Use of the N-word at Circle K yesterday

So I was standing in line at the local Circle K. Ravi, who is the Indian Clerk (non-black) greeted a Black gentleman behind me. He loudly said to the black man, "Hey, what's up N*****a? I turned around and the customer whom he addressed was laughing, but I could tell he felt embarrased. I thought to myself, "What the hell?"

I stuck around, and waited for all the customers to leave, then I had a talk with Ravi. I told him he should never use the N-word, especially at work. Ravi is from India, and probably doesn't know any better, but I told him never to use that word again because he can get fired (or killed), and it's a bad word anyway. He understood.

Not cool man! Please forgive any typos, I have been living on 1 to 2 hours of sleep ever since m mom broke her hip.

What say you?

 

Are you sure? . . .

As a minority, I find this insulting and more importantly hyper racist in multiple points.

That you think the black man needed your help; that he lacked the ability to whatever-you-self-righteously-thought reason he could not correct.
Because when the black man laughed about it, you knew, you knew very well, I mean the n***a didn't, but you, you knew for him, that he was embarrassed.
I mean, forget the fact that he laughed, and he heard, yet he did nothing . . . but laugh. No, you had to insert yourself, because you knew better.

And, that oh-so-poor Indian clerk (who probably owns at least six more Circle Ks), uneducated on cultural norms (probably has a PhD from microbiology and speaks 6 languages and lived on more continents than most) ferner' needed your, oh blessed be your name, help to force he into the fear that we must maintain.

Congratulations! The first step to recovery is acceptance that you have a problem.

Racists come in all shapes and forms.

The KKK, we could see them coming from a mile. Their stupid hats, and bed sheets, lit torches. We knew what they are planning.

Today, we have the ones that keep minorities down by feeding them lies and making sure they remain chattel in the voting booth, and kept on the sideline until we need them to warm our self-righteous cockles of our hearts by a "good deeds".

What say you?

// do not ask, if you do not want to hear. //

 

I'm not just a minority; I'm black. I believe Abner is Hispanic, but I could be wrong. JHP made the assumption that Abner is not a minority. It doesn't matter. It's nice to have non-black allies. Abner likely did the Indian guy a favor. Another black person may not be as kind. Where I'm from, a non-black person saying n***a could result in a punch in the face. Even if the guy is well-traveled (we don't know that), he clearly isn't fully aware of the social norms in the U.S.

 

If Jhp isn't black, then his opinion as a minority isn't any more relevant than Abner's since Abner is also a minority. If Jhp didn't assume that Abner is a non-Hispanic white person who is the modern day version of the KKK, then I guess he thinks that Abner is looking to oppress himself.

Anyway, Jhp's post was way more racist than anything Abner said (Abner didn't say anything racist at all). Jhp used stereotypes of Indians to assume that the guy was a PhD working as a convenience store clerk. If that isn't insulting...

 

On the island where I grew up, the N-word was used in a different content. It was used mostly by parents warning their children not to behave like an N. So, the N-word was used in the context of behaviours. So a person of bad behaviour and of ill repute was considered an N. After moving to North America, I’ve adapted to the North American version of the word. Because of the internet, the N-word is now considered not usable on the island I grew up. I have seen people being rebuke using the word in the context of behaviour which traditional was accepted.

 

Same in the US. Or it was so in the past.

 

You mean black people calling each other the n-word based on the negative connotation given to it by white people? This is the same way black people use the word c**n today; it's not anything positive and is rooted in the history of it being used as a racial slur. In the past, the n-word was definitely a racial slur just as it is now.

As for n***a, it's the slang version of the n-word and a failed attempt at reclaiming a racial slur and trying to take power away from it.

 

No, not at all. Parents of all groups use terms of derision for the more foolish or criminal of their number to dissuade their children from becoming foolish or criminal.

 

Using racial slurs and terms of classism against your own is a form of self-hate. I would never call my children the n-word if I had any. That's verbally abusive. The black community already has enough issues with low self-esteem and colorism.

In U.S. history, the n-word is a term that is used specifically to insult black people, and no amount of revisionist history is going to change that.

 

I will definitely stick to the current understanding of the N-word and not use it. My parent were grandchildren of slavery. As I said before, slavery still has consequence. My parents warned me not to behave like an N. People who had bad characters were considered N. I am not a fan either of N...a. I don't think my parents were abusive. However, if I were to use that word to my children/grandchildren then I will consider that to be abusive.

 

That's correct, I am Hispanic American. I believe that an attack on any minority regardless of race is an attack on all minorities.

 

As time goes by, the hope is that people learn and grow. One of the biggest problems with African Americans, currently, is that they use corporal punishment more than any other group in the U.S. Well...we see the results of that. It's not keeping black youth out of jail and prison. Children who are spanked are over 20% more likely to be violent in relationships because they're taught to resolve their issues with violence. Some people theorize that the very high use of corporal punishment among African Americans is a perpetuation of learned behavior from slavery. Whenever I see someone beating his or her child violently with a belt, switch, or extension cord, I think of slavery. It's just not an effective way of teaching children.

 

You did the right thing, Abner. Nothing against jhp, but I hope he doesn't fall off that extremely high horse he was glaring down on you from. Sir jhp should get a mount more his size.

I'm speaking as a minority myself, of course. My DNA says I'm 1% South Asian and 1% Iberian Peninsula - so I've added them and this week only - I'm declaring myself 2% Indo-Portuguese. I've met a few of these numerous folks, who've all been nice to me. (Portugal gave up its last Indian possessions in 1962, IIRC - learned that from coin collecting.) I think you'll agree from my pic that I could pass for Indo-Portuguese - just change my last name to Pinto or De Mello or similar.

My point: there are innumerable genetic recipes for humanity. All of them good. Doesn't matter who's what - if we disparage / disrespect others, there will likely be consequences. Abner was doing Ravi a favour. Just because one Black customer laughed, doesn't mean the next one will. Why should you listen to me? Because I'm also a member of another minority - extremely intelligent people. Yes - to quote your leader, I, too, am a 'very stable genius' ...

 

I fact-checked. I was close. Portugal lost its last Indian possessions in Dec. 1961 - but did not recognize Indian control until 1975. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_India

 

Welcome to the minority club my brother!