He said the N word!!!

I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of hearing that some celebrity said "The N Word" or some other word that is offensive to one particular group of society and got fired.

Dear America,

Do you think no one ever says Nigger, Faggot or Retard except a very few inbred citizens?

Seriously?

Everybody says something that would be offensive to one group or another at some point. Most of us just don't have it broadcast worldwide within 24 hours because nobody cares what Joe Everyman is doing at home.

Get over it.

Sincerely,
Angelika

The subject of "The N Word" occasionally comes up at JJHF.

I am amused every time a non black person tells me that they are offended by it.

My mother came of age, in the south, during the Civil Rights Movement. She probably grew up hearing "Nigger" and "Colored" all the time. It's why I don't really hold it against her that she still has problems accepting that not all white people are card carrying members of the KKK.

I've heard stories from her about working for "Good White Folks". I've heard about her having to sit in the balcony at movie theaters. I've heard how white people routinely referred to black men as "boy". (She hates it when I call Evan "Boy", btw.)

I get that she, and other people who were alive at that time, hate the word "Nigger".

I've been called "Nigger" before too. Back when I was in elementary school in Maryland, some boy called me "Nigger". I'd never heard it before. I didn't know what it was supposed to mean, I just knew that it was supposed to upset me.

When I was about 13 I was the token black at a slumber party and some girl was telling a story. She said "It was either hit the nigger or hit the wall, so I hit the wall." I said "Why didn't you hit the nigger?" You should have seen her face! Then all the apologies started "OMG! I'm so sorry. I'm not a racist! Some of my best friends are black. Yada yada." Then she said "I just don't think of you as a black person. You don't talk like them."

*sigh*

I've heard this shit thousands of times over the years. That and "You remind me of Oprah."

THAT is a subject for at least 2 other posts, LOL.

Anyway, when I was 15, my father died and my mother moved us (Just me and her by then) back to the south to be near her family. That's when I started hearing "Nigger" more often.

It's amazing how often white people "forget" that I'm black....

Until half a second after they let "The N Word" slip from their lips. Then they quickly look at me and start apologizing.

I'm sure a lot of people wonder why I don't instantly get offended and jump up and start trying to fight.

1. I haven't fought since middle school.
2. I've never been arrested & I plan to keep it that way.
3. It just doesn't make my blood boil.

Maybe I've become desensitized by all the rap music I listen to? I don't know. I just think there are other things that concern me more than who called someone a nigger.

I'm SO DAMNED TIRED of hearing about celebrities being fired, or whatever, for using taboo words.

Dog the Bounty Hunter said "Nigger". You think George W. Bush has never said it? He's from Texas, LOL. You think (insert celebrity here) has never said it? I don't CARE one way or the other.

Isaiah Washington was fired for saying "Faggot". I've heard teen aged boys calling each other "Gay" or "Faggot" when they're just razzing each other.

Don Imus was fired for saying "Nappy Headed Hoes".

You've heard the saying "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"?

Think about the language YOU use every day. Some of you women probably call your best friend "bitch" every time you talk to her. Some of my online friends and I refer to each other as "Tard". Some of you males probably call each other "Homo" when you're playing basketball.

It's not a big deal in your own home or in your circle of friends.

But what if someone recorded you and then played the tape or video, out of context, of you saying those "offensive" words for your boss, your congregation at church, your little league game?

Everyone else would have to act appropriately outraged. You might get fired. Some people would probably stop talking to you.

The only difference between Dog, Washington, Imus, you and me is that they were either stupid enough to do it ON AIR, or unfortunate enough to be disliked enough to have the story leaked to the press.

I haven't spoken to my mother about the Dog situation. I honestly don't want to hear her disappointment & disgust. She was a big fan of the show. Now she will assume he's an evil racist.

In my opinion, you have to take everything that a person does into account. WE don't know these celebrities. The only ones who really know if they're actually bigots are the people who live with them and work with them.

I do not assume that Dog, Imus, and Michael Richardson are bigots. I don't assume Isaiah Washington is a homophobe. I just think they're stupid. They're in the public eye. They should have been more careful.

And I think it sucks that America, land of the free, is trying to ruin peoples lives for stupid mistakes that WE ALL make from time to time. No one died. Make them apologize and then move on.

And please, don't comment to me "I've never said (insert taboo word here) before and I don't think anyone should use those words EVER."

Yippie Skippie for you. You're a saint. You're better than me and all the other regular people.

I don't give a shit.

I'm just tired of hearing about it.