Topic : 09/12 The N-Word Debate

We are all on this planet as one race-the HUMAN race.  You don't have to forget your heritage or your past, but you also don't have to and should not live in your past-it's unhealthy.  I don't think that there is one single former slave owner still alive from that era of time.  So why should anyone that lives in the here and now be held accountable for it?  That seems terribly unfair; as unfair as the slavery itself.  It's time to move on-not to forget about your history, not to forget or take pride in your heritage-but to simply move on.  I can't believe that after all this time one word is still ALLOWED to hold such power and control over people that were never slaves in the first place.  It's the mentality that black people have to constantly avenge/revenge their enslaved ancestors that makes them equally as racist as any white person.  It makes me question how far we've actually evolved and overcome as humans.....

Kel

NC

     It's sad but it is still alive.  And for someone to just say "get over it" is not a way to handle it.  If someone has a phobia you don't just look at them and say get over it.  I don't hate any race, but i dislike those that think that they are better than you just because they are another race.  Does that make me racist because I don't care to much for white people who think that they are better than me because they are white?  I have played sports and was in the military.  And have worked and played side by side with various races and some of them I consider my friends.  And some of them that excepted me as a friend have been called "N***** Lover for that.  But he has taken the high road and over look them.  The same thing happened in our American history, but the difference from now compaired to then is that he would not find himself being hung from a rope beside me.

     Just because you have not been subjected to racism dosn't give you the right to just say "Get over it" like the lady on the show said and doesn't mean it exists.  Does that make you a racist because you take a stand to those who look down to you because of your race?  Racism is still alive in this world.  What we(non racist people) should do is try not fall into the the percentage of those that are 

 i would like to be as respectful as possible when i say that it has been my experience that if a person starts a sentence with I'm  not a racist but.... you are most likely a racist.  But is a negating statement, so everything that you say before but would be untrue! and how dare you make such a sweeping statement. You saying that we, yes I'm black, want to be separate by having BET. That  would be as smart as saying that women what to be separate because they have WE( womens entertainment).  Blacks never said that we wanted to be like white people, or at least i don't. We fought for civil rights, Just that CIVIL RIGHTS. we fought for the same rights as everyone else. There is  a difference ion white culture as there is in black culture and Hispanic culture, and those should be celebrated.  And as far as the whole Africans are nicer that blacks, thats just your opinion, maybe you have never gotten to really know any blacks. I know personally its hard for a black person to be themselves around a white person because the media has programed what a black person should act like so as a black person you are always fighting those stereotypes. Just thought i would give you a Little reality check

I was raised in a military family so I was somewhat sheltered living on military bases most of my adolescence. However, I was raised at Robins AFB in Warner Robins GA and Andersen AFB Guam. My parents were from Illinois and New Jersey, I was born in Illinois. Now living on a military base is sheltering but very liberating as well. There is a whole world of cultures that you are exposed to. I had all types of friends; black, cuban, puerto rican jewish etc. When we lived on Guam, same thing. I have Hawaiian and Italian relatives. However living in the South with my strange accent I had my share of being called a Yankee.

When we came back to Georgia from Guam; I would be going to a public school instead of a base school. I was nervous because I kind of had it in my head that there was this sea of black people out there(civilians). Now some time during my childhood, I remember asking my parents about this word. Living is the south I had heard it on occasion and heard it in movies and in general use. It was always  used in a derogatory way so no one had to tell me it was a bad thing but I asked about it nonetheless. My mother told me about growing up on an army base as a child and her brothers and sisters being called that because they were dark skinned Hawaiians and this was in Indiana. My father just simply didn't believe in it ; he wasn't raised that way.And he told me that we didn't use that word in our house. The reason he gave is because it was an ugly word associated with alot of pain and hate and that is worse than cussing.  So I always just never used it cuz my parents told me it was wrong and being the smart girl that I am, I just instinctively knew it was wrong.

NO ONE should use the word.

 So my point is my father always told me that cussing is a crutch for a poor vocabulary. I have always loved that statement from my dad. I think it's true and that the N word is a part of the cussing list. If you have a problem with someone you should be able to vocalize it with some other words, there are SO MANY to choose from. The same goes if you are talking to your friends or referring to a group of people. To use this word its just wrong.

By the way, a Yankee is the same thing as a quickie but a guy does it alone!

I can teach my child that this is a despicable word, and tell him never to say it. I can incourage all my white friends to do the same. But, if our children go to school and hear it repeatedly from their African American friends, what do you think is going to happen?! Come on! Be reasonable!