I also wonder why so many Americans still casually use the N-Word. It feels kinda surreal to use this considering all the weight and suffering that was connected to that word.
Imagine Jews or people with different ethnicity in Germany would be casually using the Hakenkreuz and slurs that Nazis used, as a slang in every day conversation in Germany. That would be unthinkable.
Takapapatapaka@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I think it is mostly used by AfroAmerican people, and i believe it is relatively common thing to see groups of people calling themselves with a pejorative word used by other groups (i think punk and queer evolved this way too, though the n-word is a much stronger instance, i see the same pattern)
Social_Conversation@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I just don’t think it’s morally good to use a word that has been used as a racial slur and to radically devalue and enslave people and make it socially accepted for people with a specific ethnicity to say. Imo this is the essence of racism and exactly what went wrong in the past with exactly that word. It doesn’t matter if a word is only used by people considered “white” or “black”, it’s the same thing and just not right.
For example in Germany they have a slang called “Digga” (used instead of “bro” or “dude”) which kinda sounds like the N-Word but it has no racist or negative connotation at all and is used by everyone no matter their ethnicity. If Americans would use a similar slang let’s make one up and call it “Brazz” and not make it exclusive to a skin type I wouldn’t see any problem.
WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
That’s why it is primarily used by black people in America—the word was used against them and now they are setting the terms for its future use. Just because it makes some people uncomfortable, that doesn’t mean it is ok for a white person to try to control how it is used, just like it wasn’t ok for a white person to make it a slur against blacks. The word is under new management now.
And it sure does add a ring to rap songs.
Social_Conversation@lemmy.world 2 days ago
That’s exactly the point if you continue to separate people as “black” and “white” people and make only certain groups use a racial slur word something isn’t right. This is the exact reason why there is racism. No one should be racist independent of their ethnicity. If “black people” would’ve enslaved “white people” it would’ve been the exact same thing!
NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Have you ever asked one of them about the meaning or purpose of that habit?
Takapapatapaka@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Nope, i live in France, and here the use of the term is more rare, I do not know anyone using it.