[VaSteve]

Originally posted by tobster1911
I agree with everything you said to some degree. Here is what I think fuels the double standard argument.

While your reasons maybe valid for the older generations, the new generations have no reason except to perpetrate the "victim" mentality. Sometimes use the N word among themselves??? Have you listened to any rap songs lately? Listened to any of the thug, gangsta wannabee punks? They purposefully preserve the term (by using it among themselves) as a means of justifying their actions when someone else uses it because "they" were victims of the white man.

You want to talk victims. How about Jew's. They were victims in Germany, but how many of them have preserved some pet slur and now use it as a description of themselves? I am 1/2 Jewish and don't know any.

This is kind of what I was getting at.

posted by theGiven the historical context, there just is not word a black can use against a white that has any real emotional impact. "Cracker" or "whitey" seems to be about the best that anyone can come up with, but they have no meaning or impact.

Agreed. Unless it was said in a menacing manner, I don't think there's anyway to find this offensive. I would be more offended to be called a "racist" than either of these terms. I think that has actual hurt behind it. However, that term has been thrown around so much in the past few years I don't think it has as much true meaning. People are willing to whip that out pretty quick.

This is a question that *I* cannot answer. Is it less or more offensive to report on the MR story using the term ""N-word"" versus an actual quote. It's just a word in story at that point. The FCC just passed a rule that said your could repeat a swear if it's part of a quote instead of using [expletive]. Maybe it's to protect kids hearing it.