Replies to '09/12 The N-Word Debate'

I am just an American. My Great-grandparents immigrated from England and Ireland along with some Great Aunts & Uncles.

One of them in turn married into the Cherokee tribe.

I do not call myself Irish-English-Native American-American.

I'm just an American.

I was born here, not there.

Of course, this is just my opinion. If you were born here; you are an American. You might have some Russian, or German, or Portuguese ancestry somewhere along the line, or African or Irish.

You were born here; you are AMERICAN period.

Firstly, us blacks did not orginially call ourselves "African American."  That is a term given to us by whites so that they can be "politically correct."  The reason why we weren't born in Africa is because europeans came to Africa and ENSLAVED every man, woman, and child that was strong enough to work.  As a result the country is still in a state of ruins.  We as a people couldn't go back even if we want to.  You say you refer to yourself as a "white american,"  is that because your family came over here on their own accord?  Now I'm not trying to promote racism, it's wrong.  But I would like you to understand where we as a race come from.  I honestly feel no one from a different race can tell me that we have now reached a level of equality.  Racism still exsist! you however might not see it because duh your a white american.  Now as for the N word.  I totally agree that no one should use it.   I do believe it's a very ignorant word and makes the user ignorant because they dont take the time to realize or may not even care where it came from, the history behind it and how others feel about hearing or being called it.  However you can't make a person stop using a word.  And everyone seems to be getting on the rappers for making music using this word, they wouldn't make it if it wasn't selling.  Ironically the majority of people buying this music is who "white america."  You can learn that in any mass com class.  I think  people are concentrating on the wrong subject.  I think we should be more concerned about raising our own kids right and teaching right from wrong instead of getting on grown people about how they live!  I love everybody, black, white, hispanic, indian. I just want to teach my daughter how to be happy in her life and not let other people dictate what she does and how she acts.  1 love

Only problem with your point is that Black Americans have not chosen to call themselves African American [AA]. It's a terminology that was conjure up somewhere in the U. S. Gov't having to do with statistics. I am black & has never referred to myself as that, & never heard of it when I was going thru HS& college [more yrs. ago than I care to mention].

The AA term is used on forms, job appications, etc. in America, & many times you have no choice but to select this because simply they no longer put black as a selection. I believe all this N-Word crap would STOP, & it wouldn't be an ISSUE, if our own U. S. gov't didn't have issues. I have a question for Dr. Phil: ''Given the history of this nation [USA], when people apply for jobs, housing, education, etc., how can the U.S. gov't  justify asking for race, color ,creed, or even gender, for that matter?'' There is always fine print that says ..this data is not used for hiring purposes, confidential, only ..statistical purposes, etc.  which is BS.

 I don't get the whole African-American thing either - isn't Charlize Theron African-American?

I was born in Canada and am simply proud to be Canadian, no prefix needed.