Offensive language on the boards
 

What words which are used frequently on MusicBanter do you find particularly offensive and unnecessary, which profanities do you find it easy to take with a pinch of salt and which blocked words do you not even consider to be swear words?

like i said, i only find certain words offensive when they're used with the specific intent to insult and berrate someone...obviously i have a problem with the word "***got" and i equate it with nigger....

Well, that seems like a good attitude. I think, however, that a lot of people who feel that an insulting word applies to them tend to be insulted by the word's use even when the word isn't actually directed at them.

Theres no real difference between the word nigga and ******, its just the intentions behind them.

I'd hardly consider faggot on the same level with ****** to be honest. ****** is usually, used more specifically in regards to black people, while faggot is pretty much just a generic insult in vein of dipshit, dumbass, fuckhead, etc...

I do think however, swear words in general should be used less. Its pretty lax around here, but like even if shit and crap mean the same thing, one is obviously more tolerable and appropriate. I dont know, its late i'm probaly making no sense..

[QUOTE=Crowquill]

I'd hardly consider faggot on the same level with ****** to be honest. ****** is usually, used more specifically in regards to black people, while faggot is pretty much just a generic insult in vein of dipshit, dumbass, fuckhead, etc...[QUOTE]

I believe Adidasss will take exception with that

Isn't that what constitutes the differences between words?

My understanding of it is that using the word 'nigga' in a phrase highlights the fact that you're copying a speech pattern and phrase which you might hear when one black person is talking to another black person (the word '******' would be pronounced as 'nigga' by a lot of people anyway, but it just reinforces where you're referencing the word to). To an extent, by representing the word in a more phonetic manner (nigga) instead of the more literary version (******) makes it more contemporary and ties it with it's modern 'street' usage (esp. rap lyrics) rather than its historical usage (which, by association with slavery, is probably the main source of its insultingness).

Like I said, that's my understanding of it, and that understanding deems the word written nigga much less offensive than the word written ******.

***got is pretty insulting, although I'd half-agree with Ethan, in that I'm not so shocked if I hear one person call another person it.

I can turn to a black person and say 'get back on the farm you stupid nigga' and it would hardly be any different from saying ******. Nigga can still be used just as hatefully as ****** can.

Hes being oversensitive.

^In that context, yes. But this is about language on the boards, where the spelling is more visible. When you're speaking I don't think anybody sees much contextual difference between 'nigga' and '******'.

Also, if one black guy says to another black guy "hey, ma nigga", is he insulting him? I'm pretty sure some black people who use this phraseology might take exception to being told that they're actually being racist to each other. Opinions?

By using this terminology they are insulting their own race, it is a slap in the face to all of the things their parents fought for during the civil rights movement of the sixties. The hip hop culture and current trends have set the black race back 30 years, it's shameful.

My 2 cents

So? The word still holds meaning even if the users choose to ignore it. Its become popular for kids (around here at least,) to use the term 'jewish' or 'jew' as meaning weak. (example) Don't be so jewish. Yeah, they don't mean jewish, as in being a jew. They just mean weak, the world still holds meaning even if they ignore it.

i expected more from both of you....this actually hurt my feelings because i respect you both...yet the level of hypocracy shown in both posts is astounding....
to advocate lesser usage of swear words and then say you're not really shocked or insulted by the use of the word " faggot" confounds me....just because one word is widely used as an insult doesn't make it any more acceptable than "nigger"...it shows the same level of contempt for a certain type of people. by enabling it's usage, by looking the other way and not having a problem with it, you're perpetuating the hate cycle....

i best get out of this discussion because i might get seriously upset, judging by the initial comments....

do as you please, i've learned not to pay attention to insulting remarks, but it still doesn't make it right....

I'd like to take back what I said on that matter, that was completely ignorant/stupid of me to even say. Sorry marijan

Check and mate, I'm interested to hear CrazyLove, RealEyez, and Dirt's response to this thread

I doubt any of them would care seeing as they've all used the term nigga on the forums.

Like I said, I'm interested

I really am sorry if I managed to upset you inadvertantly, but what you've written there wasn't what I said or meant.

So it would have made a bit more sense if I'd italicised it, or replaced 'so' with 'as' or 'quite as'.

In this situation I'm talking about my own personal response to the word ***got. I, as a straight man, find it's use to be insulting - even though the word couldn't be directed at me with real intent. Being insulted is different to being shocked, in that being shocked also requires a degree of surprise. If I hear somebody *** described as a '***got', I'm not left as open mouthed and aghast as if I hear a black person described as a '******'... and that's the truth.

MJ, I'm interested too.

It comes down to this, regardless of what this poll shows, that word will not be used on MusicBanter for any reason. It's uneccessary and insulting. MusicBanter is a safe and relaxing enviroment, and profanity of that level will not be tolerated

well i'm sorry you feel that way Tom, like i said, i see no difference between the words...and the fact that you're not as shocked to hear gay people reffered to as faggots says a lot about the position of homosexuals today....

I feel one and the same of both words, same goes for PAKI, KIKE or any others

I've got black friends and they've got no problem with the words, in class when they get in trouble they joke "It's coz I'm black isn't it?" We all have a laugh and we feel great, I really don't see why it's offensive...

But on the other hand I would find it grossly offensive if you were acctually insulting the person, You cannot tease people for what god or whatever you believe gave them, In that case they should be banned from the boards immediately and not be able to return

I don't think that a bunch a of white straight people should decide what's offensive or not. The only people's opinion that should count are the people who are potentially being offended. I'm not saying that as a straight white person your opinion doesn't matter. You have every right to be upset but, think about why you're being upset. The terms *** and nigga only bother me when I think someone is being offended. If they're ok with it then it's ok. If they're not ok with then it's not.

The results of this poll so far are deeply disturbing, is everyone here from 1950's Texas or something??

:laughing: :laughing:

That made me laugh, MB is safe of course but do you think it is relaxing for the likes of billy?


Oh and I can understand the desire to not use the two words on here but they are merly words. It's different hearing them because you can detect the tone in the person's voice to see if they're joking or a racist bitch. But sarcasm is a hard thing to detect on a forum which consists of a bunch of lines of binary code translated into english. I'm not bothered by either (they don't affect me) but what ever betters the MB community I'll stand by because this is one music forum not filled with metal heads and there are actual intelligent conversations.

*moses's $.2

this is why i use it, to mimic north american black people, i like the way it sounds, and to me , when a white gay eastern european uses it it's funny as hell....but i was thinking that i wouldn't dare use that word when talking to shandapanda...which in turn means that ANY use of the word "nigga" ( and i do differentiate nigga from ****** ) would be wrong....for that i apologize, but i think anyone would see no insult was intended....
do you have african-american friends? if so, if you heard someone call them ****** you're saying you wouldn't really care?

At the rate this poll is going, MB will stand for "Mississippi Burning"

Nig**r is a very offensive word in my eyes! I think that Nigga isn't bad because that is just like saying Dude or something like that. But i don't think that Nig**r should be allowed

I doubt any of you are as stupid or indecent to use any of these words in a noncasual setting.

It really does depend on context. But at MusicBanter, there is simply no place for it.

Your 20 cents? LOL.

It's all in the context in which the words are used.
I don't particularly like the word "******" whether or not it is being used as a joke, and the word "nigga" can be used in just a hateful context, in cases in which it is used that way, it should be punishable. But say something like "Nigga WTF" or "Nigga please" is not offensive to anyone. If it is, they are simply being dramatic.

Nothing offends me.

It's a very hard word to navigate. When a black person says it it's ok? When a black person says it to a white friend it's still ok? Because the black guy said it? what about when a white guy says it to a black friend and the black guy doesn't mind? Is it still out of order for the white guy to say it? Or when two white guys say it to each other?

It's now often it's used in a positive light, often as a replacement of 'mate' or 'brother'. It's almost become another word for 'hommie' or friend. On MB thats how it's used 98% of the time.

But there is still the ofensive ring to it, so like rar said, we'd do better to not use it at all.

so wait, your saying that 98 % of the time it's an ok word to use but just incase lets get rid of it??

Many years ago, when I had knees, I used to play in a Sunday Football league.
Before the game the ref gave us all a lecture on verbal abuse.
I said. "So if I call you a ****...you'll send me off?"
He said. "Yes"
So I said. "What if I only think your a ****?".
He said. "Those are your private thoughts, thats your perogative".
So me being a gobby smartarse at the time said. "I think your a ****!"

He sent me off for ungentlemanly conduct. True story. :(

There's a point in there somewhere...don't quite know what it is, but it's in there somewhere.

^^ Moley, I'm going to upset a few people and say it doesn't bother me eather. But it seems that all of a sudden, over the last I don't know, 24 hours, everyone thinks the word is the now worst thing in the world. I mean what can you do? It's never bothered anyone up until a day ago and then boom, we're all racist.

i ant to know how many black people have actually complained?

I have no problem with Nigga....****** on the other hand sounds durogatory (SP?)

Nigga isnt really a problem, but ****** is offensive considering the background of it.

words do not offend me

What the hell is the background to nigga then? You realize, regardless of what people say nigga still comes from ******, right?