The “N” Word - Comments

When we read this in 7th grade, we were told to just go 'beep' orm skip over it every time we went to it.
I don't consider myself a nigger; no one should raelly use it though.

Well, I think that reading books with the N word in it is something that should not be banned. People need to know how offensive that word really can be. For example, in "Of Mice and Of Men" one black man was called a nigger all of the time and the word definately had a negative connoation. Now, because the word was so negative towards this African American man, I think that its good for others to know that a word like the N word should not be taken lightly and should not be used, even when kidding. Additionally, the use of the N word is a (sad, but true) part of American history and everyone should know the struggle that the minorities had to go through in this country.
But why even use that word?
You never know who you could offend.

In all honestly, I think the "n" word should be banned even though I am African American. I know some of my fellow peers don't believe ti should be, but I personally don't think it's right for people to talk to me like and/or call me by that.
-Jazzy

V They do.
Cracker, etc.

I agree with the person below this, but it is kinda racist. I mean, black people don't exactly have any slur words for white people

Down with censorship, and how did this discussion get turned into who can say the word and who can't? YES, there is a double standard about the "N" word but there are many more against black people. So if some of us want to say the word , why not?

I do not think that books should be banned because of that reason. It exposes children to such abhorrent words; yes. However, these novels teach children about history, about the culture of that time, it educates them what is wrong and right. It shows them the progression of views of race, cultures, changes of literature etc. Heck, if people censored our books I wouldn't have ended up reading such a classic novel. Or even Remembering Babylon [doesn't use the "N" word, uses other ones], which is a fantastic observation of human behaviour written as a novel.
Classic literature is about challenging a reader. The "N" word helps to create an effective scene, or image, or character tone etc, which teaches children about literacy techniques.
I'll stop rambling now.....
Good article though.

I agree with this article, almost 100%, I don't think it should be banned from a book even if it is used wrong, because I have never seen it being used correctly :P (correctly meaning in a nice way) unless the entire book is about putting that group of people down.

Some of the responses to this article are quite pathetic and sad.

RetroBot68:

Kike is a racial slur against Jewish people.

What the hell is a kike?
Doesn't he mean "Dyke" ???
I hate when ppl use the word faggot or dyke. I'm not gay, but I LOVE gay ppl and have gay friends, and i feel offended when ppl used those words. Especially when guys use it. Bc some of my guy friends, when they said "faggot" they say it with so much hate or just say it offensively, it bothers me.
I would just LOVE to have a bf who could care less if he had a friend that was gay or didn't mind gay guys.

Personally, those words are only given power when someone takes offense or reacts to them. THey're just words. Big fucking deal.

Thank you. It's nice to know someone else understands something 99.999999. . .% of the population at my school doesn't even think to grasp.

I don't think people should use those words. I'll curse like a sailor, but I refuse to even type the n word.

But books like Of Mice and Men are classics, and using the word in a book is much different from saying it. The use of those words in books can even be a very good way to teach children about discrimination. Books shouldn't be banned for language.

As a young black woman, I say I oppose anyone using the "N" word in today's society. But as a young scholar interested in literature, I have to say, you can't ban these books simply because they use such words. You have to remember, these books were written back in the 30's, 40's or even the late 19th century, when people could still say that word without being considered racist. You can't sanitize history. The only way we can learn from our mistakes is to show them in full. I am not offended personally by the slurs in these books. In fact, I find the books quite interesting to read, slurred or no.

Yeah I agree. And it is such a double standard, too. Why is it only acceptable for black people to say it? It's not okay for white people to say it, and they sure as hell don't say cracker. I think that if black people can say it, and if they aren't being offensive, then white people should be able to say it without being on the wrong end of a drive by. I really like this article.

Firstly, know that although I am a mixture of lots of different races, I consider myself African American and so do many others. I don't appreciate being called names because of the colour of my skin and I do not appreciate others being called names because of the colour of theirs but I don't think that banning books that contain a word used to hurt a certain race will get anyone anywhere. If children don't read racist terms in books then they'll hear them on TV or in the street, see them on signs or graffitied onto walls. If the "N" word somehow dropped off of the face of the Earth, some racially prejudiced genius of an idiot would come up with a new word to take its place.

And, jsyk, the term "nigger" was derived from the word "negro", used to describe African people. African people used it as an affectionate term amongst themselves, before it became more popularly used a highly offensive insult.

Despite how vulgar and hurtful the "N" word may be or seem, it is a part of history and, no matter what we or anyone else does, history lives on.

Banning the books for the use of one word would set us back into a whole other time. A whole work of literature because of one word? Isn't America against things like that?

The Mayor of New York City tried to get a voluntary ban on the word. Even that was pushing it. If you ban one derogatory term for only one race, ban them all for every race. Political correctness, and that jazz.

For me, I don't like using the word; but, that doesn't mean I think it shouldn't ever be heard, and it shouldn't be banned, even in it's innaproriate usage.

This article reminded me of my favorite Daily Show clip. =P

i am a Black African American Female, and i don't use this word, nor do i appreciate anyone else using it. to me it is an extreme insult to anyone who is saying it, and it being said to. when i hear this word being used, i think the person saying this is very trashy and ignorant.

It's just hurtful, using those words. I don't, however, think that people ought to ban books using that word. It's probably because I love Gone with the Wind way too much.