posted on October 4, 2000 03:02:57 AM new
I just wanted to say that I am not real pleased with all these items I am seeing on Ebay where somebody decided that just because the item is from 1920 and is a big-eyed black person that it is okay to just call it it a nigger in the title and description. This is especially true when the n-word or coon is not even stamped on the item, so it must be in the judgement of the seller that that's what it is! Are people really this ignorant? Who buys this junk anyway?
posted on October 4, 2000 03:55:53 AM new
i doubt many people will touch this one but i will.
its probably just keyword bait (ugly but true)
i see your point and agree except in cases of lets say a bank that was named in this manner in the 1880's but was not stamped or marked.
many items were named that way. i personally feel that should not be changed for historic reasons.
but if someone list something and just throws those words in for attention , then that is wrong.
as far as who buys it? african americans in many many cases.
why?
to preserve their history.
history bad or good must be preserved to prevent the bad from repeating itself.
if someone offends you the most powerful thing you can do is not give them your money.
posted on October 4, 2000 11:13:06 AM new
macanjan ROTFL! Your posts have been giving hilarious fits lately! (especially loved the jerry12 response about the mule!)
posted on October 4, 2000 11:16:29 AM new
Skyscout,
I agree! I am really surprised that Ebay allows these offensive and
degrading words in item descriptions.
Now, I have a literary magazine that I have been thinking about listing.
The magazine is Granta and this issue is entitled "They #*!@ You Up",
based on a poem by Philip Larkin. I wonder if this will get pass the
censors. As a word, "#*!@", pales in comparison to the other offensive
words mentioned in this thread.
posted on October 4, 2000 11:18:44 AM new
Well! I see that my word has been censored
on this thread! What about nigger, coon,
niglet. Why aren't these words censored?
Helen
posted on October 4, 2000 11:45:49 AM new
They are both offensive, but for completely different reasons. I do think the N word is more offensive, because of the fact that it is used when describing people.
The N word is a degrading label placed on a segment of the worlds people that is synonomous with all that is ugly and crude. To be called such a word, in the way that it is normally used, is a horrible thing. It is degrading, demeaning, disrespecful, you name it.
The F word on the other hand is used to shock, and many times when the speaker cannot think of a more intelligent word to use.
Neither should by used by educated intelligent people. Surely there are words and descriptions to use to sell such items without resorting to words of this sort.
I didn't do a very good job of voicing my opinion here, blame it on the Cold Medicine.
posted on October 4, 2000 11:47:51 AM new
HJW - I agree that the N word and the F word both carry equal disdain in language and use as superlatives. However the fundamental differences in the two words are as follows.
The F word also describes an activity that many people the world over loves to engage in. As such people don't mind it as much.
The N word is only offensive if a person other than another African-American uses it to describe something or someone that is African-American.
For those people with those old slavery and jim crow items. What makes you think using the N word is a good way to describe them? Now I take particular offense to niglet as term. Seeing that the only other creature on planet earth that "let" is attached too happens to be a pig as in piglet. However as an educated man I have mastered the intelligence to overlook the use of the word. Because although the person macandjan referred to had the right concept about the word. It was obvious that his heart wasn't in his words.
When I was in school the N word meant: Dumb ignorant person which at the time that African-Americans of today were called the N-word. That particular definition fit. Afterall as a collective, they didn't have any education, nor where they allowed to have one. You look in the dictionary today and that definition has been replaced with one that says this: "1. A Negro 2. a member of any dark skinned race."
It seems that whomever writes dictionaries have sacrificed accuracy of origin with ignorance of race. But then again look who writes dictionaries. When I take that approach I see where the ignorance stems from.
posted on October 4, 2000 12:22:36 PM new
i need to make something clear and i will try to keep it simple and sensible.
1. if an item that was made in 1880 and had the brand name "nigger brand soap" (sorry but at this point i must use the word to make my point) it is a fair honest description of a product name in a time in american history when this type of name was excepted (but wrong). to censor that is to lie about history and if you censor that then what is next. the next person may erase slavery from the history books. history is history. keep it true even the ugly stuff.
2. if the item is a photograph of a african american child.....just a child..no brand name or reason to connect this child to that word , and it is listed as photo of a -----.
THAT IS CROSSING THE LINE its wrong immoral and filled with hate in the name of greed.
but censor it? that is tricky you may in the end censor yourself in the future.
i still stand by my previous statement
dont take rights away from people
just hit them in the pocket book
and they wake up
everyone pays attention when they loose money.
posted on October 4, 2000 12:28:28 PM new
I saw a black comedienne on the Comedy Channel a while back talking about the word "nigger," and saying that we need to start associating it with something good, like potato chips. She said there could be "sour cream niggers" and "nacho niggers," and that no one would think of having a party without niggers there. She was great -- had me and hubby both just about rolling on the floor with laughter!
posted on October 4, 2000 12:57:17 PM new
Personally--I like the "F" word. Pops up into my day to day conversation all the time.
But when I see the "N" word--bells and whistles go off and I end up seething. For me, someone using the "N" word is an uneducated bigot. And detest seeing all its diriviations too--Niglet is demeaning and rediculous.
When African Americans use the "N" word through comedy or speaking--still gives me that same yucky reaction. Realize it is a very common term in some parts of this land--but have never ever liked it and never will--no matter who uses it. JMHO.
posted on October 4, 2000 01:44:27 PM newmacandjan
It literally makes my skin crawl to think that you could link
Mark Twain's use of the word nigger to somebody selling "nigger brand
soap."
As I said before, this product has no historical significance.
Neither does it have any literary significance.
posted on October 4, 2000 01:56:44 PM new
Hopefully, buyers will be as offended as they should be when viewing listings with the n-word. What's wrong with listing a piece of early Negro Americana as a piece of early Negro Americana? I beleive there's even a catagory (named Negro Americana) for such items.
posted on October 4, 2000 02:09:45 PM new
The N-word? Do you mean nigger? I am white and my brother-inlaw is African American. We some times say, "nigger please!" is that wrong? I think most people are way to sinsitive. Part of the race problem is that most white folks, sorry, don't know how to act around people of other cultures. African American do have there own culture. It took me a some time to figure out what I could say or how i could say it so as not to offend. It's all in the context. If I called him a nigger while I was angry with him, then that would be wrong, though my sister does when she's mad at him. It depends on what you are saying and how you say it. If they want to put the "n-word" in there description, I don't think ebay should censor it. Nigger is just a search term that someone may search for so it is a valid description word. How about bible thumper, god, jew, mexican, white man, indian, where do you start and where do you stop. Censor all or censor none? Sorry if this offend anyone.
posted on October 4, 2000 02:52:50 PM new
Another point to bring up:
Rap Star Old Dirty Bastard (moderator, please don't kill me, it's the truth!!) tittled his latest album N***a Please (That's what it says on the front, don't ask me to spell it out).
Now, how do you list this item? Do you go from what's above, or do you spell it out, as the Artist intended it to be?
And, howabout the J-word used by Americans during WWII?? I see many auctions listed with the J word, and some shouldn't have it, rather, subsitutions like "Japanimation", or "Nihon."
As my History and English teacher once said; "Race is a very touchy subject. You see why we censor many parts of History and Literature."
:\\\"Crystalline Sliver cannot be the target of spells or abilities.
posted on October 4, 2000 02:57:59 PM new
I just took a look at all of the auctions currently on eBay that use "the n-word" in the title.
Granted, this is a limited sample, but it seems that it is used for items in which it is actually included in the item's name, i.e. "Jolly Nigger Bank," or "The Nigger of the Narcissus" by Joseph Conrad.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
All rights reserved. All wrongs reversed.
posted on October 4, 2000 02:58:22 PM new
I love all the pontification here on whether or not nigger is an appropriate word and whether blacks "should" or should not be offended.
It is a simple fact that it is a slur, and no amount of black brother in laws or comedians can cleanse it.
posted on October 4, 2000 03:09:29 PM new
Just a few thoughts--Glasshappy, what you endearingly call your relatives in the privacy of your own home is your business.
There are horrible racial slurs against every nationality and ethnic origin--to cite them in a public auction is way way demeaning.
Being respectful of everyone and who they are is just not too much to ask of any human being. Sensitive--you bet your sweet a@@. JMHO.
posted on October 4, 2000 03:16:58 PM new
i am not selling any such item
that was an example
i never use or would use that word for such a purpose
please read my post again
you are incorrect
i now feel sorry for joing this discussion
posted on October 4, 2000 03:24:59 PM new
macandjan
thank you for not only being able to read
but being able to understand what you read
i was about to bail out
you were the only one that seems to understand my point and you got blasted also.
i used a (made up) brand of soap as an example and have been accused of selling it
my statements were completly against racism
and i was attacked
go figure
posted on October 4, 2000 03:46:46 PM new
Thank you, thank you, for your post above, Jamesoblivion. I could not have said it better.
As a buyer who collects African art and textiles, I am not interested in purchasing memorabilia that is a stark reminder of our country's overt racist past. No figurines depicting mammies,handkerchief heads, black sambos, Aunt Jemima's, Uncle Toms and the like will ever grace a corner, no matter how dusty,in my home.
Conversely, I won't knowingly buy something that I normally collect from a seller who lists these kinds of items, which I find to be in poor taste.
Badu
*edited for clarity*
[ edited by Baduizm on Oct 4, 2000 03:56 PM ]
posted on October 4, 2000 03:51:08 PM newRainyBear That is TOO funny!
There are so many sensitive issues about race, especially in my area.
What is the right word for the race? I thought African American was acceptable, but I had a black teacher in High school who informed her students that she was NOT from Africa, and that she would not tolerate hearing that term used in her classroom.
And I have seen brawls break out because some white guy said Ni**er, but then I hear it ALL OF THE TIME being said by people like Chris Rock-- and it's said without hesitation by black people, one to another. I don't understand how you can say "It's all right for me to say it, but I'll get mad if you say it!". I think that it's offensive, no matter who utters the word. But the double standard pisses me off.
I would never use the word Ni****. And I generally just ignored it growing up when anyone else said it. Especially old folks. I kept reasoning that old folks were just products of their upbringing in a time when no one knew better. But now I think it's just WRONG to say it.
The ONLY time I would think it would be acceptable is when it comes to a historical item, such as the "JOlly NI**** soap". I can't see any good reason to censor that. It's a part of a culture. I feel the same way about Mark Twain's writing. Mark Twain used the word to describe one of his protagonists quite a bit. I hate the word, but that's how it was used back then. You can't go back and change history.
We have to remember our mistakes, or we are doomed to repeat them.
