The only race to embrace our disgrace...

Why do people insist on calling yourselves Nigga’z or blacks?

Who started these bogus words? Racist men did and if people are happy being degraded for the sake of racist people it’s your choice.

Just remember black is the opposite of white yet none of us are black, but brown. I wouldn’t be proud of calling myself black, I’m insulted by the word as much as I’m insulted by the word nigga, I don’t have black skin, I don’t have black eyes, hell I don’t even have black hair. I’m brown like all African descendants. The sooner people realize that calling ourselves black is intended as an insult the sooner we will move on. Also Negro, nigger and nigga are racist terms, they all had the same meaning as black at one point and nothing has changed. The meaning of a word stays the same no matter who uses it and regardless of how you mean it. Nigga is as racist when a black person says it as it is when a white person says it. The individual using the word doesn’t have to be racist for the word to have racist meanings behind it.

I hear people everywhere saying whass up nigga and stuff, I’m not joking if anyone calls me a nigga they better hope they know me because I’ll kick their head in. I personally would like to be called African, and if you want to get more technical I’m Ugandan, but if you’re willing to specify a little more I’m of the Lango tribe lol. But honestly black and nigga are very degrading words… and how come so many things beginning with black have bad meanings, when white is always good, pure or innocence,

For example: black lie (which is the worst type of lie), black heart (evil or heartless), black whole (its not even black its invisible), black cat (honestly its getting ridicules), black magic (which is evil witchcraft) and when thinking of the word black what comes to mind? Mourning, darkness, doubt, ignorance, uncertainty, evil, hate, night. There are not always bad things linked to black but the majority is negative.

Anyway please look up these books and look at the subject of calling people black and the negative implications of the words:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frantz_Fanon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou

And

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Ellison

Stay blessed,

Peace.

Post Edited:2008-04-16 14:51:42

weather witch says:

"where im from everyone calls each other nigga no one takes it as a insult....most ppl i live with r black and when they see me at parties ppl scram wats up white girl....no one takes it that serious...i dont live in london so i dont kno ya'lls life but where i live it aint that big of deal unless ppl say that sh!t outta hate or in an argument...and if they do the white kids n black kids make them wish they didnt...yea there r a lot of raceist ppl out there but black and white r jus shortcuts cause no one i kno wants to say african american, or native american, or european american jus to describe how someone looks....but on the n words i agree its degrading and foolish and stupid as f@ck to say but jus cause someones says "yea billy is black" doesnt mean they r being raceist or callin him the n word....and the whole black heart and black lie....dude ur lookin way to into those words cause it aint like anyone say "ooo u told a black lie" anymore they r old as f@ck words...and if race is that big of a deal to u u gonna keep thinkin bout it and thinkin bout it until u eventually turn urself against all ppl not ur race....pll jus need to let race go...who gives a f@ck if ur darker or lighter ur still jus a tiny person in a huge a$$ world and we already got enough problems then to worry bout if people dont like us for being a different color"

Gambler says:

"And white people aren't really white, and rednecks don't really have rednecks. Words as well as their meaning changes over time. Fag use to mean a Cigarette, gay use to mean happy, etc etc.. If two friends are joking around and one says, "Ah get outta ya sonnovabitch" is he really calling his friend a bastard? Of course not. There are many different ways to use many different words. Personally I think some people are over sensitive.Like it or not the word "Nigga" and "Nigger" are two separate words with two separate meanings. As a black man I have absolutely no problem referring to myself as black, in fact I'm proud of it. Black Panthers, Black Pride, Black Unity, Black is Beautiful. We came up with these. I find it rather empowering that the Black man was able to take words that where once used to degrade them and make them their own.You've cherry picked the negatives associated with the word Black. The color black has long been associated with power, rebellion, and strength.Maybe its different for you because your from Africa? I don't know I'm asking. But if something called me an African I'd take it as an insult. I'm a Black man who's American. I ain't from Africa, my parents ain't from Africa. Sure if I traced my heritage back far enough then someone at some point obviously was. But when do we stop considering ourselves African American? I hate that term. You don't see White Americans saying "Well I'm Dutch American, or British American" which, if you think about it seems ridiculous."

(snaps poetry club style)

Gambler says:

"And white people aren't really white, and rednecks don't really have rednecks. Words as well as their meaning changes over time. Fag use to mean a Cigarette, gay use to mean happy, etc etc.. If two friends are joking around and one says, "Ah get outta ya sonnovabitch" is he really calling his friend a bastard? Of course not. There are many different ways to use many different words. Personally I think some people are over sensitive. Like it or not the word "Nigga" and "Nigger" are two separate words with two separate meanings. As a **black** man I have absolutely no problem referring to myself as black, in fact I'm proud of it. Black Panthers, Black Pride, Black Unity, Black is Beautiful. We came up with these. I find it rather empowering that the **Black** man was able to take words that where once used to degrade them and make them their own. You've cherry picked the negatives associated with the word Black. The color black has long been associated with power, rebellion, and strength. Maybe its different for you because your from Africa? I don't know I'm asking. But if something called me an African I'd take it as an insult. I'm a Black man who's American. I ain't from Africa, my parents ain't from Africa. Sure if I traced my heritage back far enough then someone at some point obviously was. But when do we stop considering ourselves African American? I hate that term. You don't see White Americans saying "Well I'm Dutch American, or British American" which, if you think about it seems ridiculous.
Post Edited:2008-04-16 15:23:26"

@ Weather witch and gambler

Yeh you guys are right but you seriously missed my point. I’m trying to say that we don’t need to use these words to refer to ourselves; American, American is short enough if you ask me, you don’t see British people calling themselves African British, but I’m not sure what you think. Where I live people don’t freely go around calling people “my nigga,” it’s something only friends joke around with. The word fag still means cigarette here in the UK and gay still means happy, but mostly old people use the term. Nigger, nigg’r, nigga, niggah, niggeh, nigguh and niggur are all the same words with different spellings. Sure nigga has a different meaning, but it came from the same word. How do we expect racist people to stop calling us nigger if we go around calling ourselves nigga. I don’t know if I’m missing something but the original meaning will always remain no matter how slang decides to twist and augment it. I’m not proud of being prejudged and degraded just for the pigment of my skin. These words are what helps separate us from other (so called) races it clouds peoples from the fact that we belong to the same single race, the human race.

And @ Gambler yes I was born in Uganda but I came to England 18 years ago, I’m 19 now (so i was 1 year old.) I guess I’m thinking of it from both the Ugandan culture which I was surrounded by growing up and the British environment that I grew up in.

Lantern Prime says:

"BlackPanther says:

"Why do people insist on calling yourselves Nigga’z or blacks? Who started these bogus words? Racist men did and if people are happy being degraded for the sake of racist people it’s your choice. Just remember black is the opposite of white yet none of us are black, but brown. I wouldn’t be proud of calling myself black, I’m insulted by the word as much as I’m insulted by the word nigga, I don’t have black skin, I don’t have black eyes, hell I don’t even have black hair. I’m brown like all African descendants. The sooner people realize that calling ourselves black is intended as an insult the sooner we will move on. Also Negro, nigger and nigga are racist terms, they all had the same meaning as black at one point and nothing has changed. The meaning of a word stays the same no matter who uses it and regardless of how you mean it. Nigga is as racist when a black person says it as it is when a white person says it. The individual using the word doesn’t have to be racist for the word to have racist meanings behind it. I hear people everywhere saying whass up nigga and stuff, I’m not joking if anyone calls me a nigga they better hope they know me because I’ll kick their head in. I personally would like to be called African, and if you want to get more technical I’m Ugandan, but if you’re willing to specify a little more I’m of the Lango tribe lol. But honestly black and nigga are very degrading words… and how come so many things beginning with black have bad meanings, when white is always good, pure or innocence, For example: black lie (which is the worst type of lie), black heart (evil or heartless), black whole (its not even black its invisible), black cat (honestly its getting ridicules), black magic (which is evil witchcraft) and when thinking of the word black what comes to mind? Mourning, darkness, doubt, ignorance, uncertainty, evil, hate, night. There are not always bad things linked to black but the majority is negative. Anyway please look up these books and look at the subject of calling people black and the negative implications of the words: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frantz_Fanon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou And http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Ellison Stay blessed, Peace.http://www.youtube.com/v/TwoISk4oKBI&hl=en width=425 height=355 type=application/x-shockwave-flash wmode="transparent">
Post Edited:2008-04-16 14:51:42"

eh is that what u like? What Gambler said ......... **POWER TO THE PEOPLE!**"

O_O I SAID THAT!

I am Irish and every now again I get called a Mick from an Italian. Doen't bother me none.

I agree with Gambler, its how the individual perceives it.

"At the end of the day its just words. They only have power if you let them."

I can see how people originally using the word 'nigga' was meant to be a way of taking the word from racists and de-powering the phrase, BUT i still dont like it. I think it causes way to many problems. As my British brothers will know the killers of Steven Laurence had managed to defend their use of the word 'NIGGER' by telling the court they meant it in the street way and that blacks called themselves 'NIGGA' all the time. Also i think the N word is a bit like smoking. Not every black person wants to hear that word so when you come into contact with new people [black,white or whatever] and they use the word in front of you like its nothing, with no regards to how it may make you feel, it can be very awkward. As an English boy of West Indian descent i didnt grow up with the blacks i knew ever using this word, and only recently with exposure to movies and music from the States has it entered youth language and therefore a lot of young people see it as acceptable and dont question its meaning. The word Black on the other hand i have no problem with. In this country it was a positive step as it was the first term that peoples of colour [yes back in the day in England if you werent White you were black didnt matter where you came from] chose for themselves, rather than had imposed upon them: yes i know my skin isnt black and because of the nature of many West Indian backgrounds being mixed race you could say its not a good thing to call yourself, but i think the word black is a better unifyer with less offensive connotations and is something people can draw pride from.

Gambler says:

"BlackPanther says:

"@ Weather witch and gamblerYeh you guys are right but you seriously missed my point. I’m trying to say that we don’t need to use these words to refer to ourselves; American, American is short enough if you ask me, you don’t see British people calling themselves African British, but I’m not sure what you think. Where I live people don’t freely go around calling people “my nigga,” it’s something only friends joke around with. The word fag still means cigarette here in the UK and gay still means happy, but mostly old people use the term. Nigger, nigg’r, nigga, niggah, niggeh, nigguh and niggur are all the same words with different spellings. Sure nigga has a different meaning, but it came from the same word. How do we expect racist people to stop calling us nigger if we go around calling ourselves nigga. I don’t know if I’m missing something but the original meaning will always remain no matter how slang decides to twist and augment it. I’m not proud of being prejudged and degraded just for the pigment of my skin. These words are what helps separate us from other (so called) races it clouds peoples from the fact that we belong to the same single race, the human race.And @ Gambler yes I was born in Uganda but I came to England 18 years ago, I’m 19 now (so i was 1 year old.) I guess I’m thinking of it from both the Ugandan culture which I was surrounded by growing up and the British environment that I grew up in."

If a word is spelled differently and has a different meaning, then how is it the same word? People are racist not because of the words they choice to call people, their racist because of their actions/believes/upbringing. People who prejudge you would do so regardless of the words. I'm kinda lost on that one. They're prejudging you by calling you Black? But once you set them straight and tell them your Brown it will change their perception of you? I don't get it.

Like I said, you where born in Africa so your views and mine are going to be drastically different on the subject. At the end of the day its just words. They only have power if you let them."

True, sea and see are not the same word. but does the meaning of the word nigga change when its said in the context of a white person shouting it angrily at a black individual? with what your saying racist people have the right to use the word nigga just as much as we do and even if they mean it in a racist way the word is nigga and not nigger so what they said is not racist. when someone says it out loud it sounds exactly the same, but then again I guess your right. if you feel empowered by the word nigga you'll use it as it has a meaning to you, but most of the world see it negatively. rappers have a bad reputation for calling each other nigga's. to most successful people a nigga is not the same as a black person. they are unsuccessful thugs, well that's how people have described the difference in the past. OK, black is not as bad but nigga is still as degrading as calling our women bitches.

By the way, I was told that nigga means (N)aturally (I)ntelligent (G)od (G)ifted (A)fricans. even though you don't like calling yourself african american you call yourself african when you say nigga lol. i'm just joking.

Anyway stay blessed Bro,

Peace

I just wonder where it started and how it caught on?

White Mage says:

"Jax says:

"I just wonder where it started and how it caught on?"

The white man. "

Ok that answered my question a little bit. Why did we start saying it?

King Saturn says:

"Jax says:

"White Mage says:

"Jax says:

"I just wonder where it started and how it caught on?"

The white man. "

Ok that answered my question a little bit. Why did we start saying it?"

Hmm...good question. But I think it was because in the slavery days blacks would hear the slavemaster call a black nigger and we associated that to who we were not knowing any better. If you ever seen the miniseries Roots you would hear blacks at times call another black nigger. "

I've seen Roots in school. It's actually a good portal to the past.

King Saturn says:

"Jax says:

"White Mage says:

"Jax says:

"I just wonder where it started and how it caught on?"

The white man. "

Ok that answered my question a little bit. Why did we start saying it?"

Hmm...good question. But I think it was because in the slavery days blacks would hear the slavemaster call a black nigger and we associated that to who we were not knowing any better. If you ever seen the miniseries Roots you would hear blacks at times call another black nigger. "

I think the right answer is that the meaning of the word nigger and Negro means black in a few Latin languages and considering that many slave drivers were Portuguese and Spanish its not hard to see how these words came to be. the word black is just the English equivalents of Negro or nigger and it has exactly the same meaning as those words. i can understand how people these days want to find their identity in the word but it doesn't take away the meaning. anyway i don't mind the word black now as its a common word used to refer to darker skinned individuals, but the use of the word nigga is ridiculous, especially as racist people are using it as an excuse.

Logic Mark, I still remember the whole situation of Steven Laurence and the way the government handled it. I hate to say it but if Steven was white and the killers were black I'm sure justice would of been found.

I remember when Anthony Walker was axed to death near my house because he had a white girlfiend, he was only 18. he was on his way to become a lawyer and he was studying in college before he would go to university: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/4730559.stm

and I also remember reading about a white couple adopted a black child and they left her in the garden all summer with no protection because they thought that she will not be burnt by the scorching heat. she died of dehydration and skin cancer at the age of 6 or 7, I cant remember her name or her exact age because I cant find the article. they said that they heard that black people have thinner skin than white people and are more adapted to the heat so they decided to do an experiment on this kid. I couldn't believe what I was reading, they were sick in the head for doing something so heartless.

Anyway stay blessed,

Peace