So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ...doh

[Larks]

I'd be interested to know how this would go down in the States, or anywhere else in Australia for that matter. While one young bloke gets in strife for preaching on a street corner (which I see no problem with, each to their own...) and was arrested for "breaching the peace" (as opposed to preaching the peace) a judge here on the Gold Coast has declared that using the "N" word or the "Sand N" term is no longer considered derogatory. Check this story out:

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/08/10/246085_crime-and-court-news.html

Now I'm the first to say that I'm a bit tired of the ever more sanitised society that we are living in and all of the political correctness that we are subjected to, but maybe a bit of moderation of a blokes language in this day and age wouldn't go astray.

[Ian McColgin]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

The advantage of people using such language is that they make their racism impossible to disguise. They are just a simpler version of some of the hateful folk we hear on the radio, see falsifying material for internet racism, and even see on the this Forum. In general, people like that do not change their minds or hearts, but if they do it is not in response to reason or learning. Rather, it's due to some life-altering experience. So it's not worth engaging in argument with them to change their mind, though it is often worth responding to what they say to influence others and to undermine the dispicable prejudice they promote.

[purri]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

Note the suburb; Labrador (QLD).

[PeterSibley]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

The magistrate got that one completely A about Greg .

[brad9798]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

The N word ... and the Sand N word are not really cool ...

[Larks]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

Note the suburb; Labrador (QLD).

Note the state.......I have to admit that I never really like to tell anyone that I live in Queensland, whereas I used to be quite proud to say that I lived in the NT.

[PeterSibley]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

There's nothing wrong with Queensland ...... in general .

[Glen Longino]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

The N word ... and the Sand N word are not really cool ...

Nope!

[nw_noob]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

The advantage of people using such language is that they make their racism impossible to disguise. They are just a simpler version of some of the hateful folk we hear on the radio, see falsifying material for internet racism, and even see on the this Forum. In general, people like that do not change their minds or hearts, but if they do it is not in response to reason or learning. Rather, it's due to some life-altering experience. So it's not worth engaging in argument with them to change their mind, though it is often worth responding to what they say to influence others and to undermine the dispicable prejudice they promote.

Thank you Ian. I couldn't have said it better myself. You spelled out exactly why libertarian minded people fight for free speech. Racists should go be racists over there. They should also put a neon sign over their heads while they do that. I'll be elsewhere.

[Art Read]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

Words are simply words. Using particular ones in order to threaten, intimidate or humiliate another person only reveals your own lack of character. Outlawing them, or even recognizing them as powerful cultural taboos simply makes them more divisive and effective. Ridiculing them with laughter and usurping them for your own use is far more effective. That's one thing I think "gangsta rap" got right. Us uptight New Englanders did the same thing with "yankee". Look it up.

"To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.
To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.
To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.
To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who still uses an outhouse."

E.B. White

(Hell, we even have a venerable, much loved, regional, little magazine called... you guessed it... Yankee!!)

[BarnacleGrim]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

I've always said, let the racists shout loudly from the rooftops! Eventually someone will come along and kick them over the edge.

[bobbys]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

Every day if i watch TV i can hear a Black comedian shouting the N word..

I hear Rap songs with the N word .

Come on they should drop it to..

Seems Hippo critical to me.

[OconeePirate]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

"To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.
To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.
To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.
To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who still uses an outhouse."

E.B. White

I've never seen that before, good stuff.

Same with Jeff Foxworthy and the redneck thing. I still don't think anyone is down with being called white trash though.

I personally am trying to get the c-word into the same usage as the n-word.

[pefjr]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

Go down the US? just words, not a criminal offense. The words one uses is a direct reflection upon the user, whether it be the "n" word or just a poor vocabulary(my problem). Might be covered under a Civil Rights violation, depends on if some one's rights were restricted or stepped on?? Reminds me of the Mark Twain quotes,

"A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation".

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.

[Captain Blight]

Re: So the "N" word's OK, but for Gods sake don't talk about God...woops, oh Christ..

I've never seen that before, good stuff.

Same with Jeff Foxworthy and the redneck thing. I still don't think anyone is down with being called white trash though.

I personally am trying to get the c-word into the same usage as the n-word.

Cracker? Well, I guess. Not being Southern, I don't recognize how that's so offensive, but if you say so.... William Gibson used the term "meshback" and I really like that. Neal Stephenson coined the word Sline (derived from baseline) but I don't reckon that'll ever catch on.