Subj: NAACP WINS

[NinjaPoodle]

I recieved this from the Western region board.


Subj: NAACP WINS
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NAACP wins on "nigger" in dictionary
A Small Victory...A Giant Step ( Thanks NAACP )
There has been a change in Webster's Dictionary.
Kweisi Mfume, President and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), recently gave a speech at Virginia Tech.

Everyone was informed that a landmark decision was made last week with the people at Merriam-Webster Dictionary. They have recognized the error of their ways.

So, beginning with the next edition, the word nigger will no longer be synonymous with African-Americans. It shall be duly noted that it's a racial slur and not what African-Americans themselves are. Along with this, all racial and religious slurs will finally be indicated for what they really are - cruel and evil slurs too often used to degrade people.

Please pass this information on to others. This change should serve notice to people, corporations, etc., that when individuals stick together to right a wrong, a change is gonna come. This wasn't just a victory for African-Americans, but for everyone.

Now if we can only get ignorant young black men to stop using it then we will truly win.

[straightBOS]

How was a "wrong" righted when the NAACP effectively CHANGED the meaning of a word because they did not like it.

The word for "Black" in Latin is "Niger"
The word for "ignorant" in Latin is "ignorans"


The NAACP cannot tell me that "Nigger" refered to an ignorant person BEFORE it refered to a Black person. "Nigger" is indeed a racial slur (duh), but, whether we like it or not, it has always refered to Black people FIRST. This is basic etymology, folks. And, the campaign to re-write the English language because they cannot handle it is childish, reckless, and further proof that they really don't have anything better to do.

[SeriousSigma22]

StraightBOS,

I have to disagree with you on that one because I have heard your take on it in classes and I also learned, in some of the same classes, that it referred to an "ignorant person." I'm glad that the NAACP has won the battle on getting webster to present the word "nigger" as an ignorant person. I also just checked The Scribner-Bantam English Dictionary and the word "nigger" does not even exist. That's just my take on the word and Sorhor Ninjapoodle thanks for sharing that piece of information.

Serioussigma22

[ladygreek]

This is indeed interesting. I have an old Webster's Dictionary--9th edition, 1983. In it nigger is defined as: 1. Negro--usually taken to be offensive, 2. a member of any dark-skinned race--usually taken to be offensive, 3. a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons. By the same token honkie, honky, honkey is defined: a white man--usually used disparagingly; and spick, spic is defined: Spanish American especially Mexican--usually taken to be offensive.

Thus, I agree with BOS that they have always been defined in racial terms and personally I think we should have left it alone because no matter how they are "redefined" in the dictionary the usage will remain racial. This just gives folks further justification and maybe protection for using it. Now you can call someone a Nigger, beat them and then say "It wasn't a racial slur Judge, I was just calling them ignorant. Therefore, when I then beat up on him, it wasn't a hate crime."