Racist Words

[Senshi1]

I have a serious question, I don't know what got me thinking about it. But when I was little, like 8 or 9, calling a black person "coloured" was the politically correct way to do it. But suddenly, one day, it was designated racist and just "black" became the politically correct way to say it.

What I'm curious about is this: do you find being called "coloured" offensive? If so, did you always find it offensive? And if not, do you think the 'designation' of it and other terms as racist is a good representation of the black community's attitudes, or are you yourselves under the impression that it's uncalled for?

Note, I know this applies to every race with different words (I can't count how many times I've been called a sheep-shagger), but this particular word was the example that prompted me to ask the question out loud.

(On a slightly unrelated note, does anybody remember the Robinsons Jam mascot, Golliwog? His banning seemed a bit uncalled for in my eyes, as he wasn't racist, he was just black)

 

[footkl]

I don't like it when people call me coloured... but I'm not offended either. And I find it really funny when people hesitate on the word "black" (which is what I prefer) and say "darker people" or something like that. I dunno, I'd say the only word that offends me would be the 'n' word. I don't know why though, it's just that I've been taught that it's a bad word.

 

[Duke Diablo]

the only word that offends me would be the 'n' word.

Necrophiliac?

OK, on a more serious note, when I refer to people considering their race, i use 'white', 'black' and 'yellow'. Plain and simple. Don't think anyone would be offended by that and it's the most simple way of putting it. It's not like being black is having some sort of disease.

 

[Senshi1]

Necrophiliac?

OK, on a more serious note, when I refer to people considering their race, i use 'white', 'black' and 'yellow'. Plain and simple. Don't think anyone would be offended by that and it's the most simple way of putting it. It's not like being black is having some sort of disease.

That's surprising. I would've thought "yellow" would have been extremely racist. Then again, "oriental" sounds fine to me, but apparantly it's really bad.

 

[Duke Diablo]

That's surprising. I would've thought "yellow" would have been extremely racist. Then again, "oriental" sounds fine to me, but apparantly it's really bad.

Well, in Croatian language as such we have black, white and yellow skin colors. We call them that. It's a matter of language. 'Sides, why would anyone feel offended if we called them 'white' or 'black' or 'orange on purple dots' if their skin color is indeed something like that. When I call someone 'white' or 'black' or whatever, and I do so rarely, as I mostly refer to people by name, not the race, I don't mean anything bad. Skin color is skin color, it's what differs us, but it's not something that makes you good or bad. It's just the outer layer of you... very, very thin layer, and it shows nothing of real you.

 

[alf1]

a black person can call you whitey
anyway if i know their country of origin i say it ( like Kenyan , Ghana etc ) if no i say African/black .... well black doesn't sound offensive to me

it's used in common language, and the fact of saying it is not racist right away, it depends how you say it

i can actually for fun only and not being serious anyway ( often when drunk ) say some words that may sound harsh, i have difficulties using them though, being a stranger and having to deal with racism despite being white... anyway . but some people do say them without thinking that it might be offensive :s meh
for them it's normal

stupid ppl

 

[TyrantRaveAB]

i think any racial slur is not appropriate. with that being said, out of all my years of living the only group that takes serious offense (from what ive seen.) is the black community. back in school (in cincinnati, which is pretty high with racial tension.) anyone could call a white person a cracker and it didnt matter. and you could call a hispanic a beaner, boarder jumper and what have you and it didnt matter. you could call an orential person a chink and it wouldnt have mattered either. but lord help you if you werent black and called a black person the N word.
and im sure theres a lot of media influence and such as to why thats the way it is. but what i can say is it doesnt really help the fact that a lot of black ppl use it as common language to refer to one another. almost like they dont want to just let it go and move past it. it doesnt make any sense to preach about change when they keep using a derogatory conotation amonst one another. and the way america is i think it gets an unfair amount of media attention which only adds to the problem.

 

[P[a]pi]

Saying colored people sounds bad to me because that is what old white people would say. It's just a dated word.

Also, it only refers to black people, but what's interesting is that saying "people of color" when talking about all minorities in this country (black, hispanic, asian) is perfectly fine... for now anyways.

 

[NWIBOY]

I hate the term African American. Because most blacks aren't even born in Africa! I'm called white so why can't they be called black?

The only reason I use African American is on school papers with length requirements, because obviously the term African American takes up 3 to 4 times the space of the word black, haha!

 

[Rox_My_Sox1]

I think we need to educate ourselves about racist words and not just avoid them (like America tried [and failed] to do with alcohol during prohibition). Only with education can something like a word be truly overcome.

On the other side of the fence however, I also feel that the African American community needs to get off it's high horse and start becoming responsible (especially African American parents and teens).

And just to quell the argument that might follow THAT statement, I also believe the rich elitist white minority needs to share more their wealth with others less fortunate than them or have their tax exceptions revoked.

 

[Rox_My_Sox1]

I hate the term African American. Because most blacks aren't even born in Africa! I'm called white so why can't they be called black?

I believe the term "African American" refers to an ethnic group of humans that originated as a whole in the continent of Africa.

As for being called white, I refer to myself as a caucasion american if that's of any help. ^_~

 

[Cbarton]

Imagine the confusion I've had over the last 40+ years. First they wanted to be called "Negros" (Negroes? can't remember the proper plural, it's been so long...), then "Colored" (as in the NAACP), then "Black", then "Afro-Americans", then "African-Americans".

Can I just call you a human being and an American and get it over with? Please???

Only ever use the "N-word" for 2 reasons. One was when I had to quote (sadly) what someone said word for word during a school incident to an teacher. The other was whenever I refered to a 'run' (smaller than a creek) on the farm next to ours. It was called (insert N-word here) Run because there were many small caves along it that local historians said were hiding spots for runaway slaves, for there was an Underground Railroad stop near my hometown.

Other than that, my lips are clean...

 

[Big_Blue]

This is an interesting topic. My neighbor is 83 years old and he calls black people "negros." One day I told him that in my generation, you'd be in hot water for saying that to another black person. He couldn't understand why. I think people are too sensitive when it comes to race. I mean, you have to use some common sense. If I walk up to a black person and call him/her a "nigger," I'm going to be in BIG trouble. Because it's a slang word that brings up memories of a painful past. If I walk up to a Mexican and call him/her a "beaner," it's the same thing to a degree. Although it may not be a completely wrongful stereo-type, it's plain disrespectful. When it comes to terms such as oriental, Mexican, black, etc... I have trouble myself trying to understand why those terms are "bad." I'm "white" because of my skin. An African American will have "blacker" skin, so why aren't they "black? Maybe what I'm saying doesn't make sense, but then again the English language doesn't make sense all the time either. What I'm trying to say is this, we shouldn't call people bad names based on their ethnicity etc. because common sense dictates so I think. But sometimes I do think people can be too sensitive.

 

[Journia]

I really don't are about racial slurs. As some of you know, I dare to go the extra mile to use words like Nigger, Kike, Cracker, and other terms like that, because really when it comes right down to it, I really could care less what people thought of my mastery of the English Language, and its absorbed terms. I could be called colored, Negro, African Bootyscratcher, sand jew, chink, or even Nigger, I could care less, because until they try to hurt me, in which case they'll be hurt themselves instead, I am not harmed by their own stupidity. Hee Hee!!!!

 

[juggernaut]

The hate of the term is used as leverage in this country. It's cool if they call each other "n*gg*r", but if someone else does it, hell breaks loose. People lose careers. It makes headlines for weeks until some Hollywood bimbo shows her cooter getting out of a car, then we're distracted by that. There hasn't been a person alive for over 150 years that's had any personal or direct experience with slavery, but the pussification of America and our race to be the first society in history to rewrite the lawbooks for every individual FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION shapes the way we live.

If I strayed into Mexico and they call me a "gringo", I can promise nobody gives a single fuck whether I'm offended by that or not. And they're not going to fire their shock-jocks over it, pass new laws, or devote any time on tv to the fact that my grandfather's great grandfather was once called a "gringo".

Hate crimes? Different story. Language [even though I never use it myself]... just shut up. Kids are being expelled from schools for saying things that are being twisted into "racial intimidation". All it teaches it more segregation.

 

[Wade1]

I think it's simplistic to pretend that racist language is harmless. If language can't do harm, then it can't do good, and we all know it can do good. Language has power and words mean things; the same reasoning that underlies all right-thinking objections to censorship also means that racist words aren't "just words."

Which is not to say that "nigger" and other slurs are verbal plutonium that absolutely positively cannot be said out loud. Context matters--it's different in a discussion about racism, for instance, than in an angry tirade. It's different when spoken by a black person than it is by a white person. It's different when uttered lazily versus thoughtfully. It's different in a rap song (or a poem or a novel or an essay or a stand-up comedy routine) than it is in graffiti. It's different when uttered by a person in authority (like a professor or a politician) than when it's spoken by someone who's not. It's never always permissible nor always unacceptable; as with all language, the burden is on grown-up people to deal with context--and each other--and react accordingly and reasonably.

 

[Journia]

If we take away the power that the word has, by ignoring its vile nature then you can certainly speak whatever offensive languages and not come under harm. However, what stands in the way is the necessity of some people who feel the need to either start conflicts, or, wear their hearts on their sleeves, where they can be ripped off by passersby as they take off into the wind.

Stephen Doubt

 

[melanie2]

african bootyscratcher???? uh that's a new one on me...if you will notice my status, it says scottish-english american..to me that is as absurd as calling all blacks african american..as someone else here stated, many blacks aren't or weren't from africa..

i prefer using black..i say black people..white people..to me the word Negro in and of itself sounds rather well weird..i do find it strange that we do still define certain people by the color of their skin...such as a group of people on tv..maybe only one is black..instead of saying that person with the plaid shirt or some such thing..we say the black guy..i do it also..

my grandmother called any half italian half black guineas..she was terribly bigoted..in the book Imperial Woman by Pearl Buck..the japanese are described as those little yellow dwarfs..depicting the Manchu's bigoted view of the enemy..yes yellow is definitely an insult to the Japanese..hmm i do wonder then why black isn't an insult..i wouldn't be insulted if i were black and i was called a black..same as i'm not insulted if called a white..i wonder why yellow is so negatively looked at..

i would love to have light purple skin and beautiful light green hair..

and Tyrant Rave you make an excellent point..

 

[Umojar]

I think yellow is a slur because there are so many different groups of asians and that just lumps them altogether.

I can't believe this is a serious question. Really, who the hell says colored anymore? Someone's been watching a bit too much "All in the Family". People can bullshit and say words don't matter but they do. How many people's careers have been ended over saying the wrong thing? Politicians are a good example. Black people are called black. Get with the times.

Also, yes, I think saying colored is very offensive.

 

[juggernaut]

When I was born, I was BLACK,
When I grew up, I was BLACK,
When I went in the sun, I stayed BLACK,
When I got cold, I was BLACK,
When I was scared, I was BLACK,
When I was sick, I was BLACK,
And when I die, I'll still be BLACK.

NOW, You 'white' folks...

When you're born, you're PINK,
When you grow-up, you're WHITE,
When you go in the sun, you get RED,
When you're cold, you turn BLUE,
When you're scared, you're YELLOW,
When you get sick, you're GREEN,
When you bruise, you turn PURPLE,
And when you die, you look GRAY.

So who's the C O L O R E D folks?"

 

[Senshi1]

I think yellow is a slur because there are so many different groups of asians and that just lumps them altogether.

I can't believe this is a serious question. Really, who the hell says colored anymore? Someone's been watching a bit too much "All in the Family". People can bullshit and say words don't matter but they do. How many people's careers have been ended over saying the wrong thing? Politicians are a good example. Black people are called black. Get with the times.

Also, yes, I think saying colored is very offensive.

Maybe it's a regional thing rather than a universal thing, but seriously, as recently as ten years ago, "coloured" was the acceptable term here, and "black" was a bit racist. Getting with the times and watching too much TV has nothing to do with it - it's a serious question because a lot of people feel strongly about it and some are apathetic towards it, and the point of the thread was to get some insight from a variety of people from all corners of the world (which, so far, has turned out to be interesting).

(EDIT: As an aside, I don't think we get "All In The Family" in the UK, or if we do, I've never heard of it)

 

[Loves2Tickle]

Actually we are all colored... White, Black , Brown and Yellow... Unless your a jelly fish and I believe there translucent... But this is only my opion... Lovs

 

[i-tickle-your-f]

I am 110% NOT racist and I show it, I have friends from all diffrent races and cultures, I use words like African-American, and Native-American, and Asian-American, instead of black, or (I dont want to say the native American word because I dont want to offend anybody who is Native-American)

 

[Journia]

(I dont want to say the native American word because I dont want to offend anybody who is Native-American)

Then say First Nation.

 

[footkl]

When I was born, I was BLACK,
When I grew up, I was BLACK,
When I went in the sun, I stayed BLACK,
When I got cold, I was BLACK,
When I was scared, I was BLACK,
When I was sick, I was BLACK,
And when I die, I'll still be BLACK.

NOW, You 'white' folks...

When you're born, you're PINK,
When you grow-up, you're WHITE,
When you go in the sun, you get RED,
When you're cold, you turn BLUE,
When you're scared, you're YELLOW,
When you get sick, you're GREEN,
When you bruise, you turn PURPLE,
And when you die, you look GRAY.

So who's the C O L O R E D folks?"

lmfao!

I hate the term African American. Because most blacks aren't even born in Africa! I'm called white so why can't they be called black?

The only reason I use African American is on school papers with length requirements, because obviously the term African American takes up 3 to 4 times the space of the word black, haha!

lmao, yeah. I'm like the exact opposite: Jamacain-Canadian.