Inside the NBA and the Double Standard of Racism

[JWeinCom]

Xxain said:

JWeinCom said:

1. I have definitely heard black people using both variations of the word. The usage is different, but in neither case were they generally offended. If you think it's always wrong, that's your opinion. I take no position on the matter. But, some people disagree with you.

More importantly though, the issue here is intent. I recognize that the n word is far more powerful that white boy. That's why I'm not actually typing it out. But, that doesn't necessarily make using the word worse.

2.Take two situations where someone is upset. One is a white person angry at a black person, the other is the other way around. In both cases they reach for the harshest word they can find. There just so happens to be a word that one can use against black people that is more offensive than any of the words that can be applied to white people.

Does that mean the white person did something worse, or should be more harshly punished? In my opinion, no. The intent was the same.

1. Nigger being wrong is not an opinion. Says a lot about you that you think that it is. Why would punishment be equal? One is a racial slur; the other is not. If someone was shoved and the shoved person came back  and beat the shover over head with brick... should punishment be equal?

2.I have to disagree here. Do you know why? because he could have said cracker, honkey, white trash or some other actual slur used against white people but he did not. Why are you making white boy mean something like either of those terms, when he could have just said those terms?

Yes. It shows that I know what an opinion is. A fact is something that can be objectively proven, and I do not know how you can objectively prove that claim. If you can do so, go for it. Again, as someone who is not being targeted by this word, I express no opinion myself. I'm pretty sure it would be offensive if I used it in any context... if black people want to refer to each other with either variation of the word, I don't think I'm in a position to judge.

The punishment should be the same because the purpose of punishment, imo, is to correct behavior (or in extreme examples protect society). In this case, I believe that each actor was doing the same thing essentially, looking for an offensive word to disparage the other based on their race. As such, I think the corrective action should be the same.

In contrast, I would say the intent behind beating someone over the head with a brick is very different from the intent behind shoving someone. One requires much more serious corrective action.

As for 2, I don't think cracker, honkey, or white trash are any more offensive. I've been called white boy, by black people who clearly intended it in a demeaning or threatening manner. Never any of the others. I'm not sure what makes something an "actual" slur, but I think any term that brings up someone's race in a negative way should qualify. 

Last edited by JWeinCom - on 25 August 2020