I agree with what George Carlin said about the seven dirty words. It's the thought (context suits better for this, but yeah...) that's bad, not the word. Thing about it is that I can understand the historical context which explains why it's considered to be offensive, but I get a bit confused when a black person calls another black person a nigger and it's okay. It still has the same demeaning origin, but it's okay when it's only used by the people that the word was originally meant to be used against?
Makes absolutely no sense.
I'm probably not the most valuable input on this subject though. I'm still trying to understand how it's more acceptable to say the word as if you say it like you're from Boston (Nigga) than it is to say it as nigger.
It is never "what" you say... but "HOW" you say it...
okay, since I hate absolutes, never say never... but communication has very little to do with the content;
for example, girls call each other "bitch" and "slut"-- but if a guy does it, that's a no-no;
"nigger" is just the epitome of words that are insulting but okay in other contexts;
^you could replace the N-word with any insulting word for another race of people and the same could apply;
it really is backed by the INTENT of the message; if your INTENT is to call a guy your "brother," it doesn't quite matter if you call him/her a "nigger" a "bastard" a "Brother" or a "douchebag"-- as long as the receiving party understands the intent;
it just so happens that that particular word was transformed by the same people it was used to degrade
Now-- when others use it in ignorance, or to mock black people, the intent is to humiliate or insult, and it's the INTENT that is perceived, not that particular semantic word itself;
It seems almost common sense but I am responding since I believe you are serious when you say:
"Makes absolutely no sense."
Often white kids who ignorantly use this word "nigga" with no foul intent are reprimanded by any black kids in the same vicinity; therein lies the problem because it is the blacks who have made the word popular, yet it is still quite an insulting word when other races use it ignorantly.
I do think it is the responsibility of all non-blacks to be aware of this racially charged word and to just avoid it in all contexts even if you think it's cool to say.
Ever heard the cliche "better safe than sorry" well here's the epitome of the instance where this cliche applies.
If you're not black just don't use the term and if you don't understand then I can't help you and you should probably just avoid all real-life interaction with humans because your empathy is so lacking that nobody can help you at this point.
