Excellent ESPN piece by Coleman Collins: Exporting the N-word

[jilla82]

very good read.

I liked this comment under the article:

You have the formula correct: "Racism = prejudice + power". However you are forgetting that the mathematical relationship breaks down when either "prejudice" or "power" is missing. The Croat teenagers clearly have no "power" (and probably had no "prejudice" either) so their use of the word is essentially meaningless. Even in America the formula is breaking down; few white racists have any significant "power" over a black person, only the "prejudice" is present and this by itself cannot be racism by definition. Who cares if another person doesn't like you?? I only care if I am called "ni99er" when the formula is intact (which is a rare occurrence in 2013)----if anyone else uses that word to refer to me it is either just crude slang or a worthless insult (like "cracker" or "spic" or "guinea" etc.). No big deal either way...

Black folks still give the average white person too much power (in their minds). White people in general have no say in the world, but from reading this board it seems black folks are really concerned w/ what the average white person is thinking...when the average white person is struggling just how you may be.
Basically, just worry about you and yours...and stop caring about everyone elses opinions (which is what the author concluded with).

 

[Digga38]

very good read.

I liked this comment under the article:



Black folks still give the average white person too much power (in their minds). White people in general have no say in the world, but from reading this board it seems black folks are really concerned w/ what the average white person is thinking...when the average white person is struggling just how you may be.
Basically, just worry about you and yours...and stop caring about everyone elses opinions (which is what the author concluded with).

great post

 

[Rekkapryde]

very good read.

I liked this comment under the article:



Black folks still give the average white person too much power (in their minds). White people in general have no say in the world, but from reading this board it seems black folks are really concerned w/ what the average white person is thinking...when the average white person is struggling just how you may be.
Basically, just worry about you and yours...and stop caring about everyone elses opinions (which is what the author concluded with).

 

[OG_StankBrefs]

the shyt is real simple....if you aint black, don't use it or you might have to suffer the consequences. PERIOD.

even if you are white and have black friends that don't mind, you are setting them up for embarrassment if they ever use it outside of the group that allows them to.

it's really not that hard.

I don't get why people just cant understand dis.

 

[Coherent]

Thing is, sometimes the black youths don't understand their culture. They don' understand the how much hurt that word cause their ancestors because they never endured it on that level. Then they run around using that word is every sentence, calling everybody that word; and you end up with white crack whores like this spewing it.



Personally, I'd prefer if nobody used it. A word can't be good, or bad when used in the same context, it's one or the other. Sayin you can say that word, but your white friend who you use that word all day around can't? What kind of racist shyt is that?

Plus I kinda hate when rappers use it all the time. That's like a whole nother word we can't use, and it's possibly the best filler word ever. :jealous:

 

[Ohms Law]

Excellent read. That shot at ASAP though

 

[Walt]

"it's best represented by the NAACP, which literally attempted to bury the word "nikka" in a well-intentioned but ultimately irrelevant funeral in 2007."

Right off the bat I'm bugged by this because it's a classic "I did a little research without any real knowledge or context" move. The NAACP - and keep in mind that the NAACP and the NAACP LDEF are separate entities - has been irrelevant and plain sad for at least two decades. They've been directionless, had charlatans for leaders, dealt with sex scandals and embezzlement among the leadership ranks... nothing they have done for the longest has mattered. They value sensationalism over legit advocacy and intellectualism. The NAACP been dead an buried long before they grasped at publicity by burying "nikka."

"It's a simple equation in the U.S. Racism = prejudice + power."

I'm sure plenty of nikkas who have heard this line of thinking from black and white leftists alike over the years will disagree with me, but I have always found this talking point to be as disingenuous and plain stupid as shyt like "compassionate conservatism." It's a liberal buzz-notion that has the legs of an amputee on which to stand. Tell a white person who has been beaten by a group of blacks shouting anti-white epithets that the incident wasn't technically racist because the blacks don't have societal power to back their prejudice and I will call you a fukking a$$hole who should shut the fukk up.

"Still, I don't know what to say to the older generation. It must be a particular sort of hell to strain against oppression, toe the line cautiously for decades, only to see young black men make millions from rhyming "******ish" with "nikka-rich." It's unfortunate but feels too late to interdict. The horse has bolted and galloped around the world, and they would have us lock the barn door from the inside."

This glosses over A LOT. Black men and women twice my age say nikka. Who is this mythical older generation?

Overall I give this piece a "he's alright, but he's not real" rating.

 

[#1 pick]

"it's best represented by the NAACP, which literally attempted to bury the word "nikka" in a well-intentioned but ultimately irrelevant funeral in 2007."

Right off the bat I'm bugged by this because it's a classic "I did a little research without any real knowledge or context" move. The NAACP - and keep in mind that the NAACP and the NAACP LDEF are separate entities - has been irrelevant and plain sad for at least two decades. They've been directionless, had charlatans for leaders, dealt with sex scandals and embezzlement among the leadership ranks... nothing they have done for the longest has mattered. They value sensationalism over legit advocacy and intellectualism. The NAACP been dead an buried long before they grasped at publicity by burying "nikka."

"It's a simple equation in the U.S. Racism = prejudice + power."

I'm sure plenty of nikkas who have heard this line of thinking from black and white leftists alike over the years will disagree with me, but I have always found this talking point to be as disingenuous and plain stupid as shyt like "compassionate conservatism." It's a liberal buzz-notion that has the legs of an amputee on which to stand. Tell a white person who has been beaten by a group of blacks shouting anti-white epithets that the incident wasn't technically racist because the blacks don't have societal power to back their prejudice and I will call you a fukking @sshole who should shut the fukk up.

"Still, I don't know what to say to the older generation. It must be a particular sort of hell to strain against oppression, toe the line cautiously for decades, only to see young black men make millions from rhyming "******ish" with "nikka-rich." It's unfortunate but feels too late to interdict. The horse has bolted and galloped around the world, and they would have us lock the barn door from the inside."

This glosses over A LOT. Black men and women twice my age say nikka. Who is this mythical older generation?

Overall I give this piece a "he's alright, but he's not real" rating.

Let's be honest, this word has been a buzz word within the working class since the 70's. You seen signs of it on shows like the Jefferson's and what not. So let's not assume the word was widespread in usage when N.W.A came out in relation to the older generation. With that said, I agree 100% what you wrote. As humans, we tend to go off a past experiences in relation to race and modern interaction. To sit here and say, the internet hasn't changed my myopic view on Whites would be . They have show more times then not from yahoo, nbc, and many different sites comment sections that they are extremely prejudice, has an unhealthy obsession with Blacks and what everything that Black have without giving anything to Blacks as they feel entitlement is their God given right.

I stated the same as well with U.S. Racism especially in today's society being prejudice + power which is why the trailer park white guy is harmless to Blacks but the guy in the business suit or the business-minded white guy who claims he's cultured but hasn't hired a black male who isn't a custodian in 10 years claims racial stereotypes are the reason why is also very hurtful to Blacks. Then there is the lack of Black Banks, mortgage companies, insurance companies, professional business establishments which is very harmful to the community. Take away the discipline and quality Black schools and you take the rod that gives Black teachers the power to change a generation. All of this is done systematic and not by accident. You don't think Whites know Blacks are the ones who excel with adult discipline especially those who lacked it in the home. Even if they did wrong, they truly knew the difference between right and wrong and felt guilty with it as well. That's what we have lacked in the last two generations that the previous generations had.

 

[mastermind]

good read, and he tried but it really isnt groundbreaking if you have at taken intellectual discussions on the word nikka and the plight it has with black people.


I do like the Slavic European point, but thats a really small population. A Slavic European is not the same as a German European who did enslave people, so he is talking to a very small segment of the Earth with that line.

 

[Houston911]

lol, both my grandmothers still say n*gga

if you feel the need to explain to somebody why you can say the word and they can't, you're a sucker

 

[mbewane]

Good read. I guess it's what you get for the incredible popularity of black american culture (mainly hip-hop) among young people worldwide.