Double Standards?, what do you think Options

[katherinee]

Since my dad just took the control from me, i have to watch the news. haha Anyways, you all might have heard of DJ talk show host Don Imus saying that the Rutgers Girls basketball team are "Nappy Haired Hos".

So here's the issue: news casts like CNN, MSNBC are saying that what he said was wrong and out of line, but the certain words out there used by rappers is hypocrisy. Meaning, they say that society is influenced by the "hip-hop culture" to use the "N" word, Ho, and all other provacative language. Moreover, they also say that certain words that are accepted by African Americans creates double standards in society. Furthermore, words like Ho, also bring up an issue about the degrading of Women.

I think this is issue is deep, and i really want to hear what our generation has to say about it.
So what are your feelings about it?

[alysaphobia]

To put it in perspective, I guess one who is African American may feel more comfortable joking around with the 'n' word to another African American, because they are both of the same race- so it's unlikely that the word had been used in a racist context; whereas if someone else were to call an African American the word, it wouldn't be okay; because you'd probably assume that person was using it in a racist context. People who are of the same race may believe they could use such words in a joking manner, because they both know they don't MEAN it.

I myself, however, believe it's offensive to use words traditionally used in a derogatory fashion; even if the word is being used amongst people of the same race. For example, I am part Japanese and part American, and I'd never call someone Japanese a 'Jap'; I simply don't find it a jokey type of word to use, simply because 'Jap' was a derogatory term once used to insult Japanese people.

[Simba]

To put it in perspective, I guess one who is African American may feel more comfortable joking around with the 'n' word to another African American, because they are both of the same race- so it's unlikely that the word had been used in a racist context; whereas if someone else were to call an African American the word, it wouldn't be okay; because you'd probably assume that person was using it in a racist context. People who are of the same race may believe they could use such words in a joking manner, because they both know they don't MEAN it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVRwGCqLmsg

[alysaphobia]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVRwGCqLmsg

^ The video isn't loading for me...