Topic : 09/12 The N-Word Debate

I am the very proud white Nana of 7 Grandkids, 2 half Spanish, 2 half black and 3 white... I love them all without regard of color..they are all the same to me...my 2 half black Grandkids used to say the N word at my home

but no more!!! I told them if I, or anyone else cant say it then they cant either...( I never used the word anyway) I asked them how I could let them say it but the other kids couldnt....so I put a big stop to that.

The other day a black friend of my daughters was here and he said the N word, my Grands told him very nicley that that word wasnt allowed at nana's house, he was very nice and said he was sorry....if everyone would put a stop to this hidious word...( blacks, white or anyone) things would just get a little bit nicer.....

signed....The proud Nana of a colorful but beautiful family!!!

i just realized you called your X black husband and your current white husband the same nick names! Classy. Well just think of it this way. I am married to a white man and I call him n***a, If I ever marry a black man I will call him cracker. That way I dont do like you and use the same nick names, thanks

I wasn't going to watch this program, but I will in support of you and me and others who feel they are being misunderstood.

 

I have no doubt about Al Sharpton's intentions.  A REVEREND can't behave the way he does and claim to be doing the Lords work!  He's not promoting peace;  he's keeping hatred alive!

 

Kudos to you!  PEACE!

Thanks your support is appreciated!

I give much credit to Dr. Phil for attacking this issue. We are supposed to be a United America but this is one of the things keeping us from being that. I am black and it's been close to 4 years that I've been with my girlfriend who is white. She comes from a household that uses the N word a lot towards blacks. Growing up I knew of it only as a bad word not to be said and I retain that in my adult life. She grew up to evolve from her parents close minded believes and now we are building a family with her parents backing the relationship 100%. As an American I believe in free speech, but personally I feel as if this is a word that shouldn't be uttered. I would kill for BLACK Americans to quit using this word it simply divides us. I know plenty of blacks that don't say the word but it should be all of us that refrain from saying it. That being said it's a little dumb and childish for whites to say the word, knowing they shouldn't, and defend their actions by saying blacks use it too. To quote our parents "If Blacks jump off a bridge should you do the same?". Since the word can't be banned I say lets give this word to the ones who wish to do nothing else but separate this country. We need to become better people and self regulate on the words we say. In my eyes the word is "hands down" the number one indicator of a racist, judgmental, and prejudice person and there is no way around that. To say the word is to confirm that you are a person influenced by stereotypes and can be mislead to do and act in a way that you know is wrong. Feeble. If the word must be kept legal let it be said by the Racist and only the racist. We must show we are not the offender but the victim in this debate. The Word is Wrong end of story. If fingers must be pointed let it be used to resolve the issue.

OK folks let me explain why I call my white husband a n***a. I am white, my mom and dad are white...3 years ago my aunt did our family tree. To our surprise we found we had black ancestors! My great grandmother was about half black. My grandma was upset that we discovered this. My grandmother was brought to Michigan by my great grandmother because they lived in Tennessee and they were getting picked on at school for having black in them. My grandmother looks Indian, but her sister (my aunt) looks white with black features. So they moved to Michigan and my grandmother was told never to tell they had black in them to anyone. Being raised to keep it a secret, she never even told her children (like my mom or aunt) this. So my aunt was surprised, we all were. It didn't bother me I mean no big deal right. Well my husband does not like my father (who did not raise me at all) and my father is racist. So my husband couldn't wait to poke fun at him because he was once married to my mom who has black in her. It made my dad mad. And my husband had fun making him mad. Well i told my husband joking that if I am black he is too. He laughed about it. One day he came home from work and I said 'what took you all day n****r'? He laughed and so did I. Now it just became a thing I say to him. Now if i am mad at him I call him an ass instead. I have to add that while at Dr. Phil show I met two really cool guys, Darius and Ray (both black). They were some of the best people I ever met. We talked and I explained to him how I felt and he to me. One thing he said was 'n****r' bothers him but n***a not so much. I promised him I would respect that and call my husband n***a instead. I don't have to use the word, I know that but, I don't even have to admit that I do use it, but I do. I'm an honest person. I do not and would not call a black person that in anger and I don't per mote it at all. The reason I wouldn't call a black that in anger is because then they would think that is the reason I don't like them so If I were angry to the point that I felt the need to name call (not really my nature) but if I did, they would know right away why I don't like them, usually it would be because of a loud mouth or attitude. I do think the word is around to stay and at least it is loosing its power and being used in a lighter way.

I am playing with my husband I have no bad thoughts against blacks when I say it. There are allot of black I do not like and that is because they are racist (most) there are allot of whites I do not like usually because whites are rude (at least here in Detroit they are) I judge by personality and attitude and honesty. I respect honesty. If I was racist the world would know it because that's the way I am. If I could wrap this conversation up in one word it would be FEDUP (oops two words! :)

You sound like an intellilgent man.  Just how would you propose to solve this issue.  By keeping the fire lit with discussions such as this?  Would you propose to expand on this issue and tackle other words like,

"greaser", "white trash" or similar racial slurs?  Don't get me wrong.  I'm just saying that sensationalizing the issue isn't going to make it go away.  It's a fact that, in this crumbling society, there's too much attention drawn to the use of this word.  If Mr. Sharpton insists on debating this issue, he needs to begin with the people who put it out there the most.  I very seldom even hear this word anymore except in the movies, television, or rap music.  But, you can't censor them because the have the so-called right of freedom of speech and "artistic" license.  They can say and do whatever they want and THAT has a major influence on todays society.  The truth is it begins at home and far too many young adults in this day and age don't have positive role models.  We live in a parentless society and the young people have no where to turn but the media.  And therein lies the problem.

Exactly. And it's something we should be teaching children...words are words and it's better to consider the source as you say than to sit and stew and assume it's a reflection of ourselves.  A person can act crazy, call someone names, make accusations or any other verbal thing and all I can do is know that that is more about about the person talking than it is about me.