Topic : 09/12 The N-Word Debate

Hi Dr. Phil im a young black girl from Texas and i know what it means to feel racism so people cant tell me that its not around anymore. Yes no one should use the n word but to me thats the way we as a people talk to each other no matter what the history is behind it. Which is not good at all. Anyways when I was in the eighth grade which was two years ago a group of boys got together and came up with name to call themselves which was the North Texas N word Haters!! When my friends and I heard of this we were in complete shock and wondered what to do. So we went to the principal and talked it out we cried and were mad. And all the boys got was OCS(on campus suspension), and come to find out is that boys made up the group in retaliation to a black boy calling one of them a cracker! But my problem was is that instead of going up to that one boy and talking to him they took it out on a whole race. So you cant tell me that racism isnt stil aroung anymore. Its around everyday and all the time!  Ive been told that me and my people have brought aids to america. Once my friends were called monkeys and we told and didnt do anything and were told to make a poster about how stupid. Im a young 15 year old girl who knows what racism is. The cacasian lady who stood up and said that it was ok to use the n word as long as your not using race behind should be ashamed of herself, and should know that no one needs to be called out of their name. The other cacasian lady who said black people should try harder and not separate ourselves. First you need to know that yall have MTV and yes BET has mostly black people on tv but thats not separating ourselves thats just seeing us on tv.

I am 30 yrs old, White woman and I have to say that word has NEVER come out of my mouth. I think it is the most disgusting word. I think there is a Big double standard in this country, NO ONE should ever use that word. I grew up (WHITE parents) being taught that there was NO difference between people Color,Sex,Nationality, My best Friends growing up were Black and Korean. 

I Have seen Countless Black people use Race as a tool when they get fired for not doing there job, Racism work both ways. There are just as many Blacks as White that are racist.

I did not get to hear the first part of the show where the history of the word was explained. I did not hear this explanation or see it in the other discussion. Black people are of the Negro race. That is from the beginning of time. When there own people sold them into slavery over 300 YEARS AGO they were shipped to the Colonies, the original 13 States. The 'word' as we no it, is slang for Negro. We southerners are extremely lazy in our pronunciation. As I grew up, and at a young age, hearing the blacks talk against the word, I looked it up in a dictionary. It was an older Websters I think, from the 30's or 40's. I am not sure. But under the definition of 'n****:' southern slang term for Negro (no quote). Now when you look it up in the dictionary it is very derogatory. Who changed the meaning? Why do blacks wish to separate themselves from Americans? They are not slaves. Their great-great-great-great grandparents were African-American. When their first child, regardless of the fact they were still slaves or born into slavery, was American. Blacks certainly born in the 1900 are Americans. Negro's need to stop the separation. They should start going by Americans. That is what they are. I am not a German-American, I am proud to be an American. If Negro's want to be associated with Africa, then go to Africa and claim citizenship in Africa. Denounce their citizenship of America. No, I do not think they would do that. They do not want to give up their freedom, they just want to complain about what they have because of this country.  If God would have not allowed their families to be brought to this country, they would not be free today. If my family had not come to this country, I would not be free today. My wife's family owned 'slaves'. These black folks were born to the actual slaves owned by the previous members of the family. The Negro's that were around with my wife's grandparents were free, but wanted to stay with and serve the family that  had been and was so beholding to them. They were treated with the utmost respect. They each trusted one another, black to white. One of the black men trusted my wife's grandfather so much, he was the only one he would allow him to give him his diabetes shot.. So much so, that her grandfather went on a hunting trip. He and the black man talked about his shot and they made the plans as to what time he would be back. Something happened on the hunting trip, he did not make it in time, the black man died. My wife's grandfather was sick, he loved this man dearly.

When I use the word, I use it not in a derogatory way, but as a slang, nothing more. I think that Americans need to drop the facade of trying to claim two countries. Chose America, be American, quit trying to be something you are not., African. The race is Negro, the nationality is American .

yes the media did go balistic about Kanye West comment. so what are you talking about?? after Kanye West statement many white americans lost all respect for him. there were white americans who didnt appreciate his statement, and made comments of there own about Kanye West but im sure thats not going to be published..now is it??

sure there wouldnt be an uproar about a white child being called "fat". there are many other people who get called fat all day long. there is a history about this "N-word". african-americans were given this name as a definition of our character, as if ALL AFRICAN-AMERICANS are the same, as if all african-americans are ignorant. its way more then just a word. being called a n**** doesnt feel good at all..(i know). its a degrading word.

I am of Native American decent. If anyone in this country has been mistreated it's the American Indian.

Not all "white" people owned slaves. I personally never did nor did my parents or grandparents. I get tired of that card being drawn all of the time. One of Dr. Phil's guests (Paul Moony) came out on stange angry looking and looked that way the whole time he was on stage. Any time some on white spoke to him he answered them in an angry voice. I'm sure he has his reasons for feeling the way he does. Personally, I could not get past his looks of anger. His answers were given with anger. I have a problem listening to people like him no matter what race they are. I have worked with people that have that attitude. I have been treated like I have owned slaves. It's impossible to be good to someone that treats you like you've done something to them. I don't know what the answer is I wish I did. All I can do is treat people the way I want to be treated.

Now often times people believe that I can not be taken seriously because I am 'just fourteen,' well I believe that it is us, the teens of America, those who will be active members of society in a few short years, that should be listened to the most; because like it or not the country will soon be in our control. We need to stop the word in our generation, right now! Before we become parents and we teach our children. It is a snowball effect. The word should never have been used in fact rascism should never have occured, but the truth is it did. We need to stop looking into the past and hurting because of what happened years ago. I realize I don't fully or even slightly understand the pain of rascism. I know that it impacted our society in an enormous way, but I feel as if we should educate so one day we don't relapse. I believe that all people are entitled to the way they feel about what may have happened to them or their ancestors during the time of slavery, but I don't think that we should be publically displaying those emotions. I think we must start with the core, put on a game face and rid our country of all the words effecting people emotionally such as The N-word the F-word and others such as these. The word needs to go! This new trend must be set by the rappers and the role models to all the teens and kids. They are who we look up to. We live in a society that is so trendy and if you don't follow that trend you are odd man out. So we must start there and then it will snowball backwards. Maybe this is an unrealistic idea, but I just don't understand all the fuss about whether it should be allowed to be used by black people or by white people. I feel as if that confuses those of younger newer generations. I think we must start fresh. Allow for children to stay nieve and to not be exposed to such things.