Your opinion on.... Racism in the movies.

Is the 'N' word OK for black people to use?

  • Yes

    Votes: 9 17.3%

  • No

    Votes: 17 32.7%

  • Don't know

    Votes: 4 7.7%

  • Don't care

    Votes: 22 42.3%
  • Total voters
    52
JustOne

JustOne

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Is the 'N' word OK for black people to use?

Watched this supposedly funny action film (with Will Smith in it) with my 14yr old last night, slightly squiriming in my seat watching it and was lost for words when he asked why it's OK for them to call each other "Ni----".

I mean how can this be right???

Lots of swearing in the vid so don't click if you are easily offended (this is a MAIN STREAM MOVIE)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APhw7rju-Co
 
I think 12 years a slave, Django and Boyz n the hood would be very different without racial language.

If it helps in the portrayal of a role/part/culture then, as it's acting, it could be deemed acceptable.

Blatant and overuse is a different issue.
 
Mmmn, lot's of middle aged white golfing men trying to pontificate on the extremely complex history of black culture and specifically the use of the n word. This should be fun...

And as for the OP then you could possibly have tried to explain the historical and cultural implications of the word and why some black people think it is OK to use it. Instead of being lost for words. Plus it's a 15 film, and you say your son is 14.
 
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Hacker Khan said:
Mmmn, lot's of middle aged white golfing men trying to pontificate on the history of black culture. This should be fun...

And as for the OP then you could possibly have tried to explain the historical and cultural implications of the word and why black people think it is OK to use it. Instead of being lost for words.

Plus it's a 15 film so your son was obviously not old enough to watch it if you are squirming because of bad language. You can't go moaning about the inappropriate content of a film if you ignore the classification.
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I hate racism, wouldn't matter if he was 15 or 45.

Black people were slaves in history (I think we all know that) if perpetuating the 'lingo' is honouring those that gave their lives for equality (and that sits well with you) then that's your call.

[edit] FWIW I did explain that rape is illegal but you still see it portrayed in the movies, so is drinking and driving,... and pulling out a gun and shooting people. I also explained that it's just words and just because it's easy to use them doesn't mean you should.
 
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Hacker Khan said:
Mmmn, lot's of middle aged white golfing men trying to pontificate on the extremely complex history of black culture and specifically the use of the n word. This should be fun...

And as for the OP then you could possibly have tried to explain the historical and cultural implications of the word and why some black people think it is OK to use it. Instead of being lost for words. Plus it's a 15 film, and you say your son is 14.
Click to expand...

Ageist and racist? :D That right made me giggle did that.
 
JustOne said:
I hate racism, wouldn't matter if he was 15 or 45.

Black people were slaves in history (I think we all know that) if perpetuating the 'lingo' is honouring those that gave their lives for equality (and that sits well with you) then that's your call.
Click to expand...

I'm confused here. Are you saying black people using the n word is racism?
 
If the word becomes normalised then people can not complain about its racials overtones when it is used by those who do it in a nasty way. A similar argument is going on with Tottenham fans over the Y word. One group does not own a word. It is either acceptable or not.

I understand the use of the word in historical films, eg Django Unchained, Twelve Years a Slave etc as that was factually accurate for that time. For more modern films I think it is used for cheap shock value.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
If the word becomes normalised then people can not complain about its racials overtones when it is used by those who do it in a nasty way. A similar argument is going on with Tottenham fans over the Y word. One group does not own a word. It is either acceptable or not.

I understand the use of the word in historical films, eg Django Unchained, Twelve Years a Slave etc as that was factually accurate for that time. For more modern films I think it is used for cheap shock value.
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In general yes, but I don't think it is as easy as that for this word as there is such a specific cultural history attached to it. And the context it is used in is vitally important, is it being used as an insult from a white person to a black person or is it being used as a greeting between black people. It is so complicated that they even run university courses on it! http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-40-fall-2011/feature/straight-talk-about-n-word
 
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SocketRocket said:
If something offends you then you don't do it yourself!

I would never knit yogurt for example :whistle:
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You should try it, it is good fun. But make sure you go for a nice thick one like Mueller, don't go Supermarket own brand value range as they are mostly water, and therefore impossible to knit with. ;)

And with regards to the other point then as I said above, with this word the context is vitally important, possibly more than any other word in the English language. And it isn't so black and white. Although I am sure I could have chosen a better phrase than that in the circumstances.
 
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Of course it's OK. It's a great strategy for dealing with prejudiced abuse to reclaim the abusive term. Used to great effect in the gay community as well.
 
I think you tend to lose the moral high ground when you use the word yourself, bit like Tottenham fans using the Y word then getting indignant when others use it.

Racism is just wrong end of.
 
Well, my opinion for what it's worth.

If you don't mind referring to yourself as *** (or poofter, paki, dyke etc etc) or for select others to refer to you in such terms then I think you're in the wrong for being offended by the word. Double standards imo.

HOWEVER, that's based on the word/s being used in a non threatening and/or abusive manner.

Who are we to say that being called a 'speccy b' a 'baldy b' or a 'fat c' is less hurtful to someone and therefore not a hate crime, yet calling someone an 'f ***' is?

I've always felt education is the way forward, as opposed to dealing with racism, sexism etc etc by creating an imbalance in the law (which I believe hate crimes do) to punish those using such language.
Educating people works imo.


*probably not a popular opinion, but before anyone assumes I'm a closet bigoted racist let me assure you, nothing could be further from the truth.
 
my take on it is that the N word is either totally acceptable or totally unacceptable, ie no middle ground

Some of the gangsta rap that my daughter listens to is full of N word references
If a particular community use it in modern parlance , then how can they complain when others use it.

Suppose its like me saying "Hi you old, fat,bald git" when meeting Imurg (another old fat bald git.)

If they want the word to disappear from the vocabulary, they should stop using it themselves. imo
 
PhilTheFragger said:
my take on it is that the N word is either totally acceptable or totally unacceptable, ie no middle ground

Some of the gangsta rap that my daughter listens to is full of N word references
If a particular community use it in modern parlance , then how can they complain when others use it.

Suppose its like me saying "Hi you old, fat,bald git" when meeting Imurg (another old fat bald git.)

If they want the word to disappear from the vocabulary, they should stop using it themselves. imo
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Let me ask you this...

Suppose you met Imurg one day and, with a broad smile, he called you a "fat, bald git" and then the next day some random you have never met before came up to you on the street, right up close and screamed in your face that you were a "fat bald git". Are you trying to say that those two incidents are in any way comparable?
 
FairwayDodger said:
Let me ask you this...

Suppose you met Imurg one day and, with a broad smile, he called you a "fat, bald git" and then the next day some random you have never met before came up to you on the street, right up close and screamed in your face that you were a "fat bald git". Are you trying to say that those two incidents are in any way comparable?
Click to expand...


No of course not, one is a "greeting" between chums and the other is a verbal attack and im not suggesting that the latter is in any way acceptable .

The point im making is that if members of the black community want to stop people from using the N word, they should stop using it themselves, especially in music where it is heard by a large audience of impressionable young people
 
I have always thought it's the way and intent some words are said

IE - if I called my mate gay plonker for example because he wore something that was a bit feminine IE pink shirt then I would class that as non offensive as my mate would know it's a joke and a laugh etc - but to call someone you know who is homo sexual a "gay pr£&ok" or even a stranger and say it with venom then it's unacceptable

But to describe some people using certain words IMO is unacceptable - ie the N word , P word - C word

Whilst in the military a lot of stuff was said between people that was banter and at times was needed to relax the situation

But the safest way is know your audience

If someone found being called something offensive then don't call them that
 
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