We've had a number of threads like this...
"Is X offensive?" where X may be something that has been considered sexists, homophobic, racist, etc.... and everyone piles on that X should in no way be construed as offensive.... people are too sensitive... this political correctness crap has gone too far... blah, blah, blah....
What I just don't get is why a bunch of mostly white people are determining what should and should not be offensive to black people. Or why a bunch of mostly straight people get to determine what is offensive to gay people? Or why a bunch of mostly males get a say in what is or is not sexist behaviour?
Two months ago a number of native Americans wrote to the papers here stating that they found that the Nepean Redskins football team name was offensive and that they requested they change it. The white people of Ottawa got all in an uproar... "It's not racist! We like the name and we don't mean anything by it! It's just a name! Don't be so sensitive! You shouldn't take offence to it!" And my thought at the time was.... why is the majority deciding on what is or is not offensive to the minority?
And if we can state outright that blackface is no longer racist and people shouldn't take offence to it anymore, why can't we do the same with the N word? I herby state that the N word is no longer offensive. I don't mean anything by it. Black people shouldn't be so sensitive. It's not racist nor demeaning.... it's actually now an endearing term. Is it now okay to call people the N word? How about we now call the Nepean football team the "Nepean N*ggers". The alliteration makes it all the better.
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