They're called connotations... if you use "nigga" people will infer you're some sort of wanna-be gangsta whereas "******" is only used by redneck slave-owners.

Oh my god dude, shut up.
Yesterday when you, me, hiu, and moley were having an MSN conversation, you were on a totally opposite side of the fence.
Now on MB you feel the need to impress everyone else.

Um, okay? I don't think I ever said nigga wasn't just as bad as ****** once on MSN...

Can you not understand the ****ing difference?
Saying (to an African American)

"You f*cking lazy ******"

Is much different than saying (to a friend [black or white])

"Nigga please"

You would have to be a dramatic, annoying bitch to take offense to the latter.
Especially since 90% of this forum is white, and not a single black person has expressed any discontent with the word "nigga" being casually used.

Obviously its different, you're saying completely different things. How about walking up to a black person and going 'get back on the farm nigga', would that be any different then saying ******? Not really, just like saying 'sup nigga' to someone. As I said on the first page, theres no really difference between them, its the meaning behind them.

"******", "nigga", "nig" or anything of that sorts won't be tolerated anymore, and shouldn't have been tolerated in the past.

I wish we could just use context and common sense as a judge of this, but regardless I doubt many of you would say this around random strangers, yet feel empowered by the internet that it is your right/need to say it. That's fine, but just not here.

This poll will have no effect on what I just said.

That is so ridiculous.
So I guess that "***got" "****" "bastard" and any other word that was originally meant as a word to degrade a certain type of people wont be tolerated either?

The word you're referring to, has been used on the forum and doesn't make MB any less safe or relaxing. And the fact is, MB does tolerate it, or rather let (some) people slide with the use of it.
I personally think the phrase has become less of an insult in some situations.
White people say it, black people say it, asians say it, indians say it, basically a lot of people of all sorts of ethnciities say it.

I can understand the meaning behind this particular thread's creation but . . .
if someone takes offense to phrases such as b*tch, bastard, nigga, ******, faggot, jap, ***, then they should just say it. Especially since for the most part, when these terms are use on this forum, few people seem to take an offense to it.

Let the word be said anyway, if it's to insult someone ban them but if it's in a humorous manner let it slide "Nigga, please" should be tolerated because it doesn't hurt ANYBODY but if you use say "Piss of ya nigga" Well ban them all you want and I'm sure people will back ya up

Unless used as a derogatory term, I find them both okay.

I don`t think this should be about what individual members think of which words are or are not appropriate.

Personally I think if ANY word has any connetation with racial slurs then it shouldn`t be used. You can dress it up however you like, but to me it`ll always show a lack of imagination on the part of the person who used it , even if that person is trying to be ironic or post modern or whatever.

I would hope that the members of this forum would regulate themselves when it comes to this , it`s about setting an image to any people who come here in the future , if you want them to find terms like that used then fine , just don`t bitch the next time you complain that certain forums are dead.

co-signed

I don't like 'em.
I don't use 'em.

But I couldn't two ***ks if you do.
I'd probably prefer them gone, but who cares.
Putting people down with them sucks ass, but they can be used and remain relatively unoffensive.

I think the problem is internet = no inflection and no faces.

I'll agree with that.
it's the internet. if you take offense to anything somebody says (over the internet) you have the option of just logging off and not coming back.
It's not like we use a derogatory term towards you and you should just automatically take it and cry about it.
Ganted the point of rules against these sorts of things is to allow every member to feel some degree or comfort so that the forums will prosper.
Although I'd imagine that for every member that decided to take racial slurs seriously and then left, I'm almost a certain a new noob would pop up and take his place and the forums would still grow.

As I said, context and common sense will take you a far way. Using those words truly shows a lack of education anyway. But to answer your question, if I get complaints from people about it then I will handle the situation similarly.

You people should wash your mouths out with soap.

Part 1: The word we're discussing does not make MusicBanter any less safe, but it does make it less relaxing. I do not personally take offense to the word, but then again, I'm not black. And it doesn't matter who says it. It doesn't change the meaning or context behind the word.

Part 2: Again, I don't care who doesn't take offense to it, if someone does even if they aren't a member, it becomes a concern.

I was raised that saying the word in question is wrong and insulting and I think that too. It's offensible to those who fought for their rights many years ago and shouldn't be used like it is today.

I find it interesting that a word with purely derogatory origins (at least how it was used) is now generally accepted by over half the people.(52% as I read this) Along with bitch, it's pretty meaningless now. It's amazing what people will let themselves be called and think it's "cool" while it's happening. What's next, we all run around calling each other motherf***ers and laugh about it? I don't know about you, but if I ran around my town spouting the "n word", I'd get a mudhole stomped in my ass. Better yet, use other racial ephitets, so they can be cool, too.
Kinda pathetic, IMO.

you'd be surprised by the list of racial slurs not commonly used in everyday speech.
And by the number of people that allow themselves to be called by these names.

But there are still worse words/phrases out there. And of course every so often an idiot comes along and tries to be funny and coins a new term that makes no sense.

my sister-in-law is mexican and we call her lil beaner and wetback. she doesnt mind and she usually laughs at it. : /
we are a strange family, though

You never know who's feelings you will hurt in the process of trying to be funny.

Just don't use them. I read this whole thread, and I must say, it is disturbing.

People are still being killed because of racism, so I don't think it is right to use either of the words.

It may seem old-fashioned to take offence at such words words, but words can lead to actions and using '******' or 'nigga' will upset people, no doubt about that.

Hm.. It depends on the context really.. I mean, don't people in certain black communities use the word "******" between eachother in a friendly way?
You know, like "Whut'z crackin', my ******?". I don't find this offensive because I know that if I was indeed the "******" being refurred to, I wouldn't mind.

If, on the other hand, a group of white youths surround and old black woman shouting "YOU ****ING ****** AHAHA!", it would be deemed offensive both by myself as an onlooker, and obviously if I were the black woman in that situation.

So yeah, c o n t e x t .

We started writing that one as "nigga" (such is our cultural richness!), but what you mentioned is the main issue I have with people considering the word to be outright offensive. If you say the word is always offensive, then it means that the word is always offensive when people in those black communities say it to each other. The context has to be key here, because if you outlaw the word point-blank then you're saying that their use of the word is also inappropriate.

I also have a bit of an issue with the strong resistance to accepting and integrating african-american speech patterns by some parties, which I've seen in parallel with their keen use of other new speech patterns on this board. But that's a bit too complicated to post here and I'm not sure how to communicate my thoughts on that at the moment (somebody just thrust three bits of work upon me as I started that last paragraph!)

Sorry, I'm not all that intelligent so much of what you said there went right over my head.

I'm pretty sure that I agree though.

i little bit of salty language is ok, but racial slurs are unacceptable

Saying "What's up nigga" is not a racial slur.

nigga isnt a racial slur?


what word does it derive from?

You're right, all those urban kids are f*cking racists.:rolleyes:

lol, i am an urban kid

I don't give a flying fuck

so then why are we having this conversation if we both agree?

Because he likes to start verbal fights for no goddamn reason.

"A ****** is the guy with the white rope hanging from a tree....a nigga is the guy with a gold rope hanging at the clubs" - Tupac

With the brillitant definition just provided to me, i'm still going to say that I find neither to be offensive, even if they could possibly pertain to me I still wouldn't, it's just words, get the **** over it.

Just words? Yeah, cause you know words don't mean anything or cause actions or anything. I suppose all the things hitler said, didn't mean anything because after all, they were just words right?