Ok, not wanting to get into any big debate (that's no doubt been done millions of times before on here)

Just want some insight for an article im writing. Why do some of you use the n word to describe yourselves and your friends.

I have done some research and the under 25 demographic is most prolific in this area! I KNOW it comes from America, but its only started here (in the UK)in the last 5-10 years or so.

It wasn't happening on such a huge scale before that and I'm wondering what happened (apart from the explosion in rap music) that made young British kids adopt such a disgusting trait.

The people i have spoken to (about 300 people)have been from 27 - 16 I couldn't find anyone older (or younger!) who did this.

Is anyone brave enough to come on here and admit they do it, AND give an explanation as to why they find it acceptable, apart from the fact that they are copying americans.....

Not at all.

Which is why i said is anyone brave enough......

Are you white by any chance?

:?NO I AM NOT WHITE

If you trawl through the villages, esp the entertainment vilage, you will see threads were users have used the word in sentences that bare no relevance (albeit from the AA users).

AND

I know of at least 3 people who use these boards who use that word, just wondered if there were any more. I have watched a doc on TV with Asher D where he and many other youths were proud to say on national TV that they used the word and gave half-baked explanations for it.

Like I said, just wondered if anyone on here would be BRAVE enough to say so, hoping to get a honest response, if only from people not using their regular user names...

The people i have spoken to have as yet failed to give me one credible reason why the word should be used, and i think my questions have provoked them into changing their mind on this...

All i wanted to do was see if there were any other reasons behind it, apart from the ones i have heard before...

I use it not frequent but I use it...

The way I say it depends on who I am trying to describe.. often use it to describe lost black dudes.. or if I use with my friend its in a light tone..

Although I don't over use it, as my second language when you here people say it to describe just about everything..

Thank you for your honesty black thought. If you wouldn't mind answering a few questions....

I'll assume you didn't grow up hearing your parents use the word, so was it just one of those things were everyone else says it so i might as well?

Do you ever think about the negative connotations of the word?

Are any of your friends white and would you/do you allow them to use this word to address you?

Would you let you children use it?

I dnt use the "N" word (only if im excited) but that duznt make me condemn those who use it.

The best way to fight something you hatewhoseexistence is inevitable is to get used to it.The Black Manhad to get used to it when the white man called him N**** and by calling each other n****z, it made it so much easier to take in wen the white man called him by that name early at 4 for an allnew day's reaping in the plantations...

It works. a word that you hear evryday (however"heavy " it may sound) may neva hav as much weighting as that which is too taboo to say frequently...

Thus, the usage of that name became common. however, the new era of hip hop has changed the significance of using the word. Saying the word has become, supposedly, "black culture". No it hasnt. It is a word used by rappers that evry1 ends up using including our fellow beings: WHITE PEOPLE!! yay! Many thanks to ice cube, dr dre, 50 cent etc!!!!!

If you go on the Ligali website, there is a link to a debate on the N word, which was on Sweet fm on brother Hakhiem's reality talk show. It featured Toyin from Ligali and Shaka from Insaka. Itis very interesting.

I am strongly against the N, word. People talk about reclaiming it, but my argument is how can you re-claim a word that was never yours and was used to degrade and subjugate you. Why don't Europeans use words like "Cracker" or "Honkey", when referring toone another? The internalization of the N word by African people is beyond me, considering howmany of our elders and ancestors were abusedwith that word.

Honestly i used to say it alot - but now that i know the history behind itI dont - but when im listening to a song with the N word in it it does tend to slip out.

A guy I dated used the word regularly. I showed him Boondocks 10 - Return of the King thinking that was surely enough to bump the word out of his system. Immediately afterwards he said we was never going to use the word again. The next time we spoke it was n****, n****, n****!

confused3

Education, education, education, lol!!