Your Debate Essays are posted below. Both tribes may challenge each other in this thread. The winner will be decided by the quality of the writing, the points in the scoring listed and the debate itself. Good Luck!
I will let the Debate go on until about 10:00 pm est
To begin my argument, I would like to draw your attention to the wording of the question. Bear in mind, we are being asked here, “Are white people allowed to use the N-word?” , and not “Should white people be allowed to use the N-word?” We, the Kimba tribe, are making no attempt to say that the word ought to be used; we're attempting to demonstrate that it is not the case that white people should be categorically barred from using the term.
To determine whether white people are allowed to use the N-word, one must first determine the definition of “allowed.” When you remove the moral and ethical implications implied by a “should” question, the answer is actually reasonably simple. In the United States of America, where the Constitution specifically grants the right of free speech to each and every citizen as an unalienable right, I would argue that every single person, regardless of color, race, religion, monetary status, gender, sexual preference, or class, has the government-mandated right to say whatever they want. This point is indisputable. Certain words may be grounds for a discrimination lawsuit, but such issues result from blatant misuse of words, with intent to harm.
Addressing another aspect of the argument, have white people earned the right to use that word colloquially? As an insult, or in any derogatory fashion... no. Absolutely not. However, with permission of the intended recipient of the term, the N-word is certainly permissible. After all, calling a woman your girlfriend is not appropriate if you are not dating her; if you are dating her, and she agrees that she is your girlfriend, then it is appropriate. By the same token, several different people groups may refer to others as “bitches” or “hoes” as a term of endearment. If a white person wants to casually refer to an acquaintance of any color as a “nigger,” with absolutely no malice intended, and the acquaintance has absolutely no qualms about it, is there a good reason to say that that white person should be denied the right of free speech? No. People have the right to express themselves however they choose.
Moreover, if the people of the world honestly want to seek mutual equality, then saying "we are allowed to use this term, and you are not," is a step backwards. Such a declaration creates an "us against them" mentality, and encourages black and white communities to remain separate. If we truly want a world in which black and white are viewed as equals, we should say that either no person should say the N-word, or that every person should. Saying "we can, you cannot" only highlights racial differences.
So, in conclusion, are white people allowed to say the N-word? Absolutely. Our constitution and our very way of life depend upon free speech. But just because someone can say a word, that in no way implies that they should. There is no law restricting the use of the word “bitch,” but choosing to say it to a court judge will inevitably result in you getting arrested. If a white person chooses to use the N-word, they have the right to do so, but if they choose to use it in the presence of certain people, there may be a social fallout from that decision. White people are certainly allowed to use the N-word; but at the same time, it is the responsibility of every person, regardless of color, to use their words in a way that promotes equality and goodwill.
"Niggaaaaa"The affliction of your words leaves me feeling hurt
'Cause it is so bad, and you're not even hood wit' it
hurt in the air, you don't care, I hate the sound of it
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips remind me
~ Robyn Fenty
Say the word Nigger in public and you will probably get the stare down, not just from black's but by people across all races. Why? It's because that one word carries with it the history of thousands of black slaves, brings up feelings of discrimination, slavery, hatred, segregation and was used in a derogatory context in the olden days. Even in today's age, the word, if said by someone who isn't black, usually is said because the person is angry and means to use it in a derogatory form. Yeah, we can call white people "honkies" but you tell me, what sounds more offensive. A black person saying honky, or a white person saying nigger?
Let's look at the word at it's most basic form. Nigger is derived from a latin word that means black, and black always represents evil in society and culture for one reason or another. It always has, and always will. So if the word itself is derived from something that is viewed as bad, calling someone a nigger is pretty much saying they are "bad/evil" in a sense, and go back to the Jim Crow and the slave era, using blacks as slaves, treating them like animals, and thinking they are inferior to whites, and why? Because of the color of their skin, because the color of their skin is not white, it's not good, it's black, which is bad.
Now in my opinion, nobody should use the word, just because of the things associated with it, the history behind it, however, some blacks have taken it and tried to change it's meaning by using it as a word to bond with one another, a form of brotherly love, like "my nigga", but that is only the case when it's a black saying it to another back. No matter how you put it, a non-black saying the word nigger will never be taken in that context and will always be viewed as a racist comment.
The connotation that the word "nigger" holds is disrespectful, even when used by black people. It represents ignorance and inferiority. I don't think God would appreciate us taking such a term lightly. A racial slur against a race that you don't belong to is ALWAYS considered offensive, even if no one listening is of that particular race. A LOT of people are VERY sensitive about race. Almost everyone, (white people included) feels like they get discriminated against in one form or another on the grounds of race. Maybe in another 50 years or so, our national consciousness will have evolved enough that race won't be an issue, but until then, tread lightly.
Nigger, when it comes down to it, is a powerfully loaded word that carries with it a lot of meanings. Depending on who says it - the context changes. In today's society especially, the public image of the word "nigger" has been stigmatized to the point that no matter who says it, and where, people will stare at who said it, and will always take it to be said in a derogatory and insulting way.
Words like nigger, and hate speech, in general, have an added dimension of meaning, a historical intent to cause harm, communicate a threat or symbolize a power dynamic, it just evokes too much bad history, history that was in the past and things people do not want to relive. We've moved past that stage in history, and I think it's about time we move past using loaded words like Nigger.
So no, a white person should not say the N word. When they do, it brings back memories from a time that we're trying to move past as a Country.
Slavery is America's biggest sin, and the N word represents an entire era in American history that shames us.
) People Allowed to say the N-word?
Try to keep it below 1000 words.
