Language/Subject Manner

Today, the word "nigger" can be debated as being an insult or just a sub-standard title. Odd, it's politically incorrect to refer to someone as being "black", but in rap people only focus on words like "bitches" or "hoes" instead of people calling eachother niggers.
Now, in school I heard a white guy say "nigger" and the people around him just completely went off. The thing is, none of the people who were angry at him were angry at him because of the reason you would be. The reason a(n) black/African American would find the word to be so offensive isn't because a slave master was whipping black people and calling them that, the primary refrence to the insult behind the word "nigger" is the civil rights movement. History classes teach us more about the emancipation proclomation than they do about Martin Luther King Jr. and his lessons. They were just mad at him because it's what white people called slaves.
But think of this, if they don't really know WHY the word is an insult when they say it, if they don't fully understand how that words was a factor of segregation, is it still an insult when they say it?

Now, I titled this thread "Language" because I think that people don't focus on it enough. I know of some Jewish people who find the word "Jew" to be offensive. Now, aside from the certain words that imprint a negative title to a certain group of people, what about the words that are considered politically correct/incorrect?

And by no means should the thread stop at words, it's also about subject manner. Is it appropriate to bring up certain subjects at times? Who's to say a certain time is an innappropriate time? There're obvious reasons why you wouldn't, for example, bring up the concept of birth to a woman who just had a miscarraige, but what about other situations? Can you bring up a conversation about Nazis if you're white in a group of varying races and religions?

Take the ideas of this thread to the furthest ends of your mind and bring up whatever you can think of that relates to the subject.

Using a "forbidden" word is still an insult, regardless of whether you meant it or not. (If you did mean it, and look liked you meant it, it's far worse.)

Can you bring up any topic any time? It's possible, but each culture has its own norms and each person has their own character. You should be able to bring up any topic at any time, but an intelligent person would keep the audience in mind if they want to make a point with a sensitive topic.

Well put, Attola. Different cultures do have different standards.

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How can you criticize someone for being racist at everyone (including themselves)?

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How can you not?

Not all stereotypes are true. Are 900 milliom Muslims terrorist (in the strictly defined way by mass media)?

An insult is an insult nonetheless. Words like nigger are even bigger insults because they are aimed at more than one person (all niggers are criminals) and have negative connotations (he's so jewish) that you may want your religion/culture to not be associated with.

Calling a blakck kid a nigger is being honest about your perceptions (or misperceptions.) But that also shows that you're a jerk, inconsiderate of the meanings of those words in the social plain.

But tell me, does the frequency with which people use the word Nigger still give it the meaning of combining two different things, which, in the sixties, was a normal black person and something less than human, like a rat.

Chink isn't something used as frequently as nigger, but it's up there, probably second of all racial slurs. But I see what your saying. But lets say, Attolia, that you had Decius' belief in the use of these words. Now, lets also assume that everyone you know knows of your belief, would that give you the right to refer to any black guy as a nigger, asian as a chink, jewish person as a kyke?

Meanings and connotations of words change all the time (though VERY slowly.) Knight used to mean servant/slave. Virginity used to be a good thing.

And to answer your question, I have the right to say anything and do anything, but I also have the responsibility of accepting the consequences of my words and actions. Also, others also have to right of reacting against what I say and do.

The responsibility to understand....try to teach that to others. Until that happens, most, if not all, people are going to be offended. So in this case, do you act according to your ideals or change depending on reality?

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Yes, but others hold more as much responsibility towards trying to understand my use of language as it does for me to worry about how they will be offended.

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That is the wrong attitude. If you want to empathize you must consider yourself as the one who needs to change. You cannot wait for everyone to become like you.

you can say more or less whatever you want, as long as you are considerate of your audience. a great example of this is the cartoons of muhamed. while not said, they are something that would have been best kept a private joke, sent round the internet to those who wouldnt mind it. whatever fuckwit printed it in a national newspaper should be handed to the raving muslim crowd to get whats coming to him.

stereotypes are largely wrong, they are based in truth, but end up overexaggerated to the point that any actual truth is purely coincidental. if you have no intention of insulting and are just using it in general conversation, don't, unless the person doesnt mind, eg decius' friends. i must admit however im at a loss to see how anyone could find the word jew offensive. it is a description like muslim or christian, though there are i suppose some connatations of sleazy money-lenders mixed, though not to any great extent.

But if you wish to cut down on the number of offences then you would be wise to watch what you say and to whom you are saying it. To just suggest that everyone should adapt is really not effective. If we all expect everyone to adapt but are unwilling to change ourselves then nothing will ever happen. Someone must make the first move.

Decius, i think its wrong for a white person to use the word 'nigger' since it implies so much hatred and is a racist term. Its wrong to be racist therefore its wrong to use racist words. i dont see why sometimes on this site people go on and on about a subject when its a simple right or wrong answer. it is wrong to use deragatory steretypes and especially wrong to use the N word unless your an ignorant bigot of course.

Yes some americans and rappers use the word as a term of endearment for some reason or another. maybe because they feel closer and can relate because their ancestors endured 400 hundread years of slavery. so it depends on the context it is being used in and frankly a white person cant say nigger in most circumstances because it would just sound racist or ridiculous. i would be offended if you called me nigger because you dont know me.

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To just suggest that everyone should adapt is really not effective.

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But don't we have an ideal that we want everyone to adapt to?

We want people to adapt and become more understanding. But we do not achieve this goal by telling people it should be done and then not acting on it. "Do as I say and not as I do" is an incredibly flawed leadership technique.