Quote:
Originally Posted by skinsguy
While I wished that was true, that actually isn't. I was in a conversation with an African-American man one day and we got on the subject of race. He basically stated to me that while it is very offensive to the black race for white people to use racial slurs against black people, it is widely acceptable for black people to use racial slurs against white people. He justified it by saying that the words that black people used on white people were more or less "silly" names and should not be taken to offense like the names that a racist white person would use to describe black people. Now, have no idea if this truly is the belief amongst all black people in this country, but that is just what he stated. He also went on to state that white people should never use the term "boy" if talking about a black male, but it was OK for blacks to use the term "boy" in describing white males.
So, I would say, based on this info this gentleman had presented to me, it would seem like that rule doesn't apply to all. I'm hoping this was just his thoughts and nothing that is widely accepted amongst minorities, otherwise I would question the validity of fighting for equality. I, myself, would find any word that is used to disparage a race offensive. But, I think one should also consider the contextin which the word is being used. For instance, computer guys like myself find it a compliment to be called "computer geeks". We feel that is the highest form of flattery one could ever receive in the I.T. world. But, growing up through school, if you were called a geek, you were someone who was very unpopular, backwards, and would only find friends with other geeks. Maybe it's because most of us geeks grow up to be bosses of the "non-geeks"? Who knows?
I said all that to say, when we talk about racial slurs, are we just talking about the word itself? Shouldn't we also consider what context the word is being used? Just a thought.
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As a black man let me tell you that the statement that man told you is not true and not the feeling of our race. I cannot tell you that if I called you a "cracker" is a joke and should not be offensive to you, especially if it hurt your feelings. Many times society groups have taken a negative term like the N-word or geeks and used it amonst themselves in an indearing way. However that does not change the original context being indeed very negative.
We all now the history of the Redskins and the fact is that when the name was changed from the Braves, it was changed under the leadership of a racist biggot. The Redskins have a long and established history as a team, but it doesn't make the name any less right. Money or no money being involved.