Poltiical Correctness And Double Standards With 'Hate Speech'

I was recently watching CNN, the Paula Zahn show (how that woman
got her own show is beyond me), and they were talking about racism,
now this got me to thinking, and I really realized how many double
standards have asrisen with Poltically Correct censoring of speech.

The primary example of this being the 'N word', now black people can
say it, both the version that ends with er and a, and mexican people
can get away with it some of the time, yet when a person of any other
ethnicality says it, regardless of the context, it's considered hate spech,
and even at times a hate crime.

Another example, though depending on where you hail from, may not
be as bad, is the term Fag/got, now people who prefer the same sex
can get away with saying this, and indeed I'm using the loophole right
now just today it, yet someone else who says it is considered using
hate speech.

Now, personally I get why it's considered so bad, but to have double
standards like this is completely ridiculous, and indeed the entire idea
of turning certain speech into a crime itself is completely wrong and in
my opinion borders on treason.

If you're offended by a word/term, get over it, there are lots of things
that I have heard said that have ofended me, but I don't think they
should be illegal, I just forget about it, if they take physical action, than
I would want to see them arrested, but if they just said the F word or
the N word, I really just would'nt care as much.


I am interested in the opinions and comments of everyone on this topic.

[edit on 2/3/2007 by iori_komei]

I think with the N word and the F word they have both at times in history ended or began with violence or even the killing of people from the communities, so it's more than just a word that offended someone, it's the history of hatred, prejudice and violence that goes with it.

Having said that, I think if a word is offensive for one, it should be offensive for all. Either makes the words bad across the board and just don't use them, or just don't use them.

I don't use either of the words in casual conversation. I can't bring myself to say the N-word at all, but sometimes joking with my husband, I'll say the F word. In fact, I was awake for several hours in the night and one of the thoughts that flitted through my head was "I wonder if anyone ever uses the F-word as a verb"... Now that that's out of the way...

I dislike the double standard, but I don't let it bother me too much. My thought on it is that these words were perceived as carrying a lot of power when wielded as an insult toward black people and gay people. When they 'adopted' these words to use in their own circles, they "took the power" away from those who would disrespect them with these words.

I can understand that. Much like women sometimes call each other "bitches".

I personally don't think words can hurt people (whatever happened to
sticks and stones'?) and I don't think words should be considered when charging a crime or be made illegal. That's just nuts, to me.

But I also think that if these words are offensive in themselves, when spoken by certain persons, then they should not be spoken by anyone. In other words, I have a real problem with double standards, so I try not to practice them. When I see others practicing double standards, I usually bring it up, but then just shake my head at the excuses that they inevitable spew.

Good subject, iori.

I think that Blacks and Gays are both trying to reclaim those words, i.e., trying to turn those words, thought of as insulting, into something positive. That would be a big difference between those 2 groups using the words, and the rest of the population using those words.

The words themselves cause pain to my ears everytime I hear them - mainly because they were used so ruthlessly at people when I was growing up.

I still cannot, to this day, stand the sound of either word being said. It just grates on my nerves, regardless of the context.

But when dealing with people who use such terminology on a daily basis (regardless of their race) - you have to grant a little allowance that they may not be the brightest crayon in the box to begin with.

Not every black person is ok with the N word being used. Not everyone sees it as recliaming power. I know Oprah sure does not and she does not think that this should be used, as do some others persons.

Also not every gay person has embraced the F word, depending on how it was used when you were a kid, it might have a larger impact that on today's generation that might take it with less offense, so we should also not generalise.

I think however the double standard can get confusing for some people and they honestly don't understand why they can't use the words, when they see others using it in a communal fashion. That's why I think that the words should be avoided in general if at all possible.

I also don't think they should be considered in all cases in being sentance, but if this was racially motivated in addition then it's something that has to be looked into as well.

Originally posted by Harassment101
Not every black person is ok with the N word being used. Not everyone sees it as recliaming power. I know Oprah sure does not and she does not think that this should be used, as do some others persons.

You're right. I was speaking only of people who do use the words. I can't see Oprah dropping the N-bomb.

I also don't think they should be considered in all cases in being sentance, but if this was racially motivated in addition then it's something that has to be looked into as well.

Why? Why is a racially motivated crime worse than one that was motivated by anger, let's say?

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic

I also don't think they should be considered in all cases in being sentance, but if this was racially motivated in addition then it's something that has to be looked into as well.

Why? Why is a racially motivated crime worse than one that was motivated by anger, let's say?

I think he means if the person saying the N word or F word was using
it as a racial slur, or if they were just saying it the way some black or
gay people would say the words.

That should be considered, like if it was said hatefully it eould be a
crime, but if it were said the other way, it would'nt.

HI Benevolent Heretic.

I think all crimes are bad, but if you are kicking the crap out of a person who is hetrosexual and drop the F word, it's different than kicking the crap out of someone that is Gay and dropping the F word.

In the first case it not only probably does not have the same power to hurt, but the motivation would be different, since you clearly did not attact them because of their sexuality.

If you do this to someone who is gay and then use the word, not only could it emotionally harm them on top of this, but then it shows that your motivation might well have been motivated based on their sexuality and then the wording should possibly be considered. That is the distinction for me.

The same with if you attack a black person and use the N word vs calling them something else, we can in the first senario say it was more than likely racially motivated in addition to being violent but in the second senario, we might assume that it was just an act of violence, which is still just as back, but there is a different impact with the use of the words during violent actions and how they are precieved, and expreienced internally.

That in my opinion is the difference.

To just use the term "N Word" implies that you thought of the word that the phrase represents. So wouldn't you still be able to be accused of "Hate Thought" or "Thought Crime?" In fact, by mearly typing "N Word" I had to think of the word that it represents. On no, I did it again...

Hey everybody, I say those words all the time. In fact, since Michael Richards' little tirade, I say them even more. First thing I do in the morning is roll outta bed and yell "nigga" at the top of my lungs.

I'm getting really sick of old guilty white men tryin' ruin everybody elses good time. Go be guilty on your own time and stop tryin' to drag me into it.

Well, I'm gay (but celibate, not that's it's relevant to this thread).
I do know after spending 15 years as an out gay man that the word faggot is also offensive when used between gay men. I never heard any gay men refer to themselves as faggots (maybe it was just the ones I knew in my 15 years out). As a gay man, if I really wanted to piss another gay man off, all I had to do was call him a "faggot" and hair and claws would be flying. Gay men preferred to be called simply "gay" or "homosexual".

"Faggot" is not a word used in the gay community as a term of endearment or familiarity.

Do not be mistaken, it's taken as an insult no matter what your sexual orientation is.

[edit on 4-2-2007 by rocknroll]

Hi Sunsetspawn.

I don't know that it's a matter of being guilty vs being considerate, if the word is offensive, then I just try to not use it. Some people growing up had that word used to torture and hurt them and it's not acceptable under any circumstances. Other it did not have the same impact and they would not be as offensive.

I just think if you are going to hurt someone by using it, then it might be better to avoid it, but we all have to do what suits us best.

Hi rocknroll.

I guess there you have it, the F word just like the N word is not appropriate for members of some communities. I think 20 years ago, both words had such negative connotations that they were immediately fighting words, now in some cases they might have less impact, but they are also for many still hurtful and should be avoided if it's going to cause offense.

Again just like some black people would never use the N word, some gay people would never use the F word.

I can see where some people would precieve a double standard happening with the words, get confused and that's why I think the words should be avioded.