New York County Abolishes The Use Of The N-Word

Westchester County, NY, which is north of Manhattan, has symbolically eliminated the use of the N-word with a resolution passed on Monday. Similar resolutions are being considered in NYC and in the US House of Representatives, with action considered by Charlie Rangel.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The Westchester County Legislature declared the "symbolic elimination" of a common racial slur, saying its use "remains damaging, divisive and derogatory."

Referring to the slur only as "The `N' word," the resolution passed Monday in this county north of Manhattan says it "is used in an ignorant and derogatory fashion to demean a black person."

Legislator Clinton Young, who is black and drafted the resolution, said in an interview, "I hear it just too much in my community and in other communities throughout America. No matter who uses it or how they use it, it's demeaning."

"If people knew the origin of the word, I believe they would stop using it," he said.

Asked if the resolution, which passed unanimously, impinged on free speech, he said, "We can exercise free speech by choosing not to use this hateful word."
www.foxnews.com...

It can be a hateful word, no doubt. However, the impact of this resolution remains to be seen. Can the use of it be considered a hate crime? And does it impinge upon the First Amendment, which grants us the right of freedom of expression?


!!!WARNING!!! The following link contains very graphic and disturbing images.

www.abolishthenword.com...


The full text of the resolution can be seen here.

polhudson.lohudblogs.com...-1619

Horrid word but free speach will win out in the end. Banning it could also open the doors for other words to be banned.. taking PC to the extreme or, in the event other racist words weren't banned as well.. it could cause resentment for the government from other racial groups. Some words just shouldn't be used at all.. but you can't govern poor taste. The only practical way to deal with it is to change the culture itself so people show eachother more respect.. might not be as easy as changing laws but at least it would be real.

[edit on 13-2-2007 by riley]

The word is probably used by blacks more than any other race. Just listen to rap.

The resolution is toothless, anyway. It would never stand up to a court challenge.

Originally posted by jsobecky
The word is probably used by blacks more than any other race. Just listen to rap.

yep rap uses this word all the time, what they going to do, are they going to get rid of all rap music, i think not. blacks use this word far more than any white.

This is just another deflection to push buttons and incite heated debate about what "in reality" is a nonissue.

The word has been around for along time and is used frequently, whether it's used in rap, or friendship, or in a derogatory way matters not to me, if it is offensive I tune it out, after all it is only a word.

Legislators should represent their communities in more responsible and effective ways to try and improve REAL needs (homeless, jobless, health care, etc.) Something where the results are tangible not to waste the taxpayers money to tell them that a word is unsuitable...
Most rational people understand this already.....

I totally agree with JacKatMtn.

I also wonder how people will react to being told they cannot use this word, especially those who use it in just about every sentence.

This quote I fine especially ignorant:

Asked if the resolution, which passed unanimously, impinged on free speech, he said, "We can exercise free speech by choosing not to use this hateful word."

Well, then we're not exercising free speech are we? We're having it taken away. I don't know how someone could say something so stupid. That's like saying someone is exercising the 2nd amendmant by having his gun taken away... :shk:

Edit: And you can bet they won't be abolishing any other derogatory slang names for any other races or groups of people. I could list them here, but I won't.

A word has as much power as people let it have. In the past, I couldn't bring myself to even utter the N-word, even in private conversation talking about the word, and I thought it was out of respect for black people. But I realized how much power I was giving to the word and decided to stop doing that. So now, if I want to talk about the word or joke around with my husband, I will use it. Just like any other word.

Let them come after me!

[edit on 13-2-2007 by Benevolent Heretic]

This just in, the crime rates in Yonkers have skyrocketed because all of the police are behind bars. Coffee sales city wide have declined over twenty percent and talk of a nationwide N word ban has caused Dunkin' Donuts' stock to plummet.

Eck, politicians are getting paid out of taxpayer pockets to do this symbolic nonsense. How about you fix westchester county's rampant corruption before you pass symbolic laws that don't have a snowballs chance in hell of ever being enfoced, let alone held up in court.

And these types of laws should never be passed, because although they seem like a "powerful statement" now, what about later? Remember the Texas sodomy trial?
www.law.cornell.edu...

Obviously they couldn't jail two men for a homosexual act, but how much money was wasted on complete nonsense?

I'm ashamed to have voted for these tools.

This is ridiculous. It means about as much as when San Francisco's city hall voted to impeach Bush or the "non-binding" resolution Washington is our time and money on.

Or, it does mean somthing. It means that governments have set up the framework for national political correctness ala the USSR. You ban one word then another then, since jail is overkill for the offenders, you send them to court mandated "sensativity" training to re-program to think the "right" way.

Whatever this is it wont be good for any of us. That is, any of us that arent in the top tier of politics and willing participants of the mass corruption.

Ban the speech, take the guns, force medicate and vaccinate, regulate the food and water, tax property and wages, national I.D......

Are so many people really ignoring all thats happening?
Or do so many people think this is all good for us?

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Are so many people really ignoring all thats happening?
Or do so many people think this is all good for us?

You know, I wonder about this. I think it's a little of both. With a few more thrown in.

Of course, there are those who never use the word, so it doesn't bother them and as long as it doesn't hit home, they don't care. They don't see it as a encroachment because it doesn't come close to their vocabulary or their existence. And even if they do see it, they think that the government would never go so far as to actually do anything (serious) that would challenge the first amendment. That's what they tell themselves.

Then there are the mothers who think it's a good idea because they don't want their 4-year-old hearing it.

Then there are those who will never even hear about this because - shut up, the game's on. Where's my pot pie?

People who would be arrested for this would be African-American's. They are the only ones who say it with a norm.
Can you imagin the first black guy arrested for using the N-word on his friends.
There will be riots if this is enforced.

[edit on 16-2-2007 by Royal76]

how about "white trash" or "hillbilly"...those are still legal?


Just asking.

Swimmer, of COURSE, they're legal! If it offends white people or describes white people, it doesn't count. Take cracker (cracka, crack), whitey, honky, white boy, wigger... They're all perfectly legal. Because white people deserve to be disrespected.

See?

/sarcasm

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
If it offends white people or describes white people, it doesn't count.

It does seem to be that way, doesn't it? BTW .. all those terms you listed that are anti-white ... when ever I hear someone say them I just have to laugh. They sound so stuuuuuuuuuupid. Anyone who would really use them in anger looks like a jester to me.

Originally posted by Royal76
People who would be arrested for this would be African-American's. They are the only ones who say it with a norm.

In New York?? Yep. That also does seem to be the way it is. I hear the word flowing from black commedians all the time. Guess they'll be out of business ... or bleeped on TV ... in New York.