | John McWhorter

[RedStateRocker]

I always figured that the analogy is to what I grew up with.
I’m an Irishman. Another Irishman can call me a ‘mick’; a non Irishman might not like the reaction. I can make Irish jokes and I can be offended by stereotypes if Irishmen. Anyone who doesn’t like that had best be ready to resort to fists, feet, or lawyer relatives.

The Italians I know can call each other ‘Pisano’ and other terms that I would be a complete idiot (and an idiot who might soon get and deeply deserve an ass kicking); they can make mafia jokes and such that I’d be at best a tacky jerk to make.

Same thing with Blacks. The only white folks who are offended or annoyed that they can use the N-word in talk or song while white folks get a world of grief for doing so are the same racist A-holes who wish or want to use the N-word themselves. Anybody who’s bothered by the two different sets of rules needs to look in a mirror and make sure their sheets are on nice and neat.

[RC one]

N words commit 50% of all the murders and robberies in America. It’s verifiable. Just sayin’.

[I want the USA back]

“language that is offensive and unacceptable,” It doesn’t state that it depends on who is saying it. It is unconditional. Therefore, all the rappers and street folk who say it need to get fired and canceled.

This word is a trap for Whitey. The word is used a lot by the folk who pretend to be offended by the word. The reality is that they use the word defiantly in front of Whitey, daring him to say it.

The end goal is to wipe out all Whiteys. Even then they will blame all their failures on all the dead Whiteys.

[Responsibility2nd]

The whole idea that lives are ruined and careers are canceled over the n-word is unbelievable.

But the fact a Slimes reporter was eaten by his own pet alligators?

Works for me.

[nesnah]

[Jewbacca]

I’m confused. He didn’t call anyone a nigerian?

He just said something like “don’t call someone a nigerian, that’s rude?”

I fail to see the problem.

Are blacks like Voldemort now?

[joshua c]

Reminds me of the niggardly affair in DC. Although, when they discovered the white manager who offended was gay, he was not fired but transferred.

When they thought he was straight, they fired him.

[Fiji Hill]

During the Nixon presidency, a book entitled The Student as a Nigger by Jerry Farber (Hollywood, Calif.: Contract, 1969) gained some popularity among the academic left. The book had nothing to do with black people or race relations but urged college students to stand up and not submit to authority. I recall the book being discussed on talk shows, but no talk show host would dare do so today.

[fruser1]

Everyone should have their kids ask their teachers what exactly this N word is. Best to do it on one of those wonderful remote classrooms so you can record.

[al baby]

my group of friends stop saying n word back in the early 80s we replaced it with nigel as in nigel rig it

[libertylover]

The N-word has for a long time been considered the ultimate derogatory term, but “Hick”, “Redneck”, and “Hillbilly” are still just fine with the left, even on national television.

[billorites]

Well, you just might be a Nigel...

[Uncle Miltie]

If you stiff your waiter in one African country, you might be:

NIGGARDLY in NIGER!

(jeez everyone, lighten up!)

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

[Tell It Right]

I agree with your analogy of you being an Irishman giving you freedom to poke fun at being Irish, while non-Irishman don’t have that luxury.

I’ve often said the better comparison of whites using the n-word is the countless times blacks use the h-word or c-word with nobody going crazy over it. Whatever the rules of etiquette are, they apply to everybody equally..

[laweeks]

N worders commit 50% of all the murders and robberies in America. It’s verifiable. Just sayin’.

---

And the N worders comprise over 70% of the unwed homes in America. During WWII the percentage of unwed N babies was 7% (I repeat 7% versus today’s 70%). . . the N people have come a long way.

Let’s see . . .
* 70% of unwed babies;
* by far, the largest number of murdered babies in abortuaries;
* affirmative action;
* subprime loans to buy homes;
* billions in food stamps;
* disproportional amount of incarcerated N people compared to the rest of the American population
* extremely high neighborhood crime rates nationally;
* and we even gave them roads formerly named for war heroes to MLK named streets (here in Cleveland, Liberty Blvd. was renamed MLK Blvd), which, ironically, let the average traveler know what streets to not go down or get near,
* two Black History months (MLK shoved down our throats in January and “Black History” month in February), where they totally ignore the history of the Black slave traders way back then and even today;
* and 660,000 deaths in the Civil War to free the Ns
* and they still want reparations.
* Still waiting for a single “Thank You” America monument to go into Gettysburg.

[artichokegrower]

Judging from his song lyrics Weeknd the black fellow who entertained at this years Super Bowl is exempt from all of this.

Lyrics from Weeknds Ebony with edits

“I think I’ve finally fell in love now
Her name is Tammy, she got hella bitches
She let me f–k ’em while my n—-s film it …
Man, I love my baby, man, I love my baby
Trust me, trust me, I love my baby
Man, I love my baby, man, I love my baby, trust me, trust me. …
Girl go ’head and show me how you go down
And I feel my whole body peakin’
And I’m f—in’ anybody with they legs wide
Got me higher than a n—a from the West Side

[Intolerant in NJ]

And then there’s the word of common sense which used to help govern how we lived - sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me........

[T.B. Yoits]

Whatever the rules of etiquette are, they apply to everybody equally..

The term is either offensive or it's not. It must not be offensive because I hear it in almost every rap "song".