Teacher protests n-word use.

[Johnboy60]

He says blacks who use the term are only causing additional harm to the commuity.

DALLAS - Curtis Ferguson wants to rid the language of the n-word, which he says is a destructive force in the black community.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3587979.html

 

[hernyaccent]

I agree. The word should never be used. Doing so only presents the double standard of " we can do it but you cant."

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

"I wanted to show sacrifice. I wanted to show that people have given up so much to be where they are," said Ferguson, who vowed to go without food or a change of clothes until noon Monday.

You would think that they have also given up so much so that people are able to say whatever word they want at whatever time they wish.

 

[Ginny]

I am glad this is a black man fighting for this... if it were a white man, the story would have been intercepted much differently.

Same old issue... a white person can't urge black people what to do, but maybe a black person can.

 

[neverforsaken]

the word should be condemned by all and not reserved for blacks to use. of course, people do have the right to say whatever they want, but you would think that the black community would realize that they must move beyond that description. The word to me doesnt describe a persons color, but his place in society. thugs, gangstas and other scum in the black community are n****s, but not black people. i knew a black man who was an old military friend of my dads, he was no N****. I also worked with a man from kenya who was hard working and he also was no n****. The reaction a black man gets for saying that foul term should be the same as if it were said by a racist.

 

[sethad]

*watches freedom of speech go out the window*

I have no problem if a good friend of mine calls me something as a joke that otherwise would be offensive. Often when a group of people gets oppressed they make the oppression into a joke. nothing more. It's the same as a friend of mine used to call me "dummy" just as a joke. He didn't mean anything by it, he knows I'm not stupid, but we're both in the Deaf world, he's hard of hearing, I'm Deaf, so as a joke he said that. I took no offense to it. However if a hearing person starts calling me 'deaf and dumb' in order to try to insult me or put me down, that's different.

As for the previous poster...I am still trying to figure out if I should report you for saying that all members of the black community are N-ggers and scum. I guess that everyone should act normal and white with no accent no differences in speech in order not to be scum according to him?

 

[Ginny]

what is "acting white"?...and who establishes what "acting black" is, too?...and if someone acts like either one, why are they made fun of if they are of the opposite color?

If you a black individual acts "black" why is that a bad thing..... but if any individual of any color acts "white" then no problem...except by the general black community when black people act "white" or white people act "black".

I think I just really confused myself.

 

[Mr.Pious]

I guess that everyone should act normal and white with no accent no differences in speech in order not to be scum according to him?

Every one should use proper english and not present themselves as slobs or gangsters. It has nothing to do with the color of a persons skin, I am white and from the south, yet I am not in the KKK and I don't use the word ain't. I

 

[sethad]

what is "acting white"?...and who establishes what "acting black" is, too?...and if someone acts like either one, why are they made fun of if they are of the opposite color?

If you a black individual acts "black" why is that a bad thing..... but if any individual of any color acts "white" then no problem...except by the general black community when black people act "white" or white people act "black".

I think I just really confused myself.

yea

lol

"acting white" means acting like the minority in America. Dress like them, speak like them (don't you dare speak another language) and so on.

I guess. In that context anyway.

 

[sethad]

Every one should use proper english and not present themselves as slobs or gangsters. It has nothing to do with the color of a persons skin, I am white and from the south, yet I am not in the KKK and I don't use the word ain't. I

Except, not everyone has English as their first language.

And when it comes to any minority their idea of "normal" and the majority idea of "normal" may not be the same but whose to say who is better?

When Columbus came over he viewed the Indians, as he called them, as savages and their customs and clothing was wierd to him. To the Indians, Columbus was the wierd one.

In the Deaf world, the norm is to be deaf, use ASL, etc. In the hearing world the norm is to be hearing and for them to find out that their kid is deaf is like their whole world just gets ripped apart. The hearing people think that hearing is normal, so for years and years and years they have tried and still try to make deaf/Deaf people as hearing as possible.

Get my drift?

 

[BOJAX]

I guess if Richard Pryor repented of using that word himself, then it must be really wrong.

 

[BOJAX]

Every one should use proper english and not present themselves as slobs or gangsters. It has nothing to do with the color of a persons skin, I am white and from the south, yet I am not in the KKK and I don't use the word ain't. I

\

Define 'proper' englsih and the standard of measure to determine whether or not english spoken today is 'proper'.

Do you think the english spoken in Shakespeare's day was more or less proper than today's english?

If I am a newcomer to the English language, does my inability to speak english as 'proper' as yourself make me a 'slob' or 'gangster'?

 

[Ginny]

If I am a newcomer to the English language, does my inability to speak english as 'proper' as yourself make me a 'slob' or 'gangster'?

That's a good question...

I believe this conversation has turned to people that know better...not obvious foreigners with heavy accents.

..and I don't believe it is about inability...I believe how one speaks is about choice. People can change from how they were taught or raised.

Besides, will someone choose to say "wassup dawg" or "howdy, meester" in an interview or "how are you, sir"? It's all about choice. We have a choice in how we conduct ourselves...and that is in regards not only to English/ slang, but mannerisms, clothing, etc....

People have a choice in how they want people to view them. If one does not want to be viewed in any other way, rather than a "homie" or "redneck" then all that these names entail will be portrayed through all they do.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

Every one should use proper english and not present themselves as slobs or gangsters. It has nothing to do with the color of a persons skin, I am white and from the south, yet I am not in the KKK and I don't use the word ain't. I

It's funny that you are from the south. (I didn't mean that the way it sounds.)

The south has their own dialect. They say words very differently, and use analogies that make no sense to me.

But no one says anything about the sourther dialect. No one says that they should use "proper" english.

It's the same thing, but one seems to get more respect because it's "cute" and older.

 

[sethad]

It's funny that you are from the south. (I didn't mean that the way it sounds.)

The south has their own dialect. They say words very differently, and use analogies that make no sense to me.

But no one says anything about the sourther dialect. No one says that they should use "proper" english.

It's the same thing, but one seems to get more respect because it's "cute" and older.

Hmm...I'm not from the south. And that wasnt me that said that that was someone else who I was quoting. Mr. Pious said that, not me.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

Hmm...I'm not from the south. And that wasnt me that said that that was someone else who I was quoting. Mr. Pious said that, not me.

I hate when I do that....

 

[sethad]

I hate when I do that....

lol. its all good. was just making it clear.

 

[BOJAX]

That's a good question...

I believe this conversation has turned to people that know better...not obvious foreigners with heavy accents.

..and I don't believe it is about inability...I believe how one speaks is about choice. People can change from how they were taught or raised.

Besides, will someone choose to say "wassup dawg" or "howdy, meester" in an interview or "how are you, sir"? It's all about choice. We have a choice in how we conduct ourselves...and that is in regards not only to English/ slang, but mannerisms, clothing, etc....

People have a choice in how they want people to view them. If one does not want to be viewed in any other way, rather than a "homie" or "redneck" then all that these names entail will be portrayed through all they do.

Good point, and that thought initially crossed my mind. There is a time and a place for everything. But just because I choose to speak slang doesn't mean I am not capable of speaking properly at an interview or whatever.

 

[k]

Randall Kennedy wrote a book called "******: The Strange Career of a Troubled Word." He basically argued that African-Americans can now use it in a way as reclamation. Frankly, it is putting too much stock into a word, one way or the other. Richard Pryor was the first to put a positive spin on it, and for all the non-African-Americans whining about the so-called double standard, get over it!

Speech only reflects what is in the heart, but it cannot really change the heart.

 

[hernyaccent]

That's a good question...

I believe this conversation has turned to people that know better...not obvious foreigners with heavy accents.

..and I don't believe it is about inability...I believe how one speaks is about choice. People can change from how they were taught or raised.

Besides, will someone choose to say "wassup dawg" or "howdy, meester" in an interview or "how are you, sir"? It's all about choice. We have a choice in how we conduct ourselves...and that is in regards not only to English/ slang, but mannerisms, clothing, etc....

People have a choice in how they want people to view them. If one does not want to be viewed in any other way, rather than a "homie" or "redneck" then all that these names entail will be portrayed through all they do.

Or maybe they don't know any better. I lived in a home with two african americans from the south who could barely speak proper english. This passed on to their children ( including my father) and it wasn't until my was sent to a private school was the slang broken. Remember there is no "better" to be known by many.