[vesavius]

Originally posted by BabyDollBeauty
Going back to the whole racism thing over the emily issue and her saying the "N word" they made a big deal out of it but charley also said the "N word" , when she did that it was basically confirming that it was okay to say that. How is it racially offencive if emily (another race) said that and okay charley saying it??

Whats racism?

One word: INTENT

No word is by definition racist, it is only the use to which it is put, that is the intention behind it, that is racist.

If a black guy has a white friend and they call each other the 'N Word' (not using it here due to forum rules), then thats fine because they know each other's intent.

If a stranger, or a newly met 'friend' as in Emily's case, uses the 'N Word', it is obviously unwise because the intent is unclear and uncertain.

If one uses the 'N Word' with hate and malice, then of course the intent to harm and offend is clear.

In all three cases, the word is the same, only the intention behind it changes...

So, is a given word 'racist' and should it be banned?

No.

Just because a racist isnt allowed to use a certain word, it dosent stop them being a racist. Ignorant hate dosent need to use certain words to do damage.

May I just say that the people that carry on the 'sins of our fathers' thing with regards to 'slave words' or whatever to use as an excuse to be offended are as bad as those that use certain words out of hate. These are the people that carry the hate forward to the new generation, unwilling and unable to recognise a new chance for a new start where history is learnt from and then left behind. Like a gun, words are neutral until used.

Obviously all just how I see things though