Why is the N-Word Racist?

[Uranus]

Now I am not black, believe it or not I Mexican Indian, mixed with El Salvadorian. But to be honest I don't look like either of those. Now why is the n-word racist?! What really makes it racist, used by some people, rather than some? Now I have black friends and they are from the hood, projects and all that shit, but they ain't got a problem with me saying....nigga. Yea I said NIGGA! why is it that so many blacks and Mexicans use the word nigga, and no one really has to much of a problem, besides soccer moms who drive shit Honda oddeseys. And my gf allows me to say, nigga, and she IS black and she thinks I was supposed to be born black. Why is it that blacks don't mind if I say nigga? I don't use it to be racist I jus use it like they do? Also what is the real difference between nigga, and nigger? It seems like there's a huge difference between the two words.

Basically what I'm asking is why do blacks, mot care if I say nigga?
What really makes it racist now? I'm this time?
And what is the real difference between nigga, and nigger?
Ima say it once more I am NOT racist!

Also, I do listen to rap hip-hop and rnb and I have so many ppl mistake me for black rather than Mexican especially in the way I talk. And I am more a black body build rather than Mexican if that helps.

Do not double post. Use the 'edit' button to add extra info to yours posts. ~Typhlosion

[Lost in the Echo]

What makes it racist is when it's used as an insult, like "you stupid nigger" or something similar to that. "Nigga" is typically used in the same context as "dude" and "bro" etc.
Some people just don't like the word at all because of the way it was used 150-200+ years ago during slavery times.

Everyone is different, though, so it's best to only use that word around people you know are cool with it.

[Remora]

I'm going to say whatever i want whenever i want it and i have the privilege to because i like to imagine i'm a cat.

But in all seriousness, i don't give a flying fuck about the "racism" question.
We get forced to accept people that we dislike and some of them abuse that, making us dislike them even more, making whoever is in charge enforce the anti-racism even more, making them abuse it even more etc.

I'm not saying everyone that profits from inverted discrimination abuses it. I'm just saying that the ones that do are ruining it for everyone and giving people that share their shade of skin a bad reputation.

Oh, look, this sentence contains the word "nigga". Do you see me care? You don't, because you can't see me sit behind my PC. But i genuinely don't care. I just said some word for the heck of it and i'm not letting anyone stop me.

[Blood]

I can understand how saying nigger would be offensive, because it's usually associated with slave times and stuff. You won't catch me saying it around any of my black relatives, ever, out of respect.

However, I and almost everyone I know says "nigga" on a semi regular basis, and if anyone has a problem with that I really don't care. It's become a common slang and I can say what I want when I want and how I want.

People get so worked up over simple words. I'll never understand it. Words are words; they're just that. They only mean something to you if you let them.

[Rayquaza]

Now I am not black

Well then there's your answer. You are unable to see the connotation behind the word, and you will never understand how it would feel to hear that word as a black person. It's not just an issue of racism, it is also an issue of reclaiming the word. It refers to slavery and you shouldn't be using it.

You have no social right to say that word because it's attacking a minority group. Black people choose to use the word because they're reclaiming it, they're using it as more of a family term, and it's not for any other ethnicity to use because they were never under attack with the aforementioned word.

I find your view incredibly ignorant and outdated and I think you ought to culture yourself better.

And regarding your girlfriend, it really doesn't matter what she thinks. If she's okay with it then by all means use it around her but if you knew any better you wouldn't use it loosely anywhere else. The fact is, you're not born black.

[TheN3rdyOutcast]

The word was origianlly used in the 1700-1800's to describe slaves and in the earlier 1900's to describe blacks, and while I REALLY don't want to get into this argument again, I think it's unacceptable to use when it can be helped, like c*nt. However, I can't control what other people do so...

[Mastretta]

Don't ask, don't say it, don't think about, thank you.
Source- I'm black and if you feel that freedom of speech is a reason you can say it, hope you don't know me ^_^

[Typhlosion]

Why is it that blacks don't mind if I say nigga? I don't use it to be racist I jus use it like they do? Also what is the real difference between nigga, and nigger? It seems like there's a huge difference between the two words.

Basically what I'm asking is why do blacks, mot care if I say nigga?
What really makes it racist now? I'm this time?
And what is the real difference between nigga, and nigger?


Southside explained this perfectly in the thread Black people who use the N-word but get annoyed when white people do. (http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=212405)

I think I'm more than qualified to explain, we only get offended when the racist variation of the word is used. I have a few white friends and they use the non-racist variation of the word and no one cares. As Blacks we say the "N" Word just as everyone else says "dude", "bro", "man".

Example: "Nigga, lets go to the store after school", "My nigga, what you been up to?"

Its two different variations of the "N" Word, of course Nigg** and Nigga, we use "Nigga". I don't see anything wrong if a white person uses it the way we use it, it's when it's used as a racial slur its wrong.
As I said in a previous post, I've never heard Black person call another Black "nigger". It [nigga] is a non-racist variation of it if I hear my Hispanic and White friends using it around us Blacks and there isn't any problems.

I don't know about other Black people who use the non-racist variation but with me and my friends, If someone says "That's my nigga" or something like that lets me know your a true friend, its a word that symbolizes brotherhood where I live.

[Ben_Frost]

I think it stems from the fact it was used by white people in older times to refer peyoratively to black people. And it's associated heavily with the hate and opression from back then.

[Bleid]

The "N-Word" isn't racist. It's a word.

Human beings are racist. Not words.

[liptonlee]

Crash (2004) is a movie that popped into my mind

[Perfectly Flawed]

Words aren't racist. The people who use them in racist context are.

[Gamma Male]

Words aren't racist. The people who use them in racist context are.

^^^^ Exactly.

A group of friends referring to each other as "nigga", not racist usually.

A non black person referring to a black person whom he or she doesn't personally know as a "nigger", almost always racist.

It really just depends on the context.

[jacko]

Nigger is associated with times of slavery, so people find it offensive. Personally I don't mind the word