Comments on: When White Kids Call Each Other the “N” Word

By: R L W

R L W — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 01:35:27 +0000

I have heard people use the -er version, typically when they had no good argument and desired to get a reaction, which they could parlay into some sort of false superiority, but eliciting undisciplined or emotional behavior. It is entertaining to watch the target for this attempt fail to entertain the deceit that the speaker has any power over his behavior, by emotion today as by his ancestors’ whip yesterday.
I have heard young people, including whites, using the -a version in the same manner as “dude”, “bro”, or “guy”, or “bud” used to be employed. They seem to know the evil of the -er version, and it would never occur to them to use it. I have seen the rare case of close black and white friend groups, where they use it freely, but an outsider would not be permitted. It is much as American friends sometimes may use insults or endearment as a privilege of association, but no outsider dare do it.
I may be wrong, but this diluted appropriation of the modified term by white kids seems to be, not just fad, but a concerted effort to take power away from racists, by symbolically saying, what you call him, you call me, so what’s it to you? In the past, those who had certain things others did not have, could belittle others, but as it became common, the power vanished. This may be that. White kids can never know what Black kids’ ancestors endured, nor really know the stresses of resurgent institutional bias, but they can reverse assimilate, as they seem to be doing, rebelling against past evil, and aligning with people of color–their peers–to crush past bad habits by building new unity. At least, so it seems to me.

By: Melissa Taylor

Melissa Taylor — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:53:05 +0000

In reply to Kathy. I think you have to take Karen's advice and tell him about the history and the hatred behind the word and that it's completely unacceptable to ever say.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 14:55:45 +0000

I heard my white grandson repeatedly say either “nigger or nigga” while playing an online game where kids can talk to each other over headphones. Neither word word is acceptable and because they hear it on rap “songs” is not an excuse. I must be getting to old because rap doesn’t even sound like music to me. Sound like my parents in the 1960’s when our music didn’t sound like music to them. Off course, I know, but I am trying to understand how things got so off track from civil rights to now. How do kids not know it’s not right for white kids to call each other the “N” word! I know my daughter has heard him say it and does nothing. If black people call each other that, well that’s their right, but not us white people who started using it to put black people down!! Do schools even teach about the civil war anymore? Please help me to know what a 72 year old says to a 13 year old to explain how terrible that word is and what it really means.

By: George

George — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 22:26:21 +0000

I’m not the type to get all bent out of shape about a word, and I hate the “professionally outraged” SJW types, but this pisses me off. I have a son in grade 2 and some of the older white kids in his school were calling each other “nigga” the other day and he repeated it, I had to explain to him how dumb it makes them sound to say that, and that unless you’re ancestors were labelled as that word, then you’ve got no business saying it!

By: Hallie

Hallie — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 14:39:28 +0000

This is a great post! I am going to read it with my 7th grade sons. While they KNOW this term is absolutely unacceptable, I want them to hear again (and with more facts backing up) the “why”. Thanks for the links. Just the other day, one of my sons asked if my dad or mom ever said any cuss words. As I thought about it, the only “off” term I EVER heard either of them say was “damn”. It made me think about how normalized it is to include these words in friendly “banter”. I am shocked that the “N word” has been normalized in friendly banter amongst white kids. NOT O.K.! Thank you for shedding light on this!