White People, It's OK To Use The N-Word.

Just don't use it on the bus, that's frowned upon.

Now, for this thread to work. For you to have the experience I wish you to have, I need you suitably angry.

So watch this:



Did you watch it?

Go back and watch it.

No really, watch it.

I can wait........

Done? Good.

So, do you feel angry with that video? Angry with the title of this thread? If so good, we need that anger, for the duration of this thread at least.

Cultural Appropriation

Cultural appropriation is the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of another culture. Cultural appropriation is seen as controversial, even harmful, notably when the cultural property of a minority group is used by members of the dominant culture without the consent of the members of the originating culture

I watched a video around a week ago stating that appropriation of other cultures is bad, BAD damn it!

I am here to argue that cultural appropriation (CA for the rest of the thread), is in fact a component of situation, not race and that its is in fact the key to binding all cultures in this vastly multicultural world.

And I'll start with a personal story.

I grew up in area of Britain where to be intellectually was to be bullied, an area where drug dealing was done by 12 year olds. Well I was a 9 year old-12 year old (I've always been older than I am, old soul maybe?). By the age of 10 I had sold pretty much all forms of drugs, to all forms for users. Coke for the posh, cannabis for the elderly, Junk for the junkies. By 12 I had seen what most people haven't seen in 50 years of life. Stabbings, burglaries, possible rape.

Through all of those years and to this day there has been a running theme connecting me to another culture. Rap Music.

A music that started its life in the urban slums of America, rhyming words design to highlight the cultural plight of the black race in a country that was seeing the death throws of years of hardened economic racism. This music, born a world away, had an effect on a young white boy growing up on a different continent.

Why? Because I didn't see black people rapping. I saw other people, more articulate artists speaking of my world. The life I was living was being shared in other parts of the western world through a media I could understand. 2pac, Biggie, NWO and later Eminem were (and still are) my gods.

These years consisted of violence, mainly, with other gangs that were centred around race. Not so much whites against blacks, although we did clash, most of our fighting was against Asian (Muslims to you yanks out there). We where constantly going to war with the Asian gangs. Except for Thursdays. On Thursdays there were no stabbings, no beatings, no wheeling, no dealing. Why? Cause it was Rap battle night down the local youth club, a night were we destroyed each other with words, not whips.

Over the years these 'gang/racial' tensions would die down with each and every battle rap. Ultimately though it was a large investment by an Automotive company that gave our parents well paying jobs that completely killed the gang scene.

But in a world where division is all too apparent. Rap, more so UK Grime now, is still a key ingredient in racial and cultural cooperation. This is why even to this day, almost 20 years later, that same battle rap night still happens every Thursday.

So why is it OK for White People to say the N-word? Because it is the artists intent. Because we need to understand that you can be an N word without being black, you can be a P word without being Asian, you can be a H word without being white.

Now, listen to this and chill.



ALS

a reply to: ALSGoes4th

She Physically Assaulted him for being a SNIP . END of Story .

a reply to: Zanti Misfit

What an informative and well thought out reply.

We can have bounds of discussion based of your assertion.

ALS

a reply to: ALSGoes4th

No , it would be a Short Discussion . There is Nothing More to read into that . She was Offended that a White Person would Parrot her Ethnic Heritage in Appearance and Mannerisms . She was trying to Shame Him , it did not work .

I'll pass, thanks for the heads up though.

a reply to: ALSGoes4th

Honestly as a black man,rather a confident black man with no complex of inferiority,no single word can get me that worked up....I know N...az,Wiggaz and Chiggaz.N...a as come to mean dude,bro,girl(yes girls of all races do call themselves that).

When you allow a single word to have so much influence on you,you are slave to that word.Just my .02

I don't think rap is the key, more the willingness to put things aside and be in the company of, and communicate with your enemies.

Rap was just a vehicle.

A similar thing happened in an area where I live, it wasn't rap that changed things but sports like football and pool. One thing really sticks with me, and it's how obvious the relief was when enemies began a dialogue, and how keen some folk were to pursue the path of peace.

It's kinda odd and a bit icky at first, seeing people who fought for years pat one another on the back. Good friendships were forged between people you'd have thought would never see eye to eye.

Still, it's a healthy way to look at things. If rapping works for folk then great, more power to ya.

a reply to: ALSGoes4th

I know the lives you describe and listen to a lot of similar music. Not much Grime these days because I'm too old now unless someone else is playing it.

Here in NW England, it's the same sort of thing with gang culture and I hate having to use 'culture' at all. Groups of bored kids group together and get high, get laid and fight over territory. Northern towns have whites mixed with blacks and the Asian lads mostly stick to their own. Most of the fights go down in the parks at night and tend to be about who deals what and where. Yeah, a degree of racism works too, but less than people think. The racial differences are more like clothing differences.

I generally think 'n-word' is a sh*t word for anyone to use and maybe that's my white educated ass talking? I know all about the reasons it was 'reclaimed' and I also get the cultural appropriation thing. Jeez, kids talk normal at home and hit the streets with this messed up Asian/Black/Caribbean hybrid accent and freaky lingo. "Ya gets me bruv?" North and South; all the same talking. Appropriation isn't always a positive thing. It's ironic in bringing diverse groups across the world together, but their values are often against their own good and the societies they live within.

One point. You've been away a long time and won't see any of the type of discussion you were expecting.

a reply to: ThreeDots

Sport was a big factor for us back then too.

Although I do remember a fair few fights after matches but then this was the late heyday of football hooliganism and a lot of parents on the white side were firm members.

For us Rap was firmly the key, it opened doors of discussion in an artistic manner.

a reply to: wildapache

A Wise Man once said....Sticks and Stones may Break my Bones , but Words will Never Hurt me If I Look Pass the Ignorance of them and just Move On with my Life ... ......

It's my opinion that the video looked 'set up'.

Her questioning someone filming their encounter seemed insincere.

There is much CA in the world today, not just in the use of language. Although there are many artists I admire, they are not my Gods and I see them for story tellers or the entertainers that they are.

If folks choose rap to begin discussions or aid in bridging divides, then good for them. Words are just words though, aren't they? There must be action as well.

My very best friend of over 30 years is black and came up in the ghettos and projects of Tampa FL.
I would never use in her presence or call her the N word for the same reasons that she would never use in my presence or call me a Cracker, respect.

I suppose to each their own (even artists, some of whom use it for shock value, IMO) and choosing to use the word is one's own decision.

originally posted by: ALSGoes4th
a reply to: Zanti Misfit

What an informative and well thought out reply.

We can have bounds of discussion based of your assertion.

ALS

That was an assault and I guarantee if he had assaulted her in that manner he would be getting arrested and probably kicked out of school right now. The Assault was the biggest part of that video. I'm with Zanti.

a reply to: Zanti Misfit

Bits to live by....

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: ALSGoes4th


One point. You've been away a long time and won't see any of the type of discussion you were expecting.

Partly the reason I made my first thread a controversial one. I need to gauge which way the needle has swung.

I too generally think the N-word is a bit naff, its the context of the word I find important. An oppressive word who's context transcends cultural and racial barriers, or at least should.

ALS

a reply to: ALSGoes4th

An oppressive word who's context transcends cultural and racial barriers, or at least should.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda, right?

It was used to dehumanise black slaves and is still being used to this day. It was 'reclaimed' to reject its negative values and has been 'reinvented' again as a tool of white nationalism.

A six-letter word sure holds a lot of context.

A magic wand might make the word go away and the contexts and emotions and conflicts would still be with us.

a reply to: ALSGoes4th

Heh, yeah...in the UK sport can bring out the violent side in even 'civilised' people.

I live in Scotland, but lived in England for a long time (south London) where rap is a much bigger deal. Maybe anything creative is a good starting point. A local youth group were tasked recently with tidying up and decorating public parks and other areas - free reign to spray paint various artworks, etc.

It's a release I guess, my friends and I were into boxing and tended to shy away from gang culture. We attended a local youth club which was the starting point for repairing a lot of, pretty pointless territorial riffs that had been in place since before most of the current gang members were even born.

They just adapted to their situation, but had no real dog in the fight. It's quite a strange situation, funny how people just go with the flow nad don't question the situation.

originally posted by: wildapache
a reply to: ALSGoes4th

Honestly as a black man,rather a confident black man with no complex of inferiority,no single word can get me that worked up....I know N...az,Wiggaz and Chiggaz.N...a as come to mean dude,bro,girl(yes girls of all races do call themselves that).

When you allow a single word to have so much influence on you,you are slave to that word.Just my .02

Everyone I know knows that skin color, religion, political affiliation et al. are irrelevant idioms, it really does simply come down to the content of your character and how you conduct yourself that counts - most of us are accepting of differing opinions but those that are not and decide to show their true colours by hysterical actions and diatribe make fools of themselves..............and everyone pities a fool.

Excellent topic and repies. Yall N****z keep it up!!

a reply to: Kandinsky

In reply to this....
www.youtube.com...

I can't say that I have any hope anyone will bother, but if you make it to minute six ...I personally reject that an assemblage of letters define me, define you. Being hung up on labels only diverts us from larger issues and holds us back from our potential, from better things.

In the video all parties are young. That struck me as sad the indoctrination takes hold so soon in our lives.

a reply to: Caver78

On it now

6 minutes is like reading a dictionary these days. Why you make me do this? Why?!