Why is it ok for a person of color to call another person of color a ni****?
460175
It's simply accepted as a double-standard.
120142
I think it is offensive, it used by Hispanics when they refer to Americans, I wouldnt use to address a friend.
849441
Only in USA, i am not a racist but i do believe that african american people have no respect for othjer cultures and are extremely racist. This is accepted world wide because if any other culture spoke out against a person who is dark they would be branded as racist. It is the countrys fault for being afraid of cultures for giving too much tollerance to intollerance in fear of losing votes or being faced by a civil suit... rediculous.\nIt is ok to call other cultures names and have hatred towards them but not ok to use a word ni**er ( even yahoo blocked out the word ni*g*ger... here look ...nigger? Eh.. when will the world just wake the fu*k up.\nThere are too many one sided policies.
605322
This is a toughie.\n\nIt seems to me that the only sociolinguistic situation in which a person can use this form of address is when a younger person is addressing an older person.  There are two example situations that spring to mind (1) your child's friend is addressing you or (2) a young child is addressing his/her teacher.\n\nIt is pretty common practice for children to address their teachers in this way, especially if the teacher has a long last name or the last name is hard to pronounce.  For example, I called my 5th-grade teacher "Mr. P".\n\nIf a child were using this form of address for his/her friend's mom, I would consider it less formal than using the whole name, but still respectful.
137445
You can't be too careful. Of course, it might not be politically correct to monitor a specific ethnicity either. I have met a few rag-heads that are pretty cool, and who are my friends. They call me cracker, and we play around, but don't take offense to each other's sarcastic jokes.
601224
I agree that it is good manners and a sign of respect to use the modern terminology when talking about different races and cultures. The only thing that bothers me is the way the "names" keep changing.\n\nI took a sociology course last year and one of the chapters in out textbook was devoted to various ethnic cultures. A classmate, while trying to make a discussion point, referred to people from India as being "East Indians," a term that was "politically correct" in our area some years ago. The instructor corrected him, saying that the preferred form was "Indo-Canadian." Every "Indo-Canadian" in the classroom was embarrassed at being singled out.\n\nThe instructor than went on to say that the term was changed to prevent misunderstandings within the Canadian Aboriginal communities, who were traditionally called "Indians." However, Indians are now called "Aboriginals." She then turned to the only Aboriginal person in our classroom and asked him how he and his friends referred to themselves when there were no "white people" around. He said, "Well, we just call ourselves Indians." This got a good laugh out of all of us, but it made me think. Who decides what the correct terms are? Do the people who bear the burden of being referred to as Indo or African or whatever the word may be, get any say in these matters? \n\nI just wish they would stop changing the rules and settle down to something we can all live comfortably with, but I guess that would be against "Human Nature."
275714
I guess the same reason why black ppl call each other n*****
1179119
Absolutely too far. My friend is dating a guy who comes from Gambia and he has said he would prefer to be called Black than the "politically correct" coloured. He says we are all coloured and he would actually prefer to be called nigger than coloured. It's just ridiculous. With the profession that i am in i am always having to be very careful about what i say so as not to upset anyone. Criminals are no longer allowed to be called criminal but offenders. Those in prison are not longer inmates, they, again, are offenders. In my town we were not even allowed to have Santa's grotto and Christmas decorations for fear of sparking racial problems! Instead they were called Holiday Decorations and anual turning on of the Christmas lights had to be called "Holiday Ceremony". We are allowed flags in pubs for St. Georges day but the same pubs were threatened with fines and closure if they put up the St. Georges Cross and did any special event for St. Georges day. Problem is, i am now offended and feel as i am being treated unfairly.But do they listen to a mid twenties, white "middle class" woman? You have got to be joking!\nAnd i have just noticed that one word i used has been starred out even though it is not meant offensively but it context to a conversation!
259721
Why does anyone call other people anything?  For some, it's a term of endearment.  For others it's meant as an insult.  It all depends on the context and the tone of voice.
144489
I am white and I would never use that word. Among our friends, I can't think of anyone who uses that word so please do not classify all whites in the same category, okay? Oh to answer your question. NO, it is not OKAY!
41034
One of my dearest friends in h.s. was mixed.  The word we gave her?  Special.  Unique.  The color of your skin is just that - a color.  It has nothing to do w/ who you are inside where it counts.
816478
While it may be the politically correcting thing to say in the workplace, simply referring to someone as "African-American" may be an inaccurate description of someone, especially if that person is not American but from another country. Some people do take offense to the term "black". You are in a tough spot; you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. Professional setting do prefer the term "African-American" over black even though it could be wrong. To play it safe, if you need to describe someone you could just say that they have brown skin.
306125
Well you can say it because as you said you have the right to say anything you like.  Just keep in mine they have the right to get angry as you do if someone called you something your not. I'm not saying it right I’m say that's the way it is.  Now being of African descent it would offend me greatly if some called me that in fact when my friend uses to I would tell them I’m not a nig anything, call me by my name or just don't call me.  Now why they do it is the same reason that people call themselves Christian today. Although both roots are from a negative origin, they have chosen to uses it as an expression to communicate some fellowship and commonest with Christ or in the African American community with each other.  So, I hope you understand my answer, once again I think it is stupid to identify yourself with a word your enemy came up with or mispronounce to identify you with but hah that just my opinion.\n\n\n\nLet me first say I called myself of African descent, so not all Americans of African decent call themselves African-Americans.  No as far as them being black and your and other Europeans being white is just foolishness. Just look in a mirror one day wearing a white T-shirt then you'll see what color you truly are. The so-called "black-man" is not black as far as the color of his skin goes but dark brown.  Not every one of us call our women ho.. Or Biches, and other degrading name just like not all Americans of many so-call races, call their women out of their names.  From personal experience I have heard some so-call white friend of mine call not only their girlfriend biches to their faces, but their mothers as well. Now would you think its' true or fair to assume or teach that all so-called white people call their parents out of their just because those idiots did?  There are many people of many “different colors of skin” who do not show their parents the popper respect they deserver as parents?  Would it not be wrong to say because some do it all do it?  Come on let not be so blinded by the media propaganda.  Now as far as abusers of social programs go, I’m sorry but the greatest abusers of social programs where by the same grope who started them.  Started for "white" by "whites" not others.  Hope you have a nice day.  No offence intended.
103062
Offense takes place when someone FEELS offended. Whether someone "should" be offended is impossible to know. And deciding from a third-person perspective that someone else SHOULDN'T be offended is an exercise in futility.\n\nThat being said, from history and experience, it seems to be the case that the 'n-word' offends a great many people for a variety of different reasons. And reactions to it vary even for a single individual depending on context. If someone were to call me the n-word to my face, I'd probably giggle, since I'm a middle-aged white geezer. If the same person were to use the n-word in anger to an African-American friend, I'd be offended. If Eddie Murphy riffs on the n-word, I laugh. If a white person were to refer to Murphy with the n-word, I'd be offended. \n\nThe weird thing here is that my offense isn't confined to what affects me personally. We can take offense - and probably SHOULD - when we, precisely, are not the focus of racism, sexism, or prejudice. Being offended in that situation has to do with exercising the empathy and compassion that are absolutely essential to getting along in a difficult world.
12904
a derogatory word becomes offensive only when it is intended to be offensive.  This is why, I believe, "nigger" can be used by african-americans, but not by whites.  This is why my african-american student Antoine could call my white student Grace "my nigger", but Grace would have a more difficult time calling Antoine "my nigger"\nIt's all about context, connotations, and sensitivity (or insensitivity) to feelings.\nThis is also why this program turned the "n" word into a series of asterisks, rather than allowing my original post to go unedited.  The word is too commonly used in an offensive way, so even though I'm not trying to be offensive, it still won't let me use the word.
830131
Good point. Some people would contradict themselves with this.  I personally think that being with someone outside of your race is wonderful. However, if someone chooses to be with someone of their own race, it is their personal choice, and does not make them racist right off. If they want someone the same race for morals and that they share similar beliefs, I would not consider them racist. But if they want someone the same race solely because of their color, etc, that is a bit racist.
874082
Yes, it is not racist to want to preserve your culture. So, ignore the childish name callers.