nigga flashcards

[irwin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiHUFt174v4

http://www.passwird.com/images/capture.JPG

watch until the funny :)

[WhiskeyPapa]

You couldn't pay me enough to be a teacher now-a-days.

[Memo]

Nigga please! Haha, that Mr. Rogers looking ****er is too white to be pulling this off. But seriously, as much as he thinks he knows a bout the word nigga he should know that some black people take are going to get mad if a white person uses it in any form and even more some some black people get mad if anyone uses the word.

[DarkFury]

I can't watch the video from work... cause it's blocked.

However I'd advise not walkin' around the hood flashin' a card like that... unless you like to get your cap peeled.

[Burzhui]

Nigga please! Haha, that Mr. Rogers looking ****er is too white to be pulling this off. But seriously, as much as he thinks he knows a bout the word nigga he should know that some black people take are going to get mad if a white person uses it in any form and even more some some black people get mad if anyone uses the word.


They have no right if they want equality. You want to be equal, let us use it, or don't use it yourself

[MikeD]

They have no right if they want equality. You want to be equal, let us use it, or don't use it yourself

:heh:

Whatchoo been smokin'? Like that's ever gonna happen...

[DarkFury]

They have no right if they want equality. You want to be equal, let us use it, or don't use it yourself
I call BS on that...

Nobody is walkin' around disrespecting other people calling them derogatory names and such. Therefore why should we "allow" you to?

Use it at your own risk... and suffer the consequences.

[ArkiStan]

Burz I know you're probably just playing the advocate so I'm just giving my 2 cents.

Equality is obviously a good thing. But then again, since when was exclusivity necessarly a bad thing? Saying black people don't deserve equality if they want exclusive rights to use a certain word, one that others could difinitely live without, is pushing it a bit. I have no problem with not being allowed to say nigga.

Now, if people start calling me a nigga, that's a whole different story. Nobody's calling me a nigga. I'm a gook, 100%, loud and proud.

[IrishSS]

They have no right if they want equality. You want to be equal, let us use it, or don't use it yourself
Sorry, I have to agree with Burz...

You dont want to be judged by your skin color or ancestry, yet you base the allowable useage of a word by skin color and/or race? It's okay for you to say it because you are black? Furthermore, it's okay for you to use the exact thing that you speak out against, discrimination, opression, racial bias to legitimize your use of the word and dictating that you have the authority to say who can and can't use it? Bull****. Slavery was 100 years ago. Segregation ended 40 years ago. Stop playing the race/slavery/my great great grandfather was oppressed card and get on with life.

I already know you will argue and tell everybody how it really is (even though it is solely your opinion, yet you will state it as the end all fact, just like every other argument), so just save your breath...

[cadetevon]

The student wants him fired, that's wild to me. The guy was without pay for 9 days, that's a long time, at least in my financial world, and this young student (smart as he is) doesn't understand what sort of punishment 9 days loss of pay is, especially for a teacher who goes three months a year without pay.

I think everyone learned from this, the man was punished and the student learned he has rights and a voice and the public learned a lesson as well.

It would be my suggestion to my black child to now let it go, continue getting A's and move on.

(Quick discloser...I'm white, my biological son is black).

[gwilks98]

The student wants him fired, that's wild to me. The guy was without pay for 9 days, that's a long time, at least in my financial world, and this young student (smart as he is) doesn't understand what sort of punishment 9 days loss of pay is, especially for a teacher who goes three months a year without pay.

I think everyone learned from this, the man was punished and the student learned he has rights and a voice and the public learned a lesson as well.

It would be my suggestion to my black child to now let it go, continue getting A's and move on.

(Quick discloser...I'm white, my biological son is black).

Excuse my ignorance, but do you mean part black?

[DarkFury]

Man... I sometimes wish that there were more BLACK members of G|A to chime in and give their opinions on stuff like this so that folks don't get the impression that I'm alone in my thoughts on some of these topics.

Equality my ass... we will continue to strive for it, but I sure as hell don't believe we are there yet. And yes... I WILL continue living my life (which includes posting here.) So for those who have a problem with that... get over it.

And for the record, I sure do get tired of other races always using the "anti race card" card everytime a racial issue comes up and think that they can do and say anything they like just because the issue at hand doesn't smack them cleanly in the face. People sure like to pretend it's not an issue, but for others it is. So deal with that as well!

Folks like me are still here to remind you that our society is not the "peaches and cream" some folks want to make it out to be. The facts are facts and opinions are opinions (and I carry a full arsenal of both)... and some things are best left unsaid in order to keep the peace. It's just a dayuuum shame that people even lack the common courtesy and common decency to see WHY they shouldn't even WANT to use that word even if a few knuckleheads of my race choose to use it (we have to deal with them in private...)

Bottom line for me... don't use it in my presence. At least have THAT much respect for me. I'll share the same respect for you. And in that respect... we will be "equal".

[IrishSS]

It's just a dayuuum shame that people even lack the common courtesy and common decency to see WHY they shouldn't even WANT to use that word even if a few knuckleheads of my race choose to use it (we have to deal with them in private...)

Bottom line for me... don't use it in my presence. At least have THAT much respect for me. I'll share the same respect for you. In that respect... we will be "equal".

I will fully agree with you on this basis... it is a horrible word with very important connotations. Nobody should use it, regardless of race. I would never call an african american that word... it does nobody any good, and only delays moving the whole concept of equality and racial tolerance forward.

That being said, I think you are asking for an ass beating if you have the stupidity to call someone that. My point is don't say it is okay for one race/color/nationality based solely on that criteria. Thats racist as well, just turned around and legitimized.

[DarkFury]

I will fully agree with you on this basis... it is a horrible word with very important connotations. Nobody should use it, regardless of race. I would never call an african american that word... it does nobody any good, and only delays moving the whole concept of equality and racial tolerance forward.

That being said, I think you are asking for an ass beating if you have the stupidity to call someone that. My point is don't say it is okay for one race/color/nationality based solely on that criteria. Thats racist as well, just turned around and legitimized.



http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=racist

1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.

2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

For starters it isn't "racist" for us not to allow you to use the word. Our use or non use of the word does not do anything to make us "superior to others" or "discriminate against you". How would that word "empower" you in any way, shape, or fashion? Does keeping you from that word prevent you from accomplishing anything you want to accomplish? In my opinion, it does more to destroy than it does to build when used in that context.

In any case, even if it is an internalized usage matter, it still doesn't give folks outside the race open range to openly use it and not expect ramifications from their actions. That just isn't a liberty afforded to you regardless of your complaints and it isn't "discriminatory" against you.


I see various Asians on this board use several "self derogatory" terms (at least I was taught that they were...) yet you have never seen me use any of those terms to refer to them. I respect folks here to not to even want to express myself like that


Honestly, from a previous thread, I don't think that there are ANY inherent White derogatory terms that carry the same weight as the N-bomb. Therefore there really isn't much to compare it to as far as "equality" goes.

[IrishSS]

2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

Uhh... saying a non-black person can't use a word because they aren't black... hmm, seems like the exact definition you posted above.

[esme]

i, personally, think it's stupid! .....if it's that bad of a word then it shouldn't even be used by ANYBODY! ....Even worse I think it's stupid that people say i can use it but you can't ....please!!

People say ....well, my ancestors went through this and that ...ok, yes they did go through alot and they did suffer alot BUT why keep that word alive then??? If people truly feel sorry for what their ancestors went through then stop using that "bomb" word ..... as DF put it ....

[Memo]

This thread is just going back to the issue that the teacher was talking about. The different between nigga and ******.

Most people, in my age group, openly use the word nigga often without a negative connotation as a synonym for dude, man, homeboy, whatever. It is NOT meant to be derrogatory. The word is part of American culture, not just black American culture.

[esme]

This thread is just going back to the issue that the teacher was talking about. The different between nigga and ******.

Most people, in my age group, openly use the word nigga often without a negative connotation as a synonym for dude, man, homeboy, whatever. It is NOT meant to be derrogatory. The word is part of American culture, not just black American culture.

:agree: ....as far as how the teacher was using it

[cadetevon]

Excuse my ignorance, but do you mean part black?
Yah.

He is indeed 1/2 black, but to those that don't know, he just looks black.

So, right now he's my perfect cocoa butter beautiful charming angel... but when he's 23 and goes into a liquor store at night to get some beer to drink while watching a game on TV, all he'll be is a black man coming into a liquor store late at night.

Others will judge him as simply a black man, they'll not ask if he's 1/2 white.

And as another side note... I'm against racial quotas for Colleges and Universities, but you can bet your booty I'll be putting him down on paper as black and not as caucasian or 'other'.

[nickel]

eh, i don't like the word or any variation of it. i won't say it although the popularity of it has been on the increase. it will fade when a new buzzword emerges from the rap world.

[Jenny]

eh, i don't like the word or any variation of it. i won't say it although the popularity of it has been on the increase. it will fade when a new buzzword emerges from the rap world.

:stupid: That's exactly my feeling on it, too. You never would have heard that X # of years ago and X # of years from now, it'll be long gone. :shrug:

[Merlin]

That video was crazy and I just kepy shaking my head while watching it. You know I really feel bad for the teacher. He does not seem like a bad guy just completely mis informed. Hopefully the sensitivity training he'll be getting will do some good. He is clearly in need of some common sense education.

[DarkFury]

eh, i don't like the word or any variation of it. i won't say it although the popularity of it has been on the increase. it will fade when a new buzzword emerges from the rap world.
I only wish that were true... but yet it continues to persist.

(BTW... in case you didn't know, a new "rap buzzword" has emerged to replace it... however I don't use that one either and see no point in proliferating it here.)

--------------------------------------

BTW, I finally got around to watching that video.... that teacher is "fuggin' clueless" in my opinion. He's lucky that the kid he said that to was a "studious type" and not the "prone to violence" type or he might have been saying that word through the side of his head.

[neutral]

This thread is just going back to the issue that the teacher was talking about. The different between nigga and ******.

Most people, in my age group, openly use the word nigga often without a negative connotation as a synonym for dude, man, homeboy, whatever. It is NOT meant to be derrogatory. The word is part of American culture, not just black American culture.

Just out of curiousity, how old are you?

When using this word (white or black) starts to become normal in society, that, for me, is the problem.

I listened to the new Kanye West CD and was shocked to hear him using that word over and over again. I found it incredibly offensive and I'm not black. It even won best rap album. Explain it to me :bigeyes:

[Memo]

Just out of curiousity, how old are you?

When using this word (white or black) starts to become normal in society, that, for me, is the problem.

I listened to the new Kanye West CD and was shocked to hear him using that word over and over again. I found it incredibly offensive and I'm not black. It even won best rap album. Explain it to me :bigeyes:

I'm 23.

I don't see it as a problem at all. In fact I think it NEEDS to become normal in society. People need to stop thinking in terms of race. Our society is slowly progressing towards this with each subsequent generation. To older folks nigga is bad, to me it's just a word for my friends, my niggas. To me ceratain fashions are definately black but to younger kids it's just clothes. These are changes that are happening very quickly and I am happy for it. When people just start seeing others as people and not as black or white or whatever THEN we will start to get rid of racism. Real racism. Not this politically correct bull**** where white people can't say nigga eventhough they're using it in a way that has NO RELATION to the word n*gger or people getting offended at rap albums when they're not even black just because they think certain words are bad ;)

[Burzhui]

I've been called a nigga, now why shouldn't i be allowed to say it right back, everyone can go **** themselves with their PC bull****. You don't want that word used? Stop using it yourself or prepare to be the target of that word, it's as simple as that. But in general the whole ebonics thing is messed up, kids should not be encouraged but punished for the use of it.

Remember the lost 13th commandment: Thou shalt not bastardize the english language

[DarkFury]

Burz... I sure hope you don't go hangin' out in the hood callin' folks who you don't know (or don't know how they will take such an occurance) a "nigga" and not expect them to have a negative reaction to you.

You might be "big" but don't be "too big" for your britches and get yourself in alot of problems that could easily be avoided.

And to the person who called you that... well they were just being ignorant/stupid. Period.

[Wizard]

The student wants him fired, that's wild to me. The guy was without pay for 9 days, that's a long time, at least in my financial world, and this young student (smart as he is) doesn't understand what sort of punishment 9 days loss of pay is, especially for a teacher who goes three months a year without pay.

No no, I don't think any teachers go 3 months out of the year without pay. The teacher is a moron, he should just apologize, say he messed up and try to move on with his life. The explanations he's giving are lacking.

*EDIT*

As much as blacks in America hate to hear it, Cosby is right in saying "blacks need to stop being victims and start being champions." The mentality of oppression, while being a rallying cry in the past, has lead to many people just sitting around assuming they will be oppressed no matter what they do. Spend a couple months in Africa and see what seeing yourself as a victim can do in comparison to seeing yourself as a champion.

[cheapie]

i think any word used by people that were buying and selling other people, hanging them from trees when they look the wrong way at white women, and excluding them from basic civil and human rights should pretty much be stricken from our collective vocabulary.

[neutral]

i think any word used by people that were buying and selling other people, hanging them from trees when they look the wrong way at white women, and excluding them from basic civil and human rights should pretty much be stricken from our collective vocabulary.

That's what I'm saying. Don't forget history.

Memo, I think we both feel the same way about racism, except we don't agree on the usage of that word. :)

[Jane83]

oh that kid is completely full of SHIIT!!
"he needs to be punished and lose his job?",
as he says that with that look on his face, thats a trying to look helpless face practiced in front of the mirror all week face.

[welfareloser]

For starters it isn't "racist" for us not to allow you to use the word. Our use or non use of the word does not do anything to make us "superior to others" or "discriminate against you". How would that word "empower" you in any way, shape, or fashion? Does keeping you from that word prevent you from accomplishing anything you want to accomplish? In my opinion, it does more to destroy than it does to build when used in that context.

In any case, even if it is an internalized usage matter, it still doesn't give folks outside the race open range to openly use it and not expect ramifications from their actions. That just isn't a liberty afforded to you regardless of your complaints and it isn't "discriminatory" against you.

:stupid:

when i was younger, i would have argued exactly what irishSS said... then i started really hanging out with some black friends in high school... then really got my mind opened in a week-long discussion on race in a class i took in college where, of the 20 or so students, 16 of them were black. and dis "speech communication" as a major all you want... but these were some of the smartest, most eloquent, most well-read people i've ever met (and a heck of a lot less pedantic than history or english majors :P )

in a nutshell, they explained to me an idea that i had been resisting... that "reverse discrimination" is, largely, not possible. a component of the definition of discrimination is the POWER to affect someone. just because a hypothetical black person thinks "i hate all white people because they are white" doesn't mean he can discriminate... he does not have the socioeconomic power to keep the man down. yes, there are all kinds of goofy little scenarios you can argue... "what about the white guy at the barbecue restaurant who gets crappy service?" ...but, overall, it ain't discrimination if it's just you spinnin your wheels inside y'own head with no way of hurting someone else with it.

anyhoo. the word inherently has a different meaning when spoken by a superior to an "inferior."

as for the school... they need to just ban the word inside the classroom. i mean, if they can force kids to take off hats, bandanas, not wear ripped jeans or too-short shorts, blah, blah... why the f*** haven't they outlawed that word, period?

and another side note... i couldn't swear to it, but if i had to guess, i'd bet the kid was lying about not having said it first. watch the video again... kinda sounds like he's sayin he said it, but nobody heard him... because he didn't say it. i was like, uh, nice ... save... :hmm:

[GraingerGuy]

No no, I don't think any teachers go 3 months out of the year without pay. The teacher is a moron, he should just apologize, say he messed up and try to move on with his life. The explanations he's giving are lacking.

*EDIT*

As much as blacks in America hate to hear it, Cosby is right in saying "blacks need to stop being victims and start being champions." The mentality of oppression, while being a rallying cry in the past, has lead to many people just sitting around assuming they will be oppressed no matter what they do. Spend a couple months in Africa and see what seeing yourself as a victim can do in comparison to seeing yourself as a champion.

Actually...technically we do. We split up the 9 months of pay into 12.

I have say it was STUPID of the teacher to say that to the student. I really don't know what would have passed through the teacher's mind while saying that. Now...he is trying to defend himself the N***er vs N***a arguement which is total bs. I'm sure that he knew that he was wrong the minute it came out of his mouth.

The suspension I agree with...firing him...no. Give him another chance....he messes up again...then fire his butt. Though...it would probably be better for him to move to a new school as his reputation in that school is going to be total junk.

[Houdini]

oh that kid is completely full of SHIIT!!
"he needs to be punished and lose his job?",
as he says that with that look on his face, thats a trying to look helpless face practiced in front of the mirror all week face.

Yeah, losing one's job over an intentional or unintentional offensive remark is ludicrous. It really sounded like the guy was replying to something the kid had said, even in a sarcastic matter, when telling him to sit down. The guy didn't seem like he was a racist, and absolutely didn't seem to mean it in a "superior" way.

Was it a mistake? Sure. A faux pas? Yep. But an issue that should result in his losing his job? That's just stupid. I realize the kid was wanting to run with it and be "offended," but I can't really believe that it ruined his day. He seemed too smart for that. Even so, a discussion with the teacher would have been more appropriate than alerting the media and making it a now national issue. If he had called the kid "stupid" or something, I'd see a much bigger issue.

Am I condoning the use of any derivation of the word? Nope. But I do feel that it is wrong for people of any race to use it. Nobody owns the word. For that matter, nobody has bought or sold a slave in 140 years in the US. Even before that, less than 2% of any white people owned slaves, and most white people of the time couldn't care one way or the other about slavery's legality. Furthermore, I haven't heard that word used much even in MS or LA, which are largely considered "racist" states. The only way we can end these racial issues is to move past them, like Cosby and other say. And like I say. The more attention people call to racial differences, word usages, etc., the more racism is on people's minds, and the more it will grow. People call everybody things every day, but how many people are that offended by anything?

[gwilks98]

Yah.

He is indeed 1/2 black, but to those that don't know, he just looks black.

So, right now he's my perfect cocoa butter beautiful charming angel... but when he's 23 and goes into a liquor store at night to get some beer to drink while watching a game on TV, all he'll be is a black man coming into a liquor store late at night.

Others will judge him as simply a black man, they'll not ask if he's 1/2 white.

And as another side note... I'm against racial quotas for Colleges and Universities, but you can bet your booty I'll be putting him down on paper as black and not as caucasian or 'other'.

Thanks for clearing that up. I hope I didn't upset you. I was just worried I was seeing a real life "Me Myself and Irene."

[Wizard]

Actually...technically we do. We split up the 9 months of pay into 12.

So you're saying that a Teacher making 45,000 should really be getting close to 60,000 if they were paid for 12 months of work? I wonder if University professors could argue this, instead of 90,000 they should make 120,000? :-/ I dunno

[MikeD]

I could be wrong, but I think what he is saying that they can choose to have their salary paid out over 9 months or over 12 months. :shrug:

That's how both my sister and mother were paid when they taught. They had the choice of 9 month or 12 month pay schedules.

[chadlnc]

I could be wrong, but I think what he is saying that they can choose to have their salary paid out over 9 months or over 12 months. :shrug:

That's how both my sister and mother were paid when they taught. They had the choice of 9 month or 12 month pay schedules.

My wife is only paid the months she works, but can enroll in a plan with the state credit union where they will hold a portion each month and pay it to you over the summer. I guess for those that are really poor money managers.

[Dave_7]

Hmmm, thought about avoiding this one, but it seems like a good time to bring it up.

There's a certain bit of historical perspective that's required to understand the significance of the word. Not a whole lot of it, but something that all natively-born Americans should know down to their bones (white, black or neither).

However... how, if I may pose the question, is someone (a young adult, for example) from another country supposed to understand the word's significance with no historical perspective and only exposure to its "popular" use in the entertainment industry? To some people I know personally EDIT: who either live in or are freshly from another country, it's just another word. Not because they enjoy using it due to their own prejudices, necessarily, but mainly because of their unfamiliarity with the word's significance in American culture.

Thoughts?


Dave.

[Wizard]

I could be wrong, but I think what he is saying that they can choose to have their salary paid out over 9 months or over 12 months. :shrug:

That's how both my sister and mother were paid when they taught. They had the choice of 9 month or 12 month pay schedules.

I can honestly say I've never heard of that. Interesting stuff.

[neutral]

"However... how, if I may pose the question, is someone (a young adult, for example) from another country supposed to understand the word's significance with no historical perspective and only exposure to its "popular" use in the entertainment industry?" from Dave

I read somewhere that most other countries know more about American history/geography than Americans do.

Back to the teacher. Shame on him! Make him take a sensitivity class. If he does anything remotely insubordinate, fire him!

[cadetevon]

Thanks for clearing that up. I hope I didn't upset you. I was just worried I was seeing a real life "Me Myself and Irene."
Nah, you didn't upset me. I was just trying to figure out why you were stating the blindingly obvious. lol

And I don't get the movie reference 'cause I've never seen it. :(

[gwilks98]

Nah, you didn't upset me. I was just trying to figure out why you were stating the blindingly obvious. lol

And I don't get the movie reference 'cause I've never seen it. :(

Jim Carey's white wife cheats on him with a black midget and has black triplets.

[cadetevon]

Jim Carey's white wife cheats on him with a black midget and has black triplets.
LOL that's funny. :) Though being a woman and having given birth to my son... I'm pretty sure he's mine. rotfl.

[LegendKiller]

I don't think anybody should be using that word. It has a strong negative connotation and it's pretty disrespectful to use it even in the context of one black person to another.

I have a couple well educated black friends, none of them use that word in their every day talk. Furthermore, they don't go around calling me a cracker (nor would I ever use that to talk amongst white people).

There are several words that many people call eachother in different cultures that were once (and still are ) associated with bigotry, murder, and stupidity. However, just because some misguided souls attempt to challenge society by using these words does not mean the rest of society should follow along.

[welfareloser]

However... how, if I may pose the question, is someone (a young adult, for example) from another country supposed to understand the word's significance with no historical perspective and only exposure to its "popular" use in the entertainment industry? To some people I know personally EDIT: who either live in or are freshly from another country, it's just another word. Not because they enjoy using it due to their own prejudices, necessarily, but mainly because of their unfamiliarity with the word's significance in American culture.

Thoughts?


Dave.

i have one thought: i live in fear of the day EG finally hears that word. the boy has no sense and a big mouth, and is as un-exposed to the racism issue as any immigrant. i know as soon as he hears it, he's going to start asking "HEY, WHY DID HE CALL HIM A *****? WHAT'S A *****? WHY SHOULDN'T I SAY *****? BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN ***** LATER, BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT **** MEANS RIGHT NOW!"

[Houdini]

i have one thought: i live in fear of the day EG finally hears that word. the boy has no sense and a big mouth, and is as un-exposed to the racism issue as any immigrant. i know as soon as he hears it, he's going to start asking "HEY, WHY DID HE CALL HIM A *****? WHAT'S A *****? WHY SHOULDN'T I SAY *****? BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN ***** LATER, BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT **** MEANS RIGHT NOW!"

Hah! Without any specific experience, it seems the truth may be in order. I've known that word all my life, but have rarely, if ever, used it. I've heard it used to criticize white people as well due to its negative connotations. Sure, it's a derogatory bastardization of Negro, but I don't believe it should be used. Everyone may slip up once in a while, including former KKK Kleagle and Senior Senate Democrat Byrd, though it obviously wasn't a slip up when he used it several times, though he has since apologized. I lost a lot of respect for the guy when he used the word, but the media and other Democrats didn't. If a Republican with no KKK ties and a member of the NAACP had used it, he would have lost his office immediately and it would have been splashed across headlines across the country. End of obligatory rant. :)

[welfareloser]

whoa, i totally missed senator byrd using it... was that within the last week (ie, too recent for it to be in the newsweek i got yesterday?)

i know a lot of people have a negative opinion of byrd... i hear he's a major king of pork. all i know is that when the republican congress decided to pull the rug out from under my feet in 96 and yank all the scholarships i had worked so hard for, and had been promised, he not only fought to keep his eponymous scholarship alive for those who had already been awarded it and were counting on it, and even managed to wrangle a little more money for it. it sure saved my butt, and i'm grateful... seems he was the only congressperson who gave a sh** about how funding the happy-slappy budget trimming by stealing from the pockets of teenagers working their butts off maybe wasn't the coolest idea. end MY obligatory rant :P

anyway... i had thought of explaining it to him... but the kid has this pathological need to understand absolutely everything about any new subject... and being six, he's still kinda into instant gratification. his favorite questions are "what if [insert really unlikely circumstances here.] so, i expect i could give him a half-hour lecture on the history of the word, have him completely convinced that it would be a big no-no to ever say it.... and by the time he got to school, he'd be raising his hand to ask stuff like "is it still a bad word if one white person called another white person that one word that you're not supposed to say that starts with an N-I-G..." etc. so, might be a mistake, but i'm going to continue to take the reasonable chance that he won't hear it for a while yet ;) the way his little crazy-eyed mack-truck of a principal goes biblical on kids who say "shut up," i'm bettin that word rarely sees the light of day within 100 feet of her school :P

[Merlin]

i have one thought: i live in fear of the day EG finally hears that word. the boy has no sense and a big mouth, and is as un-exposed to the racism issue as any immigrant. i know as soon as he hears it, he's going to start asking "HEY, WHY DID HE CALL HIM A *****? WHAT'S A *****? WHY SHOULDN'T I SAY *****? BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN ***** LATER, BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT **** MEANS RIGHT NOW!"
Ahhhh, the joys of parenting. The little rug rats will put you in the most akward situations.