Why do people hate Christians and Jews, but are OK with Muslims and Athiests?

[hismajesty]

Hazard is totally correct. I'm not sure how widespread that stuff is in Europe (since most of you guys look the same) but here the minorities are definately the ones trying to use the fact that they're a minority to their advantage.

[Arta]

I don't agree with affirmative action either, but I'm not sure I agree with you on use of 'nigger'. There are valid historical reasons for that. I can understand how words that are racial slurs when used by someone not of the group to which they refer could also be expressions of solidarity and kinsmenship when used by the members of that group.

[Arta]

I'm not sure how widespread that stuff is in Europe (since most of you guys look the same)

That's not true at all. Many countries in Europe, especially western Europe, are very multicultural.

We don't really have affirmative action as such here, but the same things that prompted it in the states do exist here. Ads for police recruitment, for example, all say "We especially welcome women and applicants from ethnic minorities". I think that's ok, though. The employees of the police force should be as representative as possible of the population, and as long as people are still recruited on their merit, I don't really care what the ads say. I don't think such discrimination takes place on any significant scale. In fact, it's illegal here to discriminate by race, gender, or disability, and I think a similar law for sexual preference is about to take force, or pass, or something.

[hismajesty]

I don't agree with affirmative action either, but I'm not sure I agree with you on use of 'nigger'. There are valid historical reasons for that. I can understand how words that are racial slurs when used by someone not of the group to which they refer could also be expressions of solidarity and kinsmenship when used by the members of that group.

Ah, so you think it's alright for a black person to use the word but not white people? There was a discussion of this in school today. The black people in my class actually agreed and said they try not to use the word. The word nigger originally meant a rude, ignorant person. So, regardless of who says it, it's still a derogatory word.

That's not true at all. Many countries in Europe, especially western Europe, are very multicultural.

Probably shouldn't have sterotyped Europe, but it's no where near as diverse as the US. Take for example Germany or the Czech Republic.

[Arta]

I can only really speak for the UK, which is fairly similar to the states, at least, from my impressions.

I think 'nigger' is a fairly ugly word, I never use it, and I don't think I would if I were black, either. I think it would be a great thing if the word died completley. That said, I do understand why someone would be offended by a white person using it, but not by a black person.

[Adron]

Probably shouldn't have sterotyped Europe, but it's no where near as diverse as the US. Take for example Germany or the Czech Republic.

Well, I occasionally see one of those black people. Niggers or whatever they're called. It's kinda cool to see them in real life. They don't just exist on TV! Kinda like if there was an alien sitting next to you on the train.




To be honest, I thought "Wow!" the first time I saw one come cycling down a street here. Not sure how old I was, maybe 12 or 15 or so. They haven't been all that common, but there are getting to be more and more of them.

Related: Look up some old descriptions of Africans from an encyclopedia or so and see what it says?

[Hazard]

But why should African-Americans use this derrogatory term so openly and commonly, then demand that nobody else be allowed to use it?

[Arta]

I'm not sure they all do. Many white hip-hop (and similar) artists use it, for example (Eminim comes to mind, beastie boys, rage against the machine...) and I've never heard anyone (black) complain about that.

As for people that do.. well... I think they can use it openly, because they're black! The fact is, people are different, we're not all the same, and some things aren't appropriate for everyone. Equality is about embracing eachother's differences, not trying to ignore them, or pretending they don't exist. I agree it's kind've strange and not very logical, but that's life

[hismajesty]

I agree, it'd be nice if the word died completely. Martin Luther King Jr. would be turning in his grave if he saw the african-american kids of today acting like they do. He fought against people that used that word, and now those that he fought for are using it.

Adron: wow. They exist on TV here, if they didn't there'd be some big civil rights movement or something. That's why all reality shows always have a gay guy, black guys, white guys, girls, etc.

[Banana fanna fo fanna]

I think that's a bad example. Christmas is so much easier to use,

[Adron]

Adron: wow. They exist on TV here, if they didn't there'd be some big civil rights movement or something. That's why all reality shows always have a gay guy, black guys, white guys, girls, etc.

That's what I meant.... I've seen them on TV, next to Alien, Terminator and Klingons. But then I actually saw one in real life too...

[hismajesty]

Adron: wow. They exist on TV here, if they didn't there'd be some big civil rights movement or something. That's why all reality shows always have a gay guy, black guys, white guys, girls, etc.

That's what I meant.... I've seen them on TV, next to Alien, Terminator and Klingons. But then I actually saw one in real life too...

I saw about 800 today.

[Hazard]

So its okay for a black guy walking down the street to yell "Hey Nigger!" to his buddy... but its not okay for anybody else to use the word ever?

[DOOM]

I think this sort of double standard totally goes against any idea of equality.  My cousin (who is Italian) was being called racial names by a group of blacks in high school.  The black kids thought it was amusing.  But when he turned around and called them niggers, suddenly they were all pissed off and wanted to beat his ass.  And this is equality?  The mindset that is prevalent in today's society regarding racism is ridiculous.  You can never have an equal society as long as the same rules do not apply to everyone, regardless of their skin color.

[j0k3r]

So its okay for a black guy walking down the street to yell "Hey Nigger!" to his buddy... but its not okay for anybody else to use the word ever?

Correct.

Because their ancestors were abused by our ancestors, we now owe them the right to say what they want and they get special treatment. Hell, we even owe them a black history month. Including christian-related holidays and traditions in with other cultures' celebrations is obvious disrespect and we can't have that happening.