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I'm starting to believe there is a condition called the "N-word meltdown," where white folks just go crazy and start repeating it over and over for no reason.
Well-known conservative talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger (pictured) went all Michael Richards on a caller who reached out to her for help regarding her interracial marriage.
The caller wanted the good doctor's advice on whether to confront her husband's friends, whom she believed were making racist comments about her.
During the exchange on Tuesday's show, Schlessinger said the woman, who called herself Jade, was being too sensitive for complaining about her husband's friends. When the woman asked if the N-word was offensive, Schlessinger said, "Black guys say it all the time," then went on to repeat it several times.
"I articulated the N-word all the way out -- more than one time," Schlessinger said in comments from the opening of her radio show that she posted on her site.
Translation: she put the dreaded "er" on the end instead of the "ga."
When will white people just accept the fact that black folks can use the N-word, but they cannot. Why is this such a complicated life rule for them?
It's actually quite simple. Jews can say things about other Jews that non-Jews can't say. Gays can say things about gays that straights can't say. Latinos can say things about Latinos that non-Latinos can't say. I have an Asian friend who referred to new Asian immigrants as FOBs (fresh-off-the-boats). But she probably would have kicked my ass if I had referred to them that way. And I respect that. You can talk about your own mama, but no one else can. It's really easy, white people.
Schlessinger said on her Website on Wednesday that she was wrong in using the word for what she called an attempt to make a philosophical point.
Why are white folks so intent on rationalizing their use of the word? You can't use it, period. Get over it.
When the caller objected, Schlessinger replied:
"Oh, then I guess you don't watch HBO or listen to any black comedians."
I don't know what black comedians Dr. Laura listens to but I can't remember any using "nigger" in their acts. Moreover, should a woman tolerate a bunch of people in her house using the N-word in a way she finds offensive because they do it on 'Def Comedy Jam'?
Look, white folks, I'll break it down for you: Black folks don't call each other "nigger"; we say "nigga." And whether you accept it or not, there is a huge distinction.
As an African American woman, I can't ever remember using "nigger" in my life in referring to another black person. Though, on a bad day at my DMV, I may say "nigga" in my head several times.
Dr. Laura and other white folks who put forth this "well, black people use it, why can't I" argument seem so tied to their own supremacy that they just can't accept that there are things we can do that they can't -- and it bugs the hell out of them.
In all fairness, Schlessinger did not direct the epithet at the woman but said she used it to suggest how often she hears it, and that it should not automatically be a cause for offense, which is also the stupidest thing I've ever heard. It's about context, Dr. Laura. Who's saying it, why, how and in what environment? Who are you to say what should offend this woman?
This is not a debate on the infamous N-word. Some people say no one should use it; others say it's fine. Frankly, I couldn't care less. Either way, this is not about that.
It's about respecting a culture's right to its own intracultural norms. If your use of the word offends me, that's really all you need to know.
We don't have to explain why you can't say it, we don't have to defend our use of it and we don't have to tolerate you saying it. You just can't. It's like family. You can talk about each other, but no one else can. And as long as everyone remembers that, we should get along just fine.
Comments: (349)
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By: Tanya PK on 8/13/2010 1:51PM
A M E N! The is REAL TALK! And finally someone had that cahones to tell 'them' nah, it is NOT ok and NEVER will be. Why, because it's not about the word it's about who's mouth it's coming out of! I love your illustration about FOB. I've heard African's say it that too, but since I was not born in Africa I don't EVEN feel comfortable saying that. And white folks know this so I wish they'd stop playing dumb! Also, when are white folks gonna stop telling black folks we have a "chip on our shoulder?" Did they ever stop to think that perhaps they are the ones with the chip on THEIR shoulder for thinking they are exempt from certain life rules and then get mad when someone calls them on it??
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By: H.B. on 8/15/2010 7:00AM
News Flash...
Just because you spell the word wrong doesn't make it a different word.
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By: Astra on 8/13/2010 4:24PM
Do you think, at this point, that white people should be allowed to say the N-word?
WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO ALLOW ANYONE TO SAY OR NOT TO SAY ANYTHING, COMMUNIST!!!!
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By: Mimi on 8/13/2010 7:54PM
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT LAURA SCHLESSINGER IS A SICK PUP.
I AM BLACK PERSON AND I HAVE NEVER USED THE "N" WORD.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT SCHLESSINGER IS A RACIST RETARD.
SHE BROUGHT UP PRESIDENT OBAMA WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS CONVERSATION. THE CALLER ASKED HER A STRAIGHT FORWARD QUESTION AND SCHLESSINGER REALLY SHOWED HER A$$ USING THE "N" WORD.
SHE TALKED ABOUT COMICS USING THE "N" WORD AND SHE TALKED ABOUT BLACK MEN PLAYING BASKETBALL USING THE "N" WORD. WTF? THE CALLER NEVER SAID HER HUSBAND WAS A BLACK BASKETBALL PLAYING COMIC. SO WHAT THE HELL DID THAT COMMENT HAVE TO DO WITH THE CALLER'S WHITE HUSBAND AND HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS?
WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE CALLER SAYING HER WHITE HUSBAND AND HIS FRIENDS ARE SAYING THINGS LIKE WHAT DO BLACK PEOPLE DO ETC. THE CALLER NEVER USED THE "N" WORD PRIOR TO SCHELESSINGER USING IT.
SCHLESSINGER BROUGHT UP THE "N" WORD OVER AND OVER AGAIN... THE CALLER DID NOT.
ON THE NEWS THEY SAID SCHLESSINGER SPEWED THE "N" WORD 11 TIMES. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT SHE USES IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SCHELSSINGER IS A BLATANT RACIST; IF SHE WERE NOT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE SAID BLACK PEOPLE VOTED FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA AND IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO IN OFFICE "IT WAS A BLACK THING"?
SHE IS A RACIST "B-TCH"
SCHELESSINGER REALLY SHOWED HER PURE RACIST A$$.
SCHELESSINGER COMMENTS ARE ALL RACIST AND IT'S AMAZING HOW STUPID SHE IS TO BE SO DAMN DUMB TO NOT KNOW HOW RACIST SHE SOUNDS.
DON'T NAACP ME? WOW SHE REALLY SHOWED HER A$$
THANKS CALLER FOR LETTING THE WORLD HEAR THIS RACIST LOUD AND CLEAR.
SCHLESSINGER ALSO SAID THAT WE HAVE A BLACK PRESIDENT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE SO MUCH RACIST THINGS GOING ON....YES WE DO THANKS TO PEOPLE LIKE SCHELESSINGER.
IT'S MORE THAN OBVIOUS THAT SCHLESSINGER IS ONE OF THE HATEFUL RACIST PEOPLE WHO ARE USUALLY CARD CARRYING TEA BAGGER REPUBLICAN TYPE.
THE CALLER ASKED A STRAIGHT FORWARD QUESTION AND SCHLESSINGER TURNED HER QUESTION INTO THE MOST RACIST CONVERSATION I HAVE EVER HEARD ON THE RADIO.
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By: John on 8/15/2010 9:12AM
I'm a blk man. I heard Dr. Laura's use of the n-word; she did nothing wrong. She used it in an instructional way, and her example was correct. Blk people need to get a grip. We are always trying to condemn someone for using words who attack us as a race, however, Dr. Laura don't attack us. She told the truth about our use of the word. Thank you, Dr. Laura for publicly exposing the racist mindset of most black Americans who refused to accept the way you showed off a negative word which many blk Americans use like water.
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By: Andrew Thompson on 8/15/2010 8:06PM
First of all we as Blacks need to stop using the N-word period how can we get respect when we don't respect ourselves. That word should never be uttered period "but" especially nowhere within ear shot of anyone outside of our race. We are the only race that almost seems to take pride in disrespect of our ownselves so what can you expect from others. So wake up and lets all abolish that word just as we have done with slavery dead and buried.
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By: KW on 8/16/2010 6:36AM
I am not surprised at all that Dr. Laura used the N-word! I always knew under her abrasive rhetoric she was a racist.
Please provide me a list of her radio show sponsors. I want to start a petition to boycott all of her sponsors. The best way to let Dr. Laura know that we do not support her hate mongering, is to immediately stop buying the products of her sponsors.
I encourage everyone to hold Dr. Laura and others accountable for her racist comments! By circulating this list of her boycotted sponsors to everyone you know, it takes away money, power, and her sense of entitlement.
Through boycotting the sponsors it places economic deprivation on people like Dr. Laura, Dan Imus, Lou Dobbs, Mel Gibson, Glen Beck, Bill O'Reilly, Rupert Murdoch, Sarah Palin by either shutting down or slowing down their hate filled agendas.
Racist comments have no place in America! We have the highest unemployment rates ever seen before. We do not have time for our radio and television air waves to be filled with racist politically-backed satire in the middle of a global economic meltdown.
Finally, the N-WORD COMES FROM SUCH A DEEP, HURTFUL, MURDEROUS PLACE, NO ONE SHOULD GET A FREE PASS TO USE IT!
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By: vdog on 8/16/2010 7:02AM
If you hear them say it do what my grandmother told me to do. Tell them IF YOU SEE A N----- THEN SLAP A N-----. That will SHUT EM UP and make em think twice about saying it again cause they are SCUUURRED!!!
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By: Siyett on 8/17/2010 3:48PM
Honestly, I don't think it should be a big deal. Its a word. Its no different than black people calling white people crackers and the like. I don't entirely agree with Dr. Schlessinger's approach, as she comes across as a bit of a bigot, but depending on the context of how someone uses the word, it shouldn't be offensive. People should be able to say what they want to say. We live in America people. We have freedom of speech for a reason. Its the people that think we should restrict those kinds of freedoms that ruin our nation.
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By: DeShawn on 8/17/2010 6:10PM
Why are Black people the only racial group to refer to themselves with a slur? I've never heard an Asian refer to another Asian with "yo, wassup my chink?", or a Latino say to another Latino "beana, you trippin" or a White person retort with "cracka please!". It makes no sense. The author of this article, and ANYONE who agrees with her, is in total and utter DENIAL of the ridiculousness of the "n-word" usage between Black people. In the end, it doesn't matter if white people say it or not, because NOBODY should be saying it.
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