BBC say the N word

Soldato
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There hasn't been slavery in the uk or US for many generations. I dont think any of them were owned by anyone.

Now if we are talking about slavery in africa where black people are still slaving other black people then yes. But BLM seem not too bothered about this.

If the word has such huge gravity, why is it used so frequently in subculture, quite overtly and brandished like any other word?

There are still former slaves alive now in the US. Fortunately not in the UK, unless they've made it over from the US.

I don't know why the "subculture" uses the word. Maybe so they have ownership over it instead of odious white people. It's clearly a racial slur, whether they choose to use it or not. The vast majority, if not every single member, of any black group would find it unacceptable for anyone outside of their race to use this language on them. Moreover, why the hell would you want to demean somebody based on their race or ethnicity?
 
Associate
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Making this word taboo just makes it all the more powerful, why would you want to do that?
Still if it is to be censored then I look forward to this rule applying to all people, music, film and conversations without exception.
 
Caporegime
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Boxing stance on the high street over some nasty words. You're an idiot if you would punch someone in public over that tbh but we all know most people who say they would do it online, wouldn't.

If someone wants to out themselves as a racist then you don't need to retaliate at all, recording them and slapping it on social media would do far more damage than landing yourself in the nick for assault.
 
Caporegime
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There are still former slaves alive now in the US. Fortunately not in the UK, unless they've made it over from the US.

I don't know why the "subculture" uses the word. Maybe so they have ownership over it instead of odious white people. It's clearly a racial slur, whether they choose to use it or not. The vast majority, if not every single member, of any black group would find it unacceptable for anyone outside of their race to use this language on them. Moreover, why the hell would you want to demean somebody based on their race or ethnicity?

But they are demeaning themselves with it?

Any slur word is demeaning otherwise its not a slur presumably.

Calling someone a 'fatty or 'skinny' is also demeaning on factors (like your race) which you may have no control over.

I've never seen any try to own the word, 'ginger', 'ginge' or whatever yet these are purely controlled by genetics too and are designed to be demeaning.

Yet these aren't taboos, they pick on physical attributes. Its very much double standards.

Infact if someone called me a whitey, a ghost or a Christmas cracker, despite whatever connotations that person might have for the word, i'd probably laugh in their face because they are just words...
 
Soldato
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But they are demeaning themselves with it?

Any slur word is demeaning otherwise its not a slur presumably.

Calling someone a 'fatty or 'skinny' is also demeaning on factors (like your race) which you may have no control over.

I've never seen any try to own the word, 'ginger', 'ginge' or whatever yet these are purely controlled by genetics too and are designed to be demeaning.

Yet these aren't taboos, they pick on physical attributes. Its very much double standards.

Infact if someone called me a whitey, a ghost or a Christmas cracker, despite whatever connotations that person might have for the word, i'd probably laugh in their face because they are just words...

Being ginger doesn't represent slavery. The two are not relatable!

I would also laugh if someone called me those things, because it's pathetic and definitely a rarity. But if I came from a line of slaves and you wanted to slap the same name onto me, I would be very unhappy. Once again - the n word was specially used to denote people as sub-animal. If you have no empathy for people treated worse than dogs, then I feel for you.
 
Caporegime
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Being ginger doesn't represent slavery. The two are not relatable!

I would also laugh if someone called me those things, because it's pathetic and definitely a rarity. But if I came from a line of slaves and you wanted to slap the same name onto me, I would be very unhappy. Once again - the n word was specially used to denote people as sub-animal. If you have no empathy for people treated worse than dogs, then I feel for you.

I have empathy for the people who were. And still are in Africa and the Middle east.

Being ginger is a genetic feat in the same way as the colour if your skin.

The name is being slapped on them by their own people though music or just general chat. Either the word should be totally banned or not.

You cant own it, you cant protect it. It isn't a physical good you can lock away.

Infact most people 'own' being called 'fat' or 'ginger' by not letting it bother them and knocking the taboo out of the word.
 
Soldato
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I have empathy for the people who were. And still are in Africa and the Middle east.

Being ginger is a genetic feat in the same way as the colour if your skin.

The name is being slapped on them by their own people though music or just general chat. Either the word should be totally banned or not.

You cant own it, you cant protect it. It isn't a physical good you can lock away.

Infact most people 'own' being called 'fat' or 'ginger' by not letting it bother them and knocking the taboo out of the word.

I agree with you on the majority of that. However, in this case we are or were the aggressors; we took that word and others and used it in many ways as a justification for mistreating people. Apartheid in both American and South Africa was only stopped in living memory. We can't continue to use a term that enabled that, whether the party affected continues to or not.
 
Caporegime
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I agree with you on the majority of that. However, in this case we are or were the aggressors; we took that word and others and used it in many ways as a justification for mistreating people. Apartheid in both American and South Africa was only stopped in living memory. We can't continue to use a term that enabled that, whether the party affected continues to or not.

Don't know about you but I've never done any of that.
 
Soldato
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Don't know about you but I've never done any of that.

Nor have I, but I'm not going to embrace the use of a clearly demeaning term just because the affected party does.

As far as the OP goes, I agree with the majority of comments here in that the family asked for it to be quoted verbatim. Whether that was inconsiderate to others or not isn't my place to comment. The people who flagged this as an issue, in my opinion, are only being protective of themselves and others. Obviously I've not seen the complaints, though.
 
Caporegime
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Nor have I, but I'm not going to embrace the use of a clearly demeaning term just because the affected party does.

As far as the OP goes, I agree with the majority of comments here in that the family asked for it to be quoted verbatim. Whether that was inconsiderate to others or not isn't my place to comment. The people who flagged this as an issue, in my opinion, are only being protective of themselves and others. Obviously I've not seen the complaints, though.

Yes, but because of actions in the past you're using it as justification now. Judging the actions of you or I based on other people in the past amounts to prejudice. When it's purely because of our race then that's racism. The things these people are claiming to stand against.
 
Soldato
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Yes, but because of actions in the past you're using it as justification now. Judging the actions of you or I based on other people in the past amounts to prejudice. When it's purely because of our race then that's racism. The things these people are claiming to stand against.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe in the sins of the fathers etc. But, we're not talking about the past. We're talking about the very real present where the N word is used hatefully.
 
Caporegime
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Don't get me wrong, I don't believe in the sins of the fathers etc. But, we're not talking about the past. We're talking about the very real present where the N word is used hatefully.

But in some contexts, particularly this one, it wasn't. So it's again generalisation based on race.
Particularly where a lot of the complaints are simply that it was said by a white reporter.
 
Soldato
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But in some contexts, particularly this one, it wasn't. So it's again generalisation based on race.
Particularly where a lot of the complaints are simply that it was said by a white reporter.

I don't necessarily disagree with the context of the use here. On the face of it, it seems to me to be the right thing to do.

But that doesn't mean is should have been said in the first place.
 
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