Why is "nigga" acceptable from a black person as opposed to a non-black person?

[Richareens]

I know this is controversial so I apologise if I offended anyone.

Don't get me wrong, I am personally not a fan of using the "nigga" word and cringe whenever people use it. I have become accustomed to think that it is a rather racist term and that if I say it, I am being disrespectful. But when I hear those words being thrown around in rap songs these days, I can't help but wonder out of frustration why this word still even exists.

[ConstantlyIntrigued]

Historically, non-blacks used it to demean and "dehumanize" black people during slavery and then segregation etc. Sadly some still use that word in that way🙄
Now I asked my black friends this sometime ago cause I was curious too and they said that basically black people kinda turned it into a positive thing. Instead of something that made them feel like shit and inferior based on something so superficial. Skin color. Also treated as such because of it 😕
If a non-black person says it its kinda like history repeating itself in a way. Not all blacks are offended by it but its a sensitive thing. I wouldn't say it ever just to be safe and also respectful. Where ever I read or hear it, like in a meme or song, I just replace it with "dude", "guy", "bitch", etc.
My freshman year, we read To Kill A Mocking Bird. The N-word wad in there A LOT so my teacher just said say "n-word" and everyone did. I mean no one was comfortable saying the actual word anyway so🤷‍♀️
My brother uses the word a lot... it annoys me. Especially since my oldest half brother married a black woman who has a son from a prev marriage and then had a bootiful mixed baby😍😄so I honestly dont know why hed do something so stupid... but then again... he is pretty... dim..😂🤷‍♀️

[seekingadvice90]

I think this will help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43gm3CJePn0

[Richareens]

HOLY, THEY WERE REALLY IMPRESSIVE. And I love how they hugged each other in the end. Thanks for sharing! ☺️

[MrMysteryMan]

I'm not a fan either and I'm black. But the understanding is that when a black guy/girl says to another, say, "my nigga", there is a moment of understanding of the oppression that we share because of that word associated with blacks. So then it's more of blacks try to lessen that oppressive connotation of the word and make it more of a euphemism of, "I'm your brother in cultural stigma and oppression so I know what you are going through and so you are my brotha from anotha motha", if that makes sense.

Some others just say to it that if I get called it enough, it must be true so might as well accept it and embrace the hate, if you get what I mean. It's all in the attempt to psychologically lessen the weight of the word on the culture. Make it more of a norm than a weapon and reverse the damaging affect.

But I know what it means really, and it really isn't something specific to a black person. It was just used for blacks back then because it means ignorance and uneducated, which is what blacks were kept as during the slave days. So that description stuck for them.

[isbey]

The second thing that you said about people using it more to psychollogically lessen the weight of the word on the culture, if that's the case, why can't white people use it?

[MrMysteryMan]

@isbey It's more about if a person outside of the culture uses it, they don't understand fully about how much of an impact it has on the cultures mental state and feeling of worth. Like it's hard for someone that hasn't been influenced by a word to understand how much it truly damages. So then when they use it, it feels like they are making fun or they don't care or know how horrible it is to really use that with someone. Or, you may be masking your true hatred by trying to include yourself in our reverse psychology. It's kind of like, would you call an Italian a "Wop", or a Spanish speaker a "spik" or a Japanese person "nip", or a Vietnamese person "gook", or an Irish woman a "frotch"? Like you would feel terrible if you really don't want to hurt someone's feelings and degrade a person's sense of worth to use such derogatory language to someone based on culture or ethnicity, so why bother doing it if you don't know how bad it makes someone feel. Blacks know EXACTLY how bad.

[GreedyGiver651]

I see too many falsr reasons to let this go uncommented.

No matter what the outside view of how pointless or hypocritical it is. It's a reclaiming. For decades it was used to put down and belittle black people. Hell, it only really changed policy around the 60-70s in America. So when black people use it, in anyway they want, they are taking the power of that term for themselves.

Other races can say anything they want about it, say it doesn't make sense or it's defeting the purpose or unfair that they get to say it. It doesn't matter, it's not your word and if all black people want is equality and equal treatment, consider it lucky. With the decades of systematic oppression and hate, it could be a lot worse.

Oh, I'm white by the way, so I'll clarify for anyone who wants to use that as fual for lashing back.

[GreedyGiver651]

* equal treatment. And the right to use take that word as their own.

That was an edit

[isbey]

So with the reclaiming of the word, why can't white people say it? It seems like it white people use it in a way that promotes black lives and helps strengthen them that it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

[tiny2013]

@GreedyGiver651 thank you!!!

[tiny2013]

I’ve been reading these comments and it’s making me sad how so many people don’t understand this issue, but it’s so refreshing to see that someone gets it

[GreedyGiver651]

I'll use this as an example.

I am not a war veteran. I will never fully understand what it is like to be in a warzone or anything related to that. I can learn about it, hear stories, play games or watch movies. But I will never fully understand it from experience.
Would it be okay for me to talk to veterans by saying "well I saw Saving Private Ryan so I understand the pain and horror you guys saw over there. It's messed up. Semper Fi"

NO. that wouldn't be okay. I have never experienced it firsthand

White people in the USA have never experienced systematic oppression and racism. NEVER. It's that simple. So saying you are going to take a term, that white people have historically used to hurt black people and empower them with it is wrong. Like I mentioned, they want equal rights, equal treatment and that word. It's a small thing to ask considering the decades of pain white people have caused.

[isbey]

Fighting for civil rights is NOT the same thing as saying I understand what it's like to be oppressed. I just feel like saying, when black people use the word, it's doesn't mean much, but when white people use it, it's very offensive, gives white people so much power. There's nothing black people can say to white people that they'll care about but we're giving white people a magic word to offend people whenever they want? There's so divisive

[IonHat]

Because of mankind's unsurpassable stupidity. People are willing to let a resonance of sounds affect them enough to send them into a rage simply because it was used in a negative manner once in history. These people still live in the times of plantation and "suffer" through everything the actual slaves suffered even though they are what, 200 years apart?
This trend of self victimisation has even lost it's logical foundation since they don't even know where the word n** comes from. In one of the more common languages in Africa "niga" is what the beggars say when they ask for money. The colonialists heard that since as they passed through colonizing the land they appeared rich and wealthy in various ways. This would mean that the colonialists would hear the word niga all the time and eventually, without knowing the meaning of the word, they decided to call the natives niggers.
Anyone who thinks that the creation of the word n** was like so "Oh boy! Let me think of a way to suppress these people. Ha, how about I call them niggers!" is obviously incapable of critical thinking and should be denied their right to vote.
Lastly blacks are hypocrites. If this word symbolises oppression then why tf would they call each other "nigga" all the bloody time...

[Mishan97]

When white people were transporting and stuffing slaves into ships as if they were cargo they used the n word. When they were selling and whipping and beating their slaves, they called them the n word. When they were lynching black people for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time they called them the n word. When America humiliated black people with laws like “separate but equal” and segregation, they called them the n word. And today when black people are disproportionately imprisoned for non violent offenses or are victims of hate crimes they are called the n word. So if you think the n word doesn’t carry a long history of oppression, violence, and hate you need to go back and study American history. And if you think there still isn’t systemic oppression against black Americans you are very ignorant and need to do a lot of research. This is coming from a non black person by the way.

[IonHat]

Lol obviously this is coming from a non black person. You are brain washed. Pretty dumb as well. How exactly do you think they should have addressed black people then? Because they have to be addressed somehow. And no matter how they were called that name would be today's Americas definition of the word n**. It would be offensive simply because they were called that. Because that was the name that their race was given. Don't talk to me about ignorance. My country was under occupation for 500 years. 500. Can you imagine what that means? The progress that we lost. The ability to prosper that was taken away from us. We hold no grudges though. We know that the past is the past. We know that the people living in the country that had us under occupation have nothing to do with the event of 200 years ago. And guess what. Whites in general have been under worse conditions. Persians didn't care about your skin. And what Arabs did to whites in Morocco and Spain, you cannot even imagine.

[jaydtre]

Kinda like gays calling each other faggot or women calling each other’s bitches/cunts, none of those groups of people wants anyone not like them calling them those slurs.

Your ever notice family members talking shit about one another, but the minute a non family member chimes in everyone gives that person the stank face lol

It’s all about culture at the end of the day, if you’re on the outside looking in then you’re probably wondering why you can’t say it. Why do you think no ordinary person can become Jewish?

[Kweencelene]

In my opinion coming from someone who lives in the westcoast. We are in 2018 . hellooooo. Yes back then they would refer to African Americans as Niggers or negro whatever.. I feel they use it so whoever dislikes African American can see that it doesn't bother them. They are no longer slaves. They are passed that. I use it , I guess it's just how we talk out here but not anyone can say it lol I can say it around my black friends they call me a nigha too. It's all a reflection of what YOU portray.. because i see nothing wrong with it. Now if a racist or some ignorant person calls an African American a n** then there might be some problems.

[GreedyGiver651]

As an onlooker to your conversation with a black friend. What do you think people see if they hear you calling them that?

[doogo]

I have been saying this for years. We are the only group who still refers to ourselves as what the slave masters used to label us as. They said nigga too. Southerners back then didn't have the proper southern talk they do now. We are only carrying on the legacy of the slave master. If they were alive they would be laughing their ass off at this shit. "We got he the niggers to say it in their music lol" . It needs to stop. It's really embarrassing. Especially when we get mad at each other Nigga this nigga that and so on. I think everyone should start saying it so my people can wake up and realize its not right. I call the D. N. S.
Dumb nigga syndrome.

[winterfox10]

DNS Lmfao can I quote this shit? That's a gem, and I feel it would play well in a inner city

[doogo]

Yes you may

[rednekreeder]

It's because in our society some people still believe that the color of your skin enables/denies you rights to curtain things. Black people are allowed to say it because they were called it, is the usually excuse. And because their ancestors were the ones who were being oppressed, therefore they have a right to say it. Honestly I think that's bullshit. I mean my ancestors were called a whole bunch of names (I'm Irish) but if I went around and just put an A on the end of it, people would still be pissed. Look I say don't say it. Black people should stop conflating it, and everyone should stop using it. Just say bud, friend, pal, you. All work the same

[GreedyGiver651]

I'm completely Irish as well and while you may feel that they could just use other words, trying to force it control that is exactly what the problem is.

[Jeffreeyy]

In my country a lot and i talk about a looootttt of black people are just butthurt. I am not racist at all. I have brown friends black friends half half friends. I admire the Asian race, so i dont think anyone can call me racist. But a white person using nigga makes me just like you cringe. But no matter if the person is black white yellow or whatever if they talk like some rapper, i get this feeling of rage building inside of me. I am no intelect myself nor am i a master of my native language or the English language but why can't 80 percent of the people our age can't speak as if they never had real parenting or whatever? I guess it dont matter since i will move to japan within a few years😂

[deric_97]

I'm not even a black person but ni🅱️🅱️a should mostly be used by black people because it's kinda "degrading'. But it's fine for blacks because there's both black. It's equal. But when you use it, you ain't the same as them. You don't know what their life in the hood is like, you don't know their life, and yet you calling out to them as if you've known them your whole life. It can be equated to randomly calling a stranger, "we're best friends!'. They'd think you mentally ill, but with the "N' word, it's just much worse. That's all.

[Introvert94]

I don't tolerate being called that word from blacks and especially non blacks. That word to me is no different than the one with er at the end. In black English, plenty of words have always been pronounced differently (ebonics) and it's basically the same word. We all know the history of that word. Racism still exists, this isn't one big, equal world. Blacks are some of the most exploited people on the planet. So when non blacks say it, it's like saying I'm less. When blacks say it, it's like saying we're trapped in the system together. But I don't ever use the word and no one should.

[anon907]

I roll the r around my black friends, they know we are homies, they like to see other white crackers' reaction when I, a white male say niggerr to a black person. I also call them brothas and white people get offended.

I never understood why black calling black n** is fine but not if white calls black n**.
My n** friends call me cracker and i don't take offense, cause I know them, they chill af. My white friends are like what? He called you a cracker and you're not even offended?

No that's where rasism will end, when we can call each other whatever the hell we feel like, and no one takes offence. When we don't stereotype people based on race.

Never ever ever in your life
Never say the word n** or cracker in the same sentence when you are saying something about how good or bad they are/did something.

[tiny2013]

Because white people used that term towards us in a derogatory way for centuries. We basically reclaimed that word in a symbolic way to reclaim the power that white people held over us. Therefore it’s offensive when whites use it because it echos former times when blacks were treated as if they were a sub-human species. However it is ok for blacks to use it towards one another because we have overcome the struggles that others imposed on us for so long.

[rightly]

Do you even know what that word means it has nothing to do with color the meaning of that word means ignorant so if you sit around and you watching now they're talking to each other what's up nigga they don't even know the true meaning of it or else I don't think they be calling themselves ignorant that's just a nice way of putting it's like a fucking retard it's like stupid just another word to say it and that explains why it's acceptable by them and I'd be kinda upset too if somebody called me a retard or fucking idiot or ignorant but yeah I'll look it up itsfunneh cuz when you hear him say it to each other that's just like you walking up to your friend being like what's up stupid or hey you fucking retard are you ignorant piece of shit that's what the word means

[tiny2013]

No. “Nigga” comes from the Spanish word “negro” which means black, as in the color black. It doesn’t mean ignorant. Look it up.

[Anonymous]

I don’t like the term either but it’s because it is a slur that they have reclaimed similar to how gay people reclaimed the slur queer and it’s acceptable for them to use it but not for non-gays too. Also the n word obviously has a very painful, violent history from slavery to lynchings to Jim Crow era violence to modern day hate crimes and so I don’t think white people have a say in who can the say the n word or in what context because regardless I think it is wrong for white people to use that word.

[VaIiant]

I used to live in LA up until last year, and it was heavily populated by blacks/Mexicans. Even the white people called everyone “nigga”. I’ve never liked it, and have always seen it as an extremely disrespectful, racist curse.

[Borrkan]

if you enjoy sucking cocks and everyone knows that you can't hurt someone by calling them a cocksucker however you can use it for a joke or embracing to someone. So the word nigga is considered to be the swear word that aims to hurt when it is coming from a white fella but an embracing word when it comes from a black person (embrace maybe the wrong word, excuse my english)

[baddiebunny]

Think of it this way the only reason you wanna say is because you see black people saying it. You only wanna say it because you’re favorite black rappers are saying it. It’s a word only black people use because it’s a way to embrace someone of their own group. Someone of a different race wanting to say it because they think it makes them co is pathetic

[baddiebunny]

For years that word was used by white people to put down slaves. Now we use it to show pride of our blackness. But of course you probably wouldn’t understand

[vald9inches]

i just hire someone else to do it for me ;P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G39AJrNlWw4

[baddiebunny]

Wtf..

[Disrev]

It's just silly that some words can trigger someone that bad no matter the context. If I call someone I don't like a cunt is totally different from me calling a friend of mine cunt. The same should be applied to that word. If I say it in the context of a song or a news article or whatever, It shouldn't trigger people. But hey I don't live in the US so I don't understand what's going on over there.

[Isaack]

The word from which is derived was used in a time of slavery, and has since been considered a hate word, so nobody uses it unless they’re some rabid monster in a hate group like the KKK. The way the current derivative is used is as a word exclusively for black people (regardless of ethnic origin). So if you encounter someone using this word, and you aren’t black, then you are now excluded from the conversation. Feel free not to listen to that person anymore.

[Cwazzycwafter]

I don’t really get it either. Saying it with a hard R is what should be considered bad, if you should consider it bad at all. What we ought to be doing is saying it so much that the actual value of the word is dropped to becoming equivalent of saying “fuck.” If you call it a bad word, then you are giving it the power that you wish to keep people away from.

[DabbingSquid]

Best thing I can think of is this, The Game in a song says, "The word n** is nothing like nigga, they don't sound shit alike like game like jigga. One came before the other like aim and pull the trigger. One is slang for my brother, one is hanging take a picture." A word is nothing more than that, a word. With that being said, it's either all okay or none of it is okay, we can't cherry pick what words we want to censor and which ones we want to keep.

[lovedejj_xo]

Watch this video...

https://youtu.be/QO15S3WC9pg

[lovedejj_xo]

I don’t say it though still don’t care for the word.

[Richareens]

It was a good debate but I still think he was being biased.

[lovedejj_xo]

I agree... ugh I just don’t use it and I’m black so idk🤦🏽‍♀️