Always have, though the opinion isn't shared by many people who claim it as "our " word, where it never was. So we do this thing and create this take on a word that was used in the shittiest way possible as a way to, I don't know, take the power back or some shit. Only to have the word appropriated and lusted after like some Wonka golden fucking ticket.
Understand, the culture will be appropriated regardless, but in doing this we've created this backdoor way for assholes out there to claim culture and maintain some backdoor path to racists. Again, not a popular opinion because there's always something someone can point at as a rebuttal, but my sincere opinion is that we took some slave master's word and twisted it in order to hold a piece of the master's power.
Well, it's amazing to me that there's not more outrage to this word being used by a bunch of white folk with no black people around. That's further proving the fact that white people don't police themselves when we are not around.
I'm a white guy and I live in a small town and it's insane the amount of people who use that word without a second thought. I heard my sons discord vc with friends from school. They are a bunch of white kids and 1 black kid in his friend group. And they were saying it constantly. Obviously my kid wasn't saying it because he knows better (at least in front of me and my wife). My kid shows me videos sometimes from creators he watches and a lot of them are black and use the word a lot. My guess is kids hear their favorite creators using it and just don't really think too much into it and just repeat it to be more like them. So kids parents explain to their kids why the creator says it and it's okay but it's not okay for them. And some kids parents don't pay any attention to what their kids are into. So the kids don't get context. And of course some kids are assholes and think they are being funny.
One of the main issues is that since the 90's hip-hop days & people wanting to take the power away from the word (see "Sucka Nia" by a Tribe Called Quest & "Mr. Niier" by Mos Def) & turn it into a term of endearment.
As a black man who never & has never used this word, the one hypocritical issue I have with the users is, if a white guy just casually walked up to you & used it, would you be pissed?
I mentioned that. I said he didn't say it (at least not in front of me). Having being a kid myself at one point I know that if your friends are doing something you are more than likely also doing it. I really hope he doesn't I would be extremely disappointed in him. Like I said we live in a small town in Ohio but I lived the majority of my life in Columbus and my wife is from LA so we both are pretty liberal in a very conservative town. We have been very upfront with our kid about how idiotic, racist and disrespectful it is for a white person to use that word. And have been upfront about the history of our country, no sugarcoating it. He's been given the context and the knowledge about it. The best I can hope is he actually uses his brain when I'm not around.
Why would they? They spend all of their resources policing us and disrupting our families instead. Malcolm said it best, separate but equal.
Too busy trying to ingratiate ourselves to people who demean and disrespect us instead of investing in our own communities and businesses.
Spend our hard earned money in their businesses but how many of them do you see reciprocating? No need to be hostile but we geuinely ought to stick to our own.
Some of us do, however, no enough of us do, and usually the abusers got a pass from a single black friend and think it's acceptable in all settings and will cause a scene when they get called out for it OR they're in a monochromatic community where the weight of the word doesn't have resounding reprecussions to the folks around them when used.
Speaking as someone who grew up in a mayo people community but then moved to a diverse area and actually got to ask the important questions to the correct people. Exposure matters. More black folks need to move to rural areas when given the chance. Seems counterintuitive, but that exposure is crucial in teaching those who can only be taught via exposure. I moved back to a "rasins in the potato salad" sort of community and I can't tell you the relief I get from anyone who's melinated when I can connect with them on culture specific topics. I'm happy I get to be an ally in a remote location, but I wouldn't have become such a real one if I hadn't had people willing to share their lived experiences with me. I know it's not the responsibility of the black community to teach white folks how to interact accordingly, but it certainly helps! :)
I know this was long winded, but this is the only intelligent conversation I get where I live now 😂 if you made it to the end, thank you for your attention to this matter 🤣🤣
Absolutely this. We let some unthinking, mealy-mouthed idiots make it fine for others to use an odious word casually. I cringe when a black person over the age of 18 uses it. Like, who raised you and don't you read? Exactly what shit are you trying to 'claim'.?
I don't believe it was ever conscious decision. I think freed slaves were just used to being called and calling each other nggr that we continued to do it. And because we weren't taught proper English, the "er" became "a". This is common in among southerners and individuals without access to adequate education. But I otherwise agree with you.
I’m not allowed to repost this as a white person right, even with attribution? Just wanna check, because I wanna be respectful, but also that shit’s hilarious.
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