post-racial slur survivor

by The Champ on September 22, 2009 · 349 comments

in evil, lists, politics, race, theory

s_watermelon

its been two years since the NAACP officially “buried” the word nigger. deemed “the greatest child racism ever birthed“, nigger had a full funeral replete with a procession, a eulogy, and a rare sighting of a standing christine beatty to symbolically put an end to the power behind that word.

even before this strange act, post-racial bigots already put that word on waivers, realizing that you just can’t go around calling everybody niggers anymore (unless, of course, you’re ghostface killa or frank sobotka). in its place are dozens of terms, phrases, code words, epithets, and idioms; synonyms for “black” lingering around the american lexicon and causing more uneasiness and deferred discomfort than an ugly baby.

today, with your help, verysmartbrothas.com will begin to put an end to this phenomenon with our first ever installment of post-racial slur survivor

the champ will list 11 of his favorite post-racial racist code words and slurs, and we’ll decide in the comments which term will officially be voted out and buried in the plot next to nigger

1. communist/socialist

—although this coding seemingly surfaced overnight, america has a long and storied history of branding educated blacks as anti-american anarchists perpetually plotting towards the country’s demise (which we are...but thats besides the point.)

2. urban

—a term that’s become so synonymous with black that six months ago, a group of arkansas businessmen petitioned to boycott the entire city of little rock when hearing of plans to open an urban outfitters there, saying that the retail chain’s title “promoted crime and miscegenation”¹.

3. church groups (from trenton)

just read and weep. or laugh.

4. inner-city

—am i the only one who’s felt that the connotation of inner-city doesn’t just suggest “they live in the city” but that cats live inside the city? like we actually live inside of stairwells, sewers, and streetlights and sh*t?

yea? ok, moving on

5. at risk

—although usually used by educators to describe certain school districts and neighborhood populations, “at-risk” itself is so ambiguous that it can be applied to basically anyone.  i mean, why can’t you describe a college freshman class as being at-risk even though the risk they’re facing is chlamydia?

6. thug

although it originally derives from the thuggee’s of india, the term has become so racially charged that espn.com and other websites have actually begun to censor it out of the comments on it’s articles. we tried doing that here as well, but liz our moderation is racist

7. illegal/foreigner/muslim

—code words that serve as reminders for a bigots prevailing feeling that minorities are america’s mother-in-laws: needy, unwelcome visitors with bad food, strange hair, and gout

8. affirmative action/quota

—terms used by those conveniently forgetting that white women exist

9. regular/hard-working

—while these terms aren’t used to describe blacks per se, they are used to imply what blacks are not. a politician or pundit making a reference to “regular, hard-working americans” is basically saying “not niggers”.

the same could be said for “trustworthy”. but, since i don’t trust most of ya’ll niggas either, i can’t fault them for that one

10. n-word

—this isn’t really any type of racial code. i just really, really, really hate this f*cking word.

11. ghetto

—used when inner-city isn’t quite black enough to accurately describe “black”. its almost like it implies “no, not just black. really, really black. superblack. ultrablack. uberblack. so black that if you turn off all the lights, all you’ll see is a d*ck and some teeth”

people of vsb.com, vote for which term you’d most like to see buried next. remember, you can only choose one. also, since i know i haven’t covered them all, please feel free to mention any write-in candidates you’d like to nominate.

the carpet is yours and sh*t

¹i’m lying. admit it, though. you can totally see that happening

—the champ

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can’t knock the hustle?
September 23, 2009 at 12:12 am

{ 53 comments… read them below or add one }

1 charli skipp September 22, 2009 at 12:28 am

this post is on point. i really agree with the part about the term “ghetto” (um…half the time, the places that they are calling ghetto aren’t even. it’s just an area with less shiny paint. in my head, i always want to blurt out, “get in my car. i’ll take you to the ghetto.”) and the part about this country having a history of labeling intellectual or artistic Blacks as socialists and communists.

a term that i would like to see disappear is “yang yang.” you know, how ignorant (southern) Blacks refer to Asian people–of any ethnicity. it’s sooooooooooooooo ignorant that it literally makes my skin ashy. how are you going to be offended when a white person looks at you crazy, and then change the subject to how you’re about to go the “yang store”? ugh! and further, if you feel that way about patronizing foreign-owned businesses, then find you a Black business to support, but DO NOT refer to people with such ugly words, Black people!

Reply

charli skipp Reply:

@charli skipp,
wait. i meant to say “half” the time. and i thank you.

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Blacklaw Reply:

@charli skipp, “makes my skin ashy” ha aha

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Ms. Smart Reply:

@charli skipp, I have never hear ‘yang-yang’, I have however heard A-rabs.* And to be honest, until I got to LIVE on the East Coast, I had no idea where A-rabs were from.

*I’m from Detroit. The corner store owners are never asian. They are either A-rab or Chaldean. Jesus wept.

Reply

Humble_One aka Field Ninja Reply:

@charli skipp,

Somewhere down the line “ghetto” replaced “white trash” for 2520s. I’ve heard too many 2520s call something ghetto when it it is far from being ghetto.

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Panama Jackson Reply:

@Humble_One aka Field Ninja, as have I. i often cringe when I hear them say it. and for some reason, they don’t think they ‘re talking about “black” people all the time. the racism lies even more latent. if you ask them what they mean you get the, “not like you…” retort.

my guitar gently weeps for the people.

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Smiley Face Reply:

@Panama Jackson, “not like you…”

….this right here!!! I ABHOR this statement…makes my arse itch! Grrrr! I usually get that when they say something about SE when I say I’ve lived there over half of my life. “Well Smiley Face we don’t mean you,” well what do you mean?

miss t-lee Reply:

@charli skipp,
” term that i would like to see disappear is “yang yang.” you know, how ignorant (southern) Blacks refer to Asian people”

I’ve never heard this term, this must be a different part of the South.

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JamaicanGirlisback Reply:

@miss t-lee, never heard “yang yang” but the term that is often used in South Fl to describe Asians is Chink.

That term also “makes my skin ashy”, just rude.

Reply

miss t-lee Reply:

@JamaicanGirlisback,
That term you’ve mentioned I’ve heard of…from my Uncles who were in Vietnam. They have no problem throwing it around, I’m always cringing…like “dayum, did you really just say that?”

Me fail english? Reply:

@JamaicanGirlisback,

Yeah that one’s not exclusive to South FL at all. My Grandpa who fought in the Pacific Theater in WWII called Asians “chinks” and “japs” like it was the correct term. I had to get my father to call them Asians instead of “orientals” cuz he really thought THAT was the PC term for em! I’m working on getting him to understand the differences between South vs. East vs. Southeast Asians but we’re taking it one day at a time :)

Not tryna make excuses but I think some of the Asian perjorative terms, though no less hurtful come more from ignorance than fools thinkin they slick with the racism.

Smiley Face Reply:

@Me fail english?,

You think that’s rough..my friends father calls people from the Philippines “those Chinese Mexicans”…makes my ears bleed..and he wonders why the room goes silent after he speaks. He just doesn’t get it.

Me fail english? Reply:

@Me fail english?,

LMAO! Girl, we must be friends! That’s what my Daddy calls em too.

Smiley Face Reply:

@Me fail english?,

First time he said I just KNEW I had a hearing problem!! Girl!

The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

lol, my dad has begun referring to all people of indian descent, whether they’re american indians or actually from india, as “slumdogs”. i tried telling him to stop, but i think there’s a chip in black men that makes them stop listening to everyone else once they turn 50 (he’s 62).

Panama Jackson Reply:

@miss t-lee, i’ve never heard that term either. we just call them all asians. don’t matter what country you’re from. its just all asian.

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klysha Reply:

@charli skipp, I’m from the south but the word of choice where I grew up was Ching Chong

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charli skipper Reply:

@klysha,
yeah! ching chong and chink are the same variation. it was late so i couldn’t think of anything else. i just cannot stand it!

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OrangeStar616 Reply:

@charli skipper,
chinese mexican tho…… LLS!!!! and I heard chink and jap etc but not yang yang….when we say yang yang its usually attached to BullSh*t…..i.e “talking that yang yang bullsh*t” = talking out of the side of your a$$ or something that doesn’t make sense LMAO!!!!

what irks me is thinking every asian person is Chinese, and or Japanese and referring to folk as Mama-saan and Papa-saan… folk could very well be Korean, Phillipino, Vietnamese etc etc etc..smh

Smiley Face Reply:

@OrangeStar616,

Girl yes..but he’s the first one to get angry about someone calling him a n-word! He’ll call his Latino neighbors “Hectors” in a minute though, you try to be like Pops you can’t call people out their names and be mad when they call you a n-word…he don’t hear you though. SMH.

Me fail english? Reply:

@Smiley Face,

Haha. Maybe cause the America was more black and white when they were growing up or maybe cause they just old and dont give an eff, but that baby boomer generation (as well as those before them) are so un-PC it could make your head spin. Ah well, they seem to get along as well as we do.

The Champ Reply:

@charli skipp,

a term that i would like to see disappear is “yang yang.” you know, how ignorant (southern) Blacks refer to Asian people–of any ethnicity

i’ve never heard this before, but since its making your skin ashy, it can be nominated for burial as well

Reply

Big Man Reply:

@charli skipp,

Reggin

Mondays

Canadiens

These are all actual code words for black people. I mean, real code words, like it’s a secret and we’re not supposed to know.

The first one is nigger spelled backwards, the second one is because everybody hates Mondays and the third one is basically the same thing.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Big Man,

lol@ everybody hating Canadiens (is this how you spell it for people and you spell it with a as an adjective?)Didn’t know about those last two.

Is that why South Park draws them that way? And next time I hear a 2520 say “I HATE Mondays” its gon be a fight! haha

Reply

Big Man Reply:

@Me fail english?,

I think I spelled that wrong.

Dammit.

As for Champ’s original query, I vote off “thug.”

Every time I hear that word, I really hear “nigger.”
I’d rather have it removed than the actual word “nigger” because thug gives the racists unfair cover.

Brandi Reply:

@Big Man,
The first time I heard Reggin was by from a black gay guy. I had no clue what it was until he told me to spell it backwards. I’ve never heard it again.

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2 afterthought September 22, 2009 at 12:30 am

What about “angry”? or more precisely “angry Black man”? I mean when people say something like this, they really mean “grab your purses, lock your doors, and call the cops, there’s a n***** on the loose”

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Blacklaw Reply:

@afterthought, cosign

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Panama Jackson Reply:

@afterthought, you know we angry tho.

Reply

Cheekie Reply:

@afterthought,

I’d like them to address just why we angry, to tell ya the truth. Yeah, bet that won’t happen…

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Panama Jackson Reply:

@Cheekie, its cuz some of y’all need hugs and jesus.

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Cheekie Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

White Jesus?

Smiley Face Reply:

@Cheekie,

little blue eyed Baby Jesus

The Champ Reply:

@afterthought,

lol, we can’t forget the “angry black woman” either. while she’s gonna snatch your purse, she might cut your balls off at work and put em in hers

Reply

3 OneChele September 22, 2009 at 12:45 am

We could bury “urban” for real. I also notice there’s a certain way that people say, “ethnic.” It is usually accompanied with a look.

Also on the paycheck plantation, they tend to drop phrases like “diversity candidate” to indicate that an applicant is black. I once had a manager tell me his department was getting too much of a “multi-cultural palette.” Nice. Or my favorite (not), POC. We’re just “of color” now? Sigh, so many euphemistic slurs… so little time.

Bury them all, can’t we just be Black again?

Reply

Panama Jackson Reply:

@OneChele, being simply Black wouldn’t allow for the innuendo behind each of the terms.

i particularly love at-risk. i use that at least twice a day when i see kids on the train.

though its usually at-risk of me wanting to give them all an a**whippin’ for being so damn ghetto and urban.

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The Champ Reply:

@OneChele,

Bury them all, can’t we just be Black again?

we were black before?

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4 VeronicaCorningstoneD September 22, 2009 at 12:51 am

Lol @ number two. My vote is for “ghetto”, being one of three vss’s at my high school, i would wince at whenever my 2520 peers used the ter. esp because it almost made me feel like i was supposedly one of the “good ones”. ugh.

“this rascism is killing me!”

Reply

Panama Jackson Reply:

@VeronicaCorningstoneD, you know, i actually kind of like the term “ghetto”. its so all encompassing and though we hate it when 2520s say it, the fact is, most of us actually know people who quite appropriately fit the definition.

what is the definition you ask? i have no clue, but i know it when i see it. for instance. going to a ski lodge and finding the only spot in town that serves fried chicken like you had a chicken GPS in your eyes? that’s just Black. tossing said chicken bones out the window instead of placing them firmly in the trash can since “the window is closer” is pretty ghetto.

Reply

The Champ Reply:

@VeronicaCorningstoneD,

welcome and sh*t (i think)

Reply

VeronicaCorningstoneD Reply:

@The Champ,

lol, you have a point but it becomes troubling when people use it as an all-encompassing term for blackness.

oh, and thanks and sh*t

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5 V.E.G. September 22, 2009 at 1:01 am

I’d like to see ‘urban’ buried.

Over the last 6 weeks, I’ve heard the term ‘urban market’ tossed around so many times…it’s making me sick.

Please know that all of us – no matter how much we make, where we live…if we are black, advertisers consider us to be part of the urban market when it comes to selling cars, fast food, soda and beauty products.

Advertising speak:
general market – good
urban market – a nuisance that has to be dealt with

Reply

Humble_One aka Field Ninja Reply:

@V.E.G.,

“no matter how much we make, where we live…if we are black, advertisers consider us to be part of the urban market when it comes to selling cars, fast food, soda and beauty products.”

Is that why most of the commercials with black folks in it always has to have the “wise motherly obese black woman with a southern accent”, “the stylish, hip, joking, slang speaking, black youth”, or “the funky music playing in the background”?

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deN.I.A.l is not a river in Egypt.... Reply:

@Humble_One aka Field Ninja,
Is that why most of the commercials with black folks in it always has to have the “wise motherly obese black woman with a southern accent”, “the stylish, hip, joking, slang speaking, black youth”, or “the funky music playing in the background”?

You just described Popeye’s and McDonald’s commercials, and Hardees commercials on black radio.

Reply

Misskbs Reply:

@deN.I.A.l is not a river in Egypt….,
Lol…don’t forget Walmart and Chrysler commercials on BET and TV One.

Me fail english? Reply:

@Humble_One aka Field Ninja,

“Calvin got a job!”

Heh, heh

edit: I think they’ve gotten better about this though.

Reply

miss t-lee Reply:

@Me fail english?,
Them old school Kool-Aid ones were the worst.
*singing* I make Kool Aid for my family…pitcher after pitcher…

Me fail english? Reply:

@miss t-lee,

LMAO! I thought Anthony Brown (comedian) made that up! Damn, I think I’d die laughing watching that isht.

That and the Time Life “Quiet Storm” comm’l where dude with the Duke S-curl goes “Oh no my brother! U GOTSTA get yo’ own.” *insert sh!t-eating grin* are enough to flatline me.

I still say “Oh no my brother!” to my boyfriend outta nowhere.

miss t-lee Reply:

@me fail english?,
Nah chick….that was a real commercial!!!! Conservative financial institution (my employer) just recently blocked youtube, otherwise, I would post the link.

*dead* at that Quiet Storm commercial, I totally forgot about that one.

Freaknik Reply:

@miss t-lee,

Did they do a follow-up commercial where the mom who gave the kids pitcher after pitcher of Kool-Aid also gave them childhood obesity and diabetes? Maybe I missed that one.

Freaknik Reply:

@Humble_One aka Field Ninja,

is it me or does popeyes only show ninjas w/ “soul” in their ads? i swear they got a joyful soul-filled black woman or man in every commerical. and if u ever heard a Bojangles commercial i think they actually took an ex-slave and made him dance the jig while playing the fiddle for “massa” in the blackface outfit.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Freaknik,

Damn, That sux. But I could see these images convincing me the chicken is EXTRA good. Not like that soulless KFC.

The Champ Reply:

@Freaknik,

you know, i’d never even seen an ad for popeye’s before until earlier this year.

and yeah, the somewhat milfy woman in that commercial did make me want to eat the hell out of some chicken

Panama Jackson Reply:

@V.E.G., urban market – a nuisance that has to be dealt with

i feel that way everyday when i walk thru my local grocery store.

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Cheekie Reply:

@V.E.G.,

“no matter how much we make, where we live…if we are black, advertisers consider us to be part of the urban market when it comes to selling cars, fast food, soda and beauty products.”

Also, none of us go to college apparently. We need a young “hip” Black dude/chick rappin’ or spoken word-ing us to go to Devry or some sh*t. Because it’s easy! You can get your degree fast! And under 3 years! Get that GED too if you ain’t got it because chances are…you don’t!!

*major eyeroll*

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

Oh the worst was the rapping lawyers comm’l. They was beatboxing and everything. I know the NYC area ppl seen this BS. Like we won’t trust a lawyer until he spits a hot 16. smh!

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The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Like we won’t trust a lawyer until he spits a hot 16

i bet johnny cochran could

Smiley Face Reply:

@The Champ,

Not only could but did! You forgot the mini rap that got OJ off “if it doesn’t fit, you must acquit!”…lol

bballmom Reply:

@V.E.G., You know I was a media buyer at a big agency about 10 years ago. Ish that used to piss me off was the “no urban” dictates from advertisers to buyers. Happened EVERYDAY of the week. No lie. I could tell you stories. But that is for another post.

But know that if you hear a Cadillac spot, it’s by osmosis cause them ninjas ain’t talking to you on purpose. So glad we are not buying those as much as we did a few years ago.

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6 Joe E September 22, 2009 at 1:15 am

Good list…
Can’t count the number of times a professor has said one of the above words in class…no matter the context I get that dropping feeling in my stomach. Indoctrination is a bamma…

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The Champ Reply:

@Joe E,

welcome and sh*t

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Joe E Reply:

@The Champ, why thank you, good sir. i’ve been reading for a while now…feel honored to finally make a comment.

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7 Blacklaw September 22, 2009 at 1:46 am

we can kill that damn “articulate” nonsense
(Chris Rock–”He Speaks So Well!”)

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charli skipp Reply:

@Blacklaw,
yesss……….like white people hold the patent to proper grammar and enunciation. please.

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Cheekie Reply:

@charli skipp,

I know! They act like they don’t know a few slack-jawed yokels around the way. They can go sit down somewhere with that mess.

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V.E.G. Reply:

@Blacklaw,

I actually had an employer, in a performance review, write that I spoke well. Ummm. I do have a master’s degree, fool.

smh and o_O

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miss t-lee Reply:

@Blacklaw,
“we can kill that damn “articulate” nonsense”

Yep…bury that one a G.

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pgh muse Reply:

@Blacklaw, This is interesting tho… I think that there is a reason why a lot of our people speak the way we do. We have a lot more lips and timbre in our voices… I understand about feeling some type of way when 2520’s are like “Wow, ur so articulate.” But English still isn’t our native tongue… I think a lot of our diction and patterns of speech still reflect our culture of origin.

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Smiley Face Reply:

@pgh muse,

Yeah…I get where you’re going but I’ve never heard anyone say to an American born Asian that they speak well.

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The Champ Reply:

@pgh muse,

I think a lot of our diction and patterns of speech still reflect our culture of origin

you think so? even after being over here for (roughly) like 7000 years and sh*t?

Reply

SexyCool Reply:

@pgh muse,
I don’t know if I can co-sign the “English is not our native tongue” or the “big lips” argument.

I was born in Florida and I’m not carrying around a pair of Adele Givens soup coolers. If we went with the Native Tongue argument, what say you about them good o’ redneck boys that “don’t speak no propuh anglish?”

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Panama Jackson Reply:

@Blacklaw, though i feel you, i ain’t gonna lie. i often notice when dealing with black folks who are extremely articulate. however, i’m often like, man, that’s some great diction whereas “others” are probably more surprised. so i do agree.

i wisht i wuz mo’ articulet.

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The Champ Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

though i feel you, i ain’t gonna lie. i often notice when dealing with black folks who are extremely articulate

i see what you mean. extremely articulate people with perfect pitch and diction (black or white) do stand out. you just dont hear it that often.

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Cheekie Reply:

@Blacklaw,

This was my exact vote. I had a feeling someone had already said it, so yeah. Articulate deez!

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Chasdizz Reply:

@Blacklaw, amen.

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8 Blacklaw September 22, 2009 at 1:48 am

lol at making ur skin ashy

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9 Ms. Smart September 22, 2009 at 1:52 am

Oh, so DARKIE couldn’t get an honorable mention? Effing racists! And what about Obama?? That’s a racial word! Spell-check hasn’t even added him to their list of acceptable words.

And as far as the n-word–which I use here because you hate it–the effort the bury it is based solely on the need to make white people feel more comfortable. I’m an urban psychologist/researcher and I have the stats to prove it. (Not really but if yo back me into a corner, I can produce some numbers.)

Wait, what was the question again? *scrolls back up* Oh, OK.

I’m going to go with regular/hardworking. Why? I don’t know why but in the morning, after re-hydrating and a proper amount of sleep, I’ll be able to explain my choice.

Humh. I know why. Because it insinuated that Black people (people of the diaspora) are just lazy and strange. I’ont like that isht!

Reply

Panama Jackson Reply:

@Ms. Smart, i find it most interesting that though some people would like to “bury” some of these words (like the NAACP, etc), with the exception of the one you mentioned, my guess is that most of us darkies would just prefer that mainstream America didn’t use them since we know exactly what the hell they mean.

i know i love me a good code word.

Reply

Ms. Smart Reply:

@Panama Jackson, We know what they mean and they know what they mean too. Or at least the white people I know seem to know what they mean. Then again, they are all educated, read books, and aren’t under cover racists.

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Cheekie Reply:

@Ms. Smart,

“And what about Obama?? That’s a racial word! Spell-check hasn’t even added him to their list of acceptable words. ”

I’m salty about this myself. Always gotta press “ignore all” in Outlook whenever I type something about Obama. He’s the president and his name is probably the most used word in the entire universe. Stop acting brand new, Outlook!

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The Champ Reply:

@Ms. Smart,

And as far as the n-word–which I use here because you hate it–the effort the bury it is based solely on the need to make white people feel more comfortable

are you referring to nigger (which i don’t mind) or n-word (which i abhor)?

**btw, your link isn’t working. i think its misspelled**

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SexyCool Reply:

@Ms. Smart,

I think that the difference between ‘darkie’ and the words listed is that the listed words are coded and are commonly used when referring to Black people.

DARKIE is clearly an offensive term and if used by an ‘other’ in my presence will not yield good results for said ‘other’.

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10 Kijuana September 22, 2009 at 2:04 am

I think the term ‘ghetto’ should be buried. I had an experience last week where my (white) physical therapist wanted to describe a certain neighborhood to one of the other patients and turning to look at me says ‘ghetto’. I shook my head, told him I grew up in the suburbs and had no idea what he was talking about.

BTW: This is my first time commenting. I’ve been reading for a couple weeks and I love the site.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Kijuana,

He was looking to you to validate his BS. I love making the non-black ppl at my job who feel comfy saying racially-charged stuff to me second-guess our bond. Like “What do you mean by that? Do you have a problem with black people?”. Lol. The Obama election was TENSE round these parts!! And I enjoyed every minute of it.

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Panama Jackson Reply:

@Kijuana, welcome and sh*t

and even though i’ve definitely lived in the “ghetto” and contributed to “ghetto” ness i’d go dumb faster than a cat from Oakland if somebody tried to look to me for “ghetto” validation.

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Kijuana Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

I just looked at him like how in the heck should I know what you’re talking about. He apologized for singling me out but still…

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Kijuana Reply:

@Kijuana,

P.S-Thanks for welcoming me and sh*t, much appreciated.

The Champ Reply:

@Kijuana,

lol, i’m mad it turned to look at you. i envision it happening it slow motion, with the word “ghetto” sounding like it was chopped and screwed

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Me fail english? Reply:

@The Champ,

LOL!

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Kijuana Reply:

@The Champ,

LOL! Being the only Black person in the room tends to do that to people.

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WuDaMan Reply:

@Kijuana,
in case you ain’t notice most o us use nicknames.

welcome n sh!t

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Kijuana Reply:

@WuDaMan,

Thanks for welcoming me. I noticed the nickname usage, I just like my name.

Reply

11 Naturally Alise September 22, 2009 at 2:27 am

any variation of nigger that is covered up and deemed falsely okay for white folk to say:

*nizzle … (thanks Snoop )
*twiggas (thanks to Twitter and Sherri Shepard, aka the Hipless Wonder, shouting that sh*t on the View)

It’s wack and I still know what you mean 2520’s….

Reply

Monk Reply:

@Naturally Alise,
“It’s wack and I still know what you mean 2520’s..”

For some reason, this comment seemed kinda ironic as you used a code word to describe them. Funny, but ironic.

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Naturally Alise Reply:

@Monk, the irony was on purpose.. i am a poet ya know, lol…

Reply

Panama Jackson Reply:

@Naturally Alise, you know, i too want Sherri Shepherd to have hips. its such an odd problem to have given the shape of the rest of her body.

i’ll bet she prays every night that she’ll wake up with hips.

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miss t-lee Reply:

@Panama Jackson,
She’s shaped like a 2X4.

Reply

Cheekie Reply:

@miss t-lee,

*dying*

I’m imagining her going through mountains and rocks and ish while some Chevrolet-bought fake-rock song plays in the background.

Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

LMAO! Why I just got a picture in my head of Sherri head-butting mountain goats…and winning? Why?

Smiley Face Reply:

@miss t-lee,

or a like a capital “P”, lol

miss t-lee Reply:

@Smiley Face,
*sniggling*

Someone on the C+D comments once said she was shaped like that ol’ school Looney Tunes bulldog Spike…I was *dying*

Smiley Face Reply:

@miss t-lee,

aawww dayum!! LOL

The Champ Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

yeah, she basically has an extended back

Reply

miss t-lee Reply:

@The Champ,
Flatbacker!!!!

Cheekie Reply:

@Naturally Alise,

“*twiggas (thanks to Twitter and Sherri Shepard, aka the Hipless Wonder, shouting that sh*t on the View)”

Wait the eff the minute…is this some ridiculous combo of Twitter and n*gga? WTF..shut up, Sherri Shepard.

Reply

The Champ Reply:

@Naturally Alise,

i just hate when non-black people say any excessively “black” slang, although it is funny hearing someone like dan rather or tom brokaw reading rap lyrics on the news.

“rapper t.i., who penned multi platinum hits “be easy”, “what you know about that” and “why you wanna”, was released from custody today…”

Reply

Naturally Alise Reply:

@The Champ,

Also ever notice the awkwardness of listening to a rap song unedited within earshot of white folks… it always makes me feel some kinda way…

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Naturally Alise,

me too. Its the same feeling I get if a movie Im watching with my parents has a sex scene. I still blush and avoid eye contact.

The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

i still just change the channel if there’s sex or sex talk on screen and my parents are around. i don’t think that will ever change

12 The Lioness September 22, 2009 at 2:50 am

On #9- don’t forget honest- honest, hardworking Americans because we all know that 2520s never lie,cheat, or steal.

Reply

charli skipp Reply:

@The Lioness,
yes. one of my redneck a*s professors was trying to describe a good person. his description: “honest, hardworking, republican. good ol’ boy.” um…..my friend and i (the only two of um….us…in the class) just gave each other this look like, “is he just ignorant? or is he purposely TRYING to offend us?” i was wearing an obama shirt at the time and this is the south so, hey, either one could have been the case.

Reply

Panama Jackson Reply:

@charli skipp, “honest, hardworking, republican. good ol’ boy.”

where in the hell do you go to school? most schools are liberal democratic bastions of treehugging beatniks.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

A lot of those bleeding heart hippie, beatnik punks are just condescending, patronizing wolves in sheep’s clothing.

I had a self-proclaimed “liberal” professor declare in class that blacks dont value education. Mind you, we’d just finished reviewing statistics showing that when you control for socioeconomic conditions and all subjects are in poverty, black kids are MORE likely to graduate from HS than whites or Latinos/Hispanics.

I had another guy who always talked about how he “helped out” the Black Panthers, Weather Underground, etc. point out, unprompted, that slavery wasn’t really THAT bad. Huh?

Then there was the Law& Gov’t teacher who set aside the first five minutes of class to remark upon and dissect why there are never any black men in the honors classes. (in fact, there were…in the honors class right before mine). To add insult to injury he then threw out that he had a black wife so he was justified and totally not inappropriate or perhaps racist for making these observations.

Omar Reply:

@Me fail english?, “To add insult to injury he then threw out that he had a black wife so he was justified and totally not inappropriate or perhaps racist for making these observations.”

This I hate with a passion, having a black wife, friend or coworker doesn’t mean you aren’t racist. Besides slavemasters used to like black women too…

Panama Jackson Reply:

@Me fail english?, glad i went to an HBCU.

charli skipper Reply:

@Panama Jackson,
not law schools. it was very much a culture shock, because i had definitely come from a democratic bastion of treehugging beatniks.

Sula Reply:

@charli skipper,

Not even business schools in the south. My B-school is full of Oil & Gas ex-executives i.e… Cheney’s boot lickers.

The Champ Reply:

@charli skipp,

yes. one of my redneck a*s professors was trying to describe a good person. his description: “honest, hardworking, republican. good ol’ boy.”

was he giving the general description of a “good person” or was he describing a particular person?

Reply

charli skipp Reply:

@The Champ,
it was a general description. well, he was describing what he expected a particular person to be like–because he hoped he’d be a good person–but the guy wasn’t like that at all. so he was a bad person. you’re never going to see this reply, are you? Are you!? why am i still typing…

13 Stuff Ghetto People Like September 22, 2009 at 3:35 am

How about “Hip-Hop” being codespeak for undesirable Black thug dude? Gotta love when corporate right wing blue hairs dust that one off.

Yeah, “urban” gets under my damn skin (c) Tim Hardaway too.

Also gotta love when a brother is now “moooze-lum” when he doesn’t eat pork, or “Jamaican,” “Rasta,” or “smokes weed” because he has “dreads”…

I may write a blog called Stuff Ghetto People Like, but news flash to 2520: “ghetto” and “Black neighborhood” are not synonymous.

I also remember getting told in 9th grade by this Jewish classmate at my Valley magnet school that I “lived in the inner city”…when I checked later, Gardena (while fairly hood in my section) wasn’t remotely the inner city. That’s when I realized I was dealing with people that don’t go south of Sunset like Cher from Clueless.

Reply

Ramona Reply:

@Stuff Ghetto People Like,

For me it’s annoying, when people first meet me and automatically think I’m Jamaican (since that’s the only country where black people come from!!!) or Spanish (because obviously a good looking black person can’t be Nigerian/Ghanaian/St.Lucian (insert country here), but alas – no, they must be Spanish?!?!).

‘Ghetto’ annoys me too. I mean, I’m a Law student, never been in a gang, damnn, I went to Brownies and played the clarinet since I was 5 and sh*t…. please tell me which part of me is ‘ghetto’?? I think it’s because some people have had so little contact with ‘urban’ ‘ethnic’ and ‘humble’ folks that they think we’re ‘all the saaame’… whatever that means.

Ghetto annoys me the worst man. I had braids in my hair so one guy said I was ‘too ghetto’, pretty but he wouldn’t go out with me. This same guy is on the corner while I’m a law student… and I’m the one thats ghetto????

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Ramona,

This just reminded me of why I hate Bethenny from Real Housewives of NY. After the crazy Jersey bish flipped over a damn table in front of children, Bethenny had the nerve to call the Atlanta Housewives “the Real Housewives of Compton”.

Which brings me to my hatred of Wendy Williams. WTF are you giggling about? Your laughter at these jokes is what makes her think this isht is funny and going undetected. At least question her on it. Da fcuk?

Reply

Sula Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Which brings me to my hatred of Wendy Williams.
Yes!!!

I think Wendy Williams is the worst kind of insecure person. The ones that pretend not to be and hide it all underneath a veneer of supposedly “funny”. No Wendy, you’re not funny… you’re pathetic.

Cheekie Reply:

@Sula,

“I think Wendy Williams is the worst kind of insecure person.”

*nods* She’s also the overly glamorous types. Always complimenting herself which only adds more attention to the fact that she looks like one of the ants from the film, “Antz”.

Naturally Alise Reply:

@Me fail english?,

sigh, Wendell Williams… I don’t get the appeal, I mean besides the silly wack topics, she doesn’t even speak well, I watched her show and it felt like the Speech class descended upon the public access station…

Cheekie Reply:

@Naturally Alise,

I honestly question how she even got that show. It has THEE worse production. No type of organization.

miss t-lee Reply:

@Naturally Alise,
You know seeing her show is actually how I’ve gotten acquainted with her.
I knew about her radio show and all, but it wasn’t broadcasted here in this area.
So suffice to say…I’m not impressed.

Me fail english? Reply:

@Naturally Alise,

Yeah she has a serious problem on the technical side (elocution, production) but moreover, I just cant stand her. She was bad on the radio (pregnant pauses, not speaking directly into the mic, being an a*hole) but this isht was even worse than I imagined. How did it get renewed?

Ramona Reply:

@Stuff Ghetto People Like,

That’s when I realized I was dealing with people that don’t go south of Sunset like Cher from Clueless.

But oh, I loveeee Clueless. lol.

Reply

Panama Jackson Reply:

@Stuff Ghetto People Like, How about “Hip-Hop” being codespeak for undesirable Black thug dude?

one year i decided to join my work intramural sports team and i put my hat on backwards. this guy, obviously offended since he’s white and takes baseball way to seriously, was like, “wearing your hat backwards, huh? that must be the hip-ho…”

then he tailed off and changed the subject since i think he realized he was about to be real offensive.

he was my boss by the way.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

Add to that dress codes at bars/clubs. A small portion of your patron may well be wearing vomit before night’s end. And you have a problem with baggy jeans?

Reply

Lanieanna Reply:

@Me fail english?, ….

I wouldnt say that discourages black ppl from patronizing….. In N.O. ( where the majority of the pop is black) they implement dress codes as well…. I can just assume that they do this to minimize the foolishness. I would assume, that a man who is wearing his “good shyt” button ups and dress shoes is less likely to cause a bar fight, vs. the dude in sweats and a T..

Me fail english? Reply:

@Lanieanna,

I, for one, have been to clubs where people get stabbed in their church socks. Anyone in NYC remember in ‘07 when Strata got shut down for like 2 weeks? So Im not really buying the crime thing. As much as crazy yardies like to rock tight linens and stuff, they will still wet smthg up.

In some instances it’s to preserve a certain level of ambience/decorum. I can get with that.

I was referring to the places with long lists of things that are CLEARLY doublespeak for “No Ninjas Allowed”. Like bars with all types of kitschy memorabilia on their walls and play sports games on the bar tvs but don’t allow Nike sneakers, athletic wear, bright colors and the like. The worst part is that they let in our paler counterparts who wear the same isht they’ll kick us out for. Dress code deez.

It’s one of those “you’ll know it when you see it” things.

The Champ Reply:

@Lanieanna,

I can just assume that they do this to minimize the foolishness. I would assume, that a man who is wearing his “good shyt” button ups and dress shoes is less likely to cause a bar fight, vs. the dude in sweats and a T..

i agree.

The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?

i see your point, but at the rate that clubs open and close because of violence (at least in the pittsburgh area) if i were a club owner i’d probably have a “no niggas” disclaimer on the door as well, lol. sh*t, i might even make it the name of the club

Omar Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

This reminds me of the time I went with some coworkers to play basketball, with guys from their old company and one of the guys had the audacity to say (in a half joking, half serious way) that I was a ringer. Then he proceeds to ask me random ass engineering questions, like I wouldn’t know.

Soo0, after winning 5 games straight, I decided this was probably going to be the last time I balled with them.

Reply

Big Man Reply:

@Omar,

This is classic.

I ain’t gonna lie though, sometimes I used to like balling with the random white boys and pretending to be Jordan. Just ball hogging and hitting ridiculous shots while they do all the grunt work.

Good times.

Panama Jackson Reply:

@Stuff Ghetto People Like, i just wish Nicki Minaj would stop “rapping”.

Reply

miss t-lee Reply:

@Panama Jackson,
You too?

Reply

14 Saule Wright September 22, 2009 at 4:27 am

Man, I can only have one? Urban and Ghetto are fighting for the number one spot. Although, I had a coworker that referred to herself as Colored so I gotta BOLO (be on the look out) for that one.

Reply

miss t-lee Reply:

@Saule Wright,
Seriously? She called herself colored?
Wow.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Saule Wright,

Is she old or from another country? Some old ppl and some foreigners use “colored” cuz they dont know how archaic/loaded a word it can be stateside.

Reply

Cheekie Reply:

@Saule Wright,

“Although, I had a coworker that referred to herself as Colored so I gotta BOLO (be on the look out) for that one.”

o_O

Is she 85 years old? Or did you travel to the past in a time machine ? There are folks that truly refer to themselves this way today?

*sigh* SMH…

Reply

miss t-lee Reply:

@Cheekie,
Miss Jane Pittman game proper.

Reply

Freaknik Reply:

@Saule Wright,

Was she just released from slavery? Pretty sure “colored” was only used between 1864-1964. “Colored” just sounds so out of touch in our ultra-modern nonconfrontational racist society

Reply

Saule Wright Reply:

@everyone asking about her age….

she was about 22 years old, and she was born and raised on US soil.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Saule Wright,

lol. Nevermind…

Reply

V.E.G. Reply:

@Saule Wright,

My maw maw still calls herself colored. She is 84 and from the South so she gets a pass. A 22 year old gets a throat punch.

Reply

Saule Wright Reply:

@V.E.G.,

when she said it, it was one of those moments when you get so caught off guard you have a physical reaction. I immediately started coughing.

Reply

Lanieanna Reply:

Well, What do you suggest people say instead of URBAN? I am from the south and use the words “URBAN” and “METROPOLITAN” very often.. I am in sales/marketing and if there were not a market for what people consider “URBAN”…. companies would not target that demographic. Money and numbers talk, there is such a thing. Would you substitute the word “URBAN” for “BLACK COMMINUTY”? That would be way off… maybe “IGNORANT N-GGAS” that is not accurate either.. I need a word to replace “URBAN”.. Now I feel guilty for using it.

Reply

Omar Reply:

@Lanieanna,

In a non-racist world “urban” and “metropolitan” would mean the same thing.

I actually would rather they say black people or black community because it would be easier for them to see their own racism. I don’t want to hear about selling guns and malt liquor to urban communities, I would rather them just say they are selling guns and malt liquor to black people.

Reply

15 pgh muse September 22, 2009 at 6:15 am

I’ll take #1, #2, #8, and #9 FTW…

**Cue ATCQ** “I start to flinch as I try not to say it but my lips is like a ooo-wop as I start to spray it”

I try not to use the word ni**a, but some ni**as just take u there. lol. I don’t really know I feel about it… sometimes I think it should be burried and sometimes I think it’s not that serious. Eh… what u say is important. That word has a lot of history behind it, but it’s our history. Good and bad. It’s like people who change their “slave” name. I kinda don’t get it, i mean i understand – but maybe i don’t agree. That same lineage will still exist, that same history. All that. I say embrace it.
Any who, as far as the whole post-racial slur thing… I listen to NPR… and other talk shows on the radio. You would think some of these racist folks heads are gonna explode by how mad they get over President Obama’s (which could be added to the list) policies. They get MAD… foaming at the mouth mad. It’s funny and sad at the same time. Someone on the radio was talking about a civil war jumping off. I am like “Really?” over health care reform? All these “hard working Americans” have been getting the shaft by insurance companies and the such for years but that’s not who they’re mad at… it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Reply

SexyCool Reply:

@pgh muse,

I have to say that I don’t ever recall anybody Black getting so fired up about Bush’s policies.

However, it could be that it was because I paid less attention to Bush because he’s white and I was less interested in him as a President than I am Mr. Obama.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@SexyCool,

I cant front, I was a lil disappointed when they asked Obama if he agreed with Pres. Carter (that a lot of his detractors, esp the more rabid ones was related to his being black) and he said “no”. I know saying “Hell yeah! Some of em are straight up racist!” could be seen as divisive and controversial. Wasnt expecting that. But damn, a simple “I have no way of knowing that” that reminds folks that its very possible would be fine.

I think that’s what pisses me off about his off-the-record Kanye comment. He has to apologize to rogue cops for calling em stupid, deny that protesters with “Go Back to Africa” signs are racist, but when he says smthg disparaging about a black man we just keep it movin on that asz? Of all three of the possibly offended parties, Kanye’s gaffe was the least serious.

*end rant*

Reply

SexyCool Reply:

@Me fail english?,
I certainly don’t envy Mr. Obama’s position at all. The man can’t win for losing.

In an America where so many have attempted to gloss over the racial issues just because we have more interracial couples than ever before and now a “Black” president, any direct address of racism automatically results in accusations of “the race card” being played.

ASIDE – I hereby nominate “the race card” be added to the list. Last I checked, my deck of Hoyles had 54 cards and the race card was not one of them. Big Joker/Little Joker – yes. Race Card – no.

I would like for SOMEone to be able to call racism for what it is and be seen, not as divisive, but honest. But alas, as long as we remain a nation of individuals with opinions (BTW, opinions are like @ssholes. Everyone has one or is one.) someone is going to cry loud for the opposite point of view.

I sadly admit that I do not believe that, in my lifetime, division amongst the races will cease to exist. The chances of an honest, healing dialogue with a clear plan of action to address this issue is slim to none. We will not sit down around a campfire, holding hands and singing Kum Bye Yah.

Ain’t gone happen.

Me fail english? Reply:

@SexyCool,

Cant disagree with any of that. But as much as Obama’s changed the game, merely entertaining the idea that maybe the signs depicting him as a monkey were possibly racist doesnt seem all that revolutionary.

Stuff Ghetto People Like Reply:

@SexyCool, that’s because 2520 is hell-bent on either acting like we’ve all moved on or pretending it never happened, both as they still enjoy their white privilege of calling the shots.

The Champ Reply:

@SexyCool,

I have to say that I don’t ever recall anybody Black getting so fired up about Bush’s policies.

However, it could be that it was because I paid less attention to Bush because he’s white and I was less interested in him as a President than I am Mr. Obama

i’d agree with this. i didn’t really pay much attention to what bush was doing at first (at least before the iraq war). its not that i didnt care, its just that politics bores the hell out of me, and i’ve never been the type to spend 6 hours a day switching between cnn and fox.

now, i feel a personal investment with obama’s success, so i do pay much closer attention to washington and any criticism of him.

Reply

SexyCool Reply:

@The Champ,

One more thing that I would like to add to this particular discussion is that, in my opinion, regardless of who is sitting in the White House, he is only ONE person. He can’t fix what’s wrong with our country by himself. Yes, he can lead and direct, but I have never known a leader to be able to do it all by himself. It’s the reason that a QB has an offensive line. It’s the reason a general has an army. It’s the reason that Scout leader has troops. It’s the reason that most rappers have an entourage.

I literally feel sick to my fckn stomach when I hear some of my Republican friends blaming EVERYD@MNTHING that’s wrong in the world on Mr. Obama.

H#ll, take some personal responsibility for some of this ish and you do your freakin’ part to fix it.

(I’m going to stop here because I can really get to soapboxing on this point.)

miss t-lee Reply:

@SexyCool,
I applaud this comment.

SexyCool Reply:

@The Champ,

The other reason could be that I knew that George Bush didn’t care about Black people. ~LOL~

I will also point out that ‘many’ Black people don’t look to Washington to solve their ‘personal’ problems. Especially when we look at the not too far removed years of Jim Crown and blatant racial oppression that was sponsored, supported and enforced by government.

Further, the average intelligent, somewhat educated Black American also realizes that Mr. Obama is not the second coming of Christ for Black Americans. Yes, he is proof positive of the realization of A (not THE) Black American Dream. But in reality, the policies set in Washington are typically just guidelines that state and local governments must loosely adhere to in order to qualify for Federal monies to administer programs to the people on a local level.

16 afterthought September 22, 2009 at 6:21 am

I gotta include “real American” on here too. Whenever I hear that, I wonder if they really mean 2520s.

Reply

The Lioness Reply:

@afterthought,

They do (as if THEY were here first).

Reply

17 Ivy St. September 22, 2009 at 7:27 am

IN short, though I am not a fan any of these words, there are some positive context in which they are used. Maybe positive context is not the word… I’ll say, advantages. Have you ever had to fill out any type of form in which you needed funding (i.e. a NIH grant)? These words come in real handy because even if they don’t really apply to you specifically, it allows for the government to find a way to give money to “us” without worrying about other races feeling discriminated against.
My second year of grad school I remember my advisor being excited that we might get extra funding if we could check one of the underprivileged, below poverty line, etc boxes. Though most of these words do not apply to my childhood, we found a word that could describe my background and ensure extra funding.

Reply

The Champ Reply:

@Ivy St.,

“Though most of these words do not apply to my childhood, we found a word that could describe my background and ensure extra funding.”

country?

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Me fail english? Reply:

@The Champ,

lol. Im kinda curious what the word is too.

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18 Nicki Sunshine September 22, 2009 at 8:05 am

I’m voting from Ghetto.

I hate to hear 2520s use it… Whenever I’ve heard it used by them, it’s derogatory. I hate it.

Oh, can we add “nappy” to the list???? I worked with a 2520 chick years ago, who would claim she had to take care of her hair the same way I do mine (i.e. wrapping it) because it was nappy. GIRL STOP.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Nicki Sunshine,

lol. Was she jewish or italian? Cuz some of them have dry, nappy asz hair. Greeks too.

Reply

Nicki Sunshine Reply:

@Me fail english?, Girl, NEITHER… straight 2520.. and I never got what she was talking about because her hair was bleach blond, bone straight and thin.

If it was so “nappy,” what the hell she use, a straightening comb? lol

Reply

Chasdizz Reply:

@Nicki Sunshine, 2520 females in particular make me CRINGE at the mention of the word “ghetto.” as if all that is wrong in the world can be summed up with “ghetto.” generally used if something is incomplete or poorly done.

iCan’t.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Chasdizz,

You’re right about that. Like what the hell is “ghetto” about chipped nail polish? Does that not happen in the middle class neighborhoods?

Reply

Nicki Sunshine Reply:

@Chasdizz, Me too!!!!!

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19 Humble_One aka $5 footlong September 22, 2009 at 8:22 am

communist/socialist

This label holds no weight. America always labels anyone who put humans before money a communist or socialist.

inner-city

I didn’t grow up in the inner-city. Actually I grew up near the city/suburb border. What’s crazy is that I grew up in the city and had a better upbringing than a lot of 2520s I’ve met.

affirmative action/quota

You’ll get this label when it is more than obvious that you are more qualified. And you are right white women seem to never get this label and they have benefited the most from it.

regular/hard-working

How this only applies to 2520 blue collar men confuses me. It’s just blatant pandering to an ignorant ideology. Minorities have done and still do the s***iest low pay jobs in this country. As many shiftless, sneaky, pass the buck 2520s I’ve seen I don’t know how they can say it with a straight face.

Reply

Ivy St. Reply:

@Humble_One aka $5 footlong,
“inner-city

I didn’t grow up in the inner-city. Actually I grew up near the city/suburb border. What’s crazy is that I grew up in the city and had a better upbringing than a lot of 2520s I’ve met.”

Same here! I will add that inner cities are changing now due to gentrification. So living in the inner city is becoming a better environment to grow up than in the suburbs. They’ll probably change the term soon. I’m not sure to what though. Something related to the suburbs I guess.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Ivy St.,

I doubt they’ll be changing anything. They never cared if it made sense to begin with. I know this because having lived in and had extended stays in several US cities I can tell you that most ghettos aren’t in the interior of the city. They lie, in fact, towards the edges rather than the heart.

Reply

Cheekie Reply:

@Humble_One aka $5 footlong,

“communist/socialist

This label holds no weight. America always labels anyone who put humans before money a communist or socialist.”

Definitely. And 95% of the people who throw this label around don’t know the true definition of either word. Communism and socialism have many facets and just having a hint of a government-ran program does not communism/socialism make. It’s like saying just because you have one conservative view, that makes you a Republican by default. Um, no…there is more to it than that.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

Not to mention that when Republicans clamor for corporate welfare for failing (with good reason) airline or auto industries all of a sudden gov’t interference becomes patriotic. Im all about contradicting yourself after some time passes, but this change happened in the span of a few months!

Which reminds me, add “capitalism” and “democracy” to the list of concepts and terms people use without actually understanding what they mean. We are not a truly democratic or capitalist country. What we have is a quasi-capitalist, “representative” oligarchy at best.

Reply

Cheekie Reply:

@Me fail english?,

“What we have is a quasi-capitalist, “representative” oligarchy at best.”

Preach! *daps your entire comment*

The above quote needs to be plastered onto the foreheads of several sheeple Americans.

The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

What we have is a quasi-capitalist, “representative” oligarchy at best.

can you translate this to english please?

Cheekie Reply:

@The Champ,

“can you translate this to english please?”

I’m not me fail english (allegedly), but I’ll try:

What we have is a highly indebted country ran by a couple ol’ rich 2520s who tell us that our vote actually counts for something.

*shrug*

Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

Sorry! I thought Champ was just joking cuz I was being overly verbose.

Pretty much, Cheekie. I’d add to that:

quasi-capitalist: free enterprise abounds…relative to other nations. but we won’t let our companies actually fail like they would in a truly capitalist society. We also allow go’vt interjection to stymie competition which is so VERY anti-capitalist of us.

“representative”: a good portion of the electorate either dont vote at all or vote based on half-truths, misinformation or whatever else the media and gov’t deems acceptable for public consumption

oligarchy: all the power tends to lie with a very elite (increasingly under-qualified) group, mostly descended from the same few bloodlines. ( you know how many of these presidents are distant cousins?!) yet come election time we’re supposed to pretend we have some big “choice” of candidates.

…or in layman’s terms it says Me Fail 2012 *lil mama stance*

Omar Reply:

@Humble_One aka $5 footlong,

Yeah, alot of people don’t even know what affirmative action (AA) is, they think every black person with a job is an AA hire not realizing that it often doesn’t even apply to private companies, which is where most of us work.

Reply

Sula is pro-Socialism Reply:

@Humble_One aka $5 footlong,

America always labels anyone who put humans before money a communist or socialist.

A-men!

How this only applies to 2520 blue collar men confuses me. It’s just blatant pandering to an ignorant ideology.

This grinds my gear so much that I tend to tune anything out after I hear it.

Reply

20 Monk September 22, 2009 at 8:46 am

My vote is for “urban”.

However, I would add that the way some white folks use the word “brotha” or “sista” can sound very condescending. Like when referring to a black person or a group of black men and they throw on their “urban” accent and use the term “brothers” to describe them. For some reason, I don’t take kindly to that.

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Panama Jackson Reply:

@Monk, yeah, that one always gets me too. mostly cuz it comes with a sort of pause before they say it which is always a setup for some shenanigans.

i’m weary of folks who speak with pregnant pauses.

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The Champ Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

i’m weary of folks who speak with pregnant pauses.

word?

i…..didnt know that

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Cheekie Reply:

@Monk,

“However, I would add that the way some white folks use the word “brotha” or “sista” can sound very condescending.”

This is a good one. Reminds me of those CNN folks who actually took the time to create a segment about the word “swagga”. The way they awkwardly rolled their necks and pronounced the word screamed, “See, I can do this too just like you funny black people with your colorful talk”.

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miss t-lee Reply:

@Cheekie,
Yeah TJ shoulda turned his card in for that wack ish…

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Cheekie Reply:

@miss t-lee,

Yes…I wanted YOU — you, miss t-lee — to jump into the frame and throat punch him. Very warranted. He shoulda been ’shamed of himself for real. I woulda called off sick that day if I heard that hot mess was on the agenda.

miss t-lee Reply:

@Cheekie,
Hahahha I even watched that clip numerous times on youtube, trying to find some shred of dignity for ol’ boy.
No dice.
He shoulda took an extended coffee break across the street at Starbuck’s and missed the segment altogether. Something…anything…lol

Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

Ugh! I always hated reading books about black people where the words are phonetically spelled according to their dialects. But when a white person appears in the scene the author switches back to real English, as if white folks dont have accents.

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SexyCool Reply:

@Monk,

I once had a white co-worker say that a purple PT Cruiser as a “brother car” when speaking to me.

I promptly asked him what a “brother car” was.

Cue crickets. (Of course, he had no politically correct response and awkwardly changed the subject.)

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miss t-lee Reply:

@SexyCool,
“I once had a white co-worker say that a purple PT Cruiser as a “brother car” when speaking to me. ”

This is a throat punch situation.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@SexyCool,

THANK YOU for asking him that. I understand I can be a bit feisty at times and maybe I can be a little too aggressive. But damn, I really dont get people who dont even ask the question “What do you mean?”. Say it with a smile and giggle if need be, but why just let it pass?

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Cheekie Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Plus, it’s a great opportunity to front an ignorant person off and show just how moronic they are.

Actually, a part of me would have to ask some variation of “What do you mean?” just based off instinct. Like, the question would just escape without me even thinking first. lol

Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

Word. I like how once you ask that question, people get so annoyed with you they dont wanna make those kinds of jokes with you anymore. Thank you! Please keep that isht to yourself. My pressure is high enough :)

kamakula Reply:

@SexyCool,

lol, I imagine there’s no real good response for that. Whether you ask, “WTF does that mean?” or whether your say “really, and what praytell constitutes a vehicle that would be characterized as a ‘brother car’?”, people get too scared to say anything else because they realize just how foolish it is and no matter how calm you may sound when asking, any further explanation just digs them further down the hole.

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The Champ Reply:

@SexyCool,

I once had a white co-worker say that a purple PT Cruiser as a “brother car” when speaking to me.

was “brother” his code word for “gay”?

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Me fail english? Reply:

@The Champ,

I think that’s the most offensive part. What brotha he knows drives a PT Cruiser? Like what anything do you know driving a PT Cruiser…by choice?!

SexyCool Reply:

@Me fail english?/Champ,

At first, I was stuck on the purple of it all. Then, I got to the PT Cruiser and almost passed out laughing.

For me, it was like seeing a Scion xB (I had to google that.) full of Black people riding up 75/85 on Saturday.

Stuff Ghetto People Like Reply:

@Me fail english?, I’d happily push a PT Cruiser turbo or convertible.

21 deN.I.A.l is not a river in Egypt.... September 22, 2009 at 8:50 am

good list Champ!! first, smh at #churchgroupsfromTrenton. But, it really doesn’t surprise me.

Second, I would like to see inner city go. when people use it, it just feels wrong. And urban would be my second choice, if you had given me the option of a second choice.

I would like to add the following:
–American
–real America
–patriot/patriotic
–middle America
–main street
–the heartland/heartland America
–American taxpayers
Basically, these are all the things that, supposedly, we are not.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@deN.I.A.l is not a river in Egypt….,

Hell yeah! That middle America/main street BS was getting on my effin nerves for the racial AND class connotations it carried ! First of all, most Americans live along the coasts so chill out with this middle America/heartland rhetoric.

Secondly, I could be wrong but the image they (mostly right-wingers) were trying to evoke of “main street” didnt come close to representing the majority of middle class americans. You know the ones that got laid off, lost healthcare, had been evicted and were living squarely within the realm of POVERTY. NOT picking up kids from hockey practice in their minivans, Palin, you a-hole. I guess its not really her fault. I just cant remember the names of the perps responsible for that putrid failure of a campaign.

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Humble_One aka $5 Footlong Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Hell yeah! That middle America/main street BS was getting on my effin nerves for the racial AND class connotations it carried ! First of all, most Americans live along the coasts so chill out with this middle America/heartland rhetoric.

Actually the West and South hold the majority of the US population.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Humble_One aka $5 Footlong,

The West and South are not “heartland”. They lie closer to the coasts than the Midwest. The Gulf Coast is also a coast.

Humble_One aka $5 Footlong Reply:

@Me fail english?,

That is true but there are still more people in the Midwest than the West Coast and East Coast individually. The South is actually the most populated region.

Me fail english? Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Right. But “coast” and “South”/”West” aren’t mutually exclusive. My point was the majority of the American population lives in the coastal states (states that have coasts – where water meets land) rather than the “heartland” (center) of the contigious USA.

Sula is pro-Socialism Reply:

@deN.I.A.l is not a river in Egypt….,

Absolutely love your list. And even stupid reality shows a la American Idol do it. Somehow, there is never a black girl who is a “regular girl next door”… Go figure!

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The Champ Reply:

@Sula is pro-Socialism,

lol, this just reminded me of the time jeff ross (i think it was him anyway) called courtney love “the girl next door…to a whorehouse”.

i love the roastmaster

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22 miss t-lee September 22, 2009 at 8:58 am

“group of arkansas businessmen petitioned to boycott the entire city of little rock when hearing of plans to open an urban outfitters there, saying that the retail chain’s title “promoted crime and miscegenation”¹.”

CTFU!!!! I could so see this happening…lol

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Me fail english? Reply:

@miss t-lee,

lol. Im mad there’s people out there who still use the term “miscegenation”. That’s totally on the list of things to be buried.

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miss t-lee Reply:

@Me fail english?,
Hee-hee. That’s one of them words there’s just no getting around.

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The Champ Reply:

@miss t-lee,

lol, i should have just let everyone think it was true

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miss t-lee Reply:

@The Champ,
As long as it wasn’t in TX, it’s all good…lmao

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23 pgh muse September 22, 2009 at 9:11 am

Good list!

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24 pgh muse September 22, 2009 at 9:12 am

my Good list at the bottom was supposed to be >here< :)

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pgh muse Reply:

@pgh muse, this was in reply to N.I.A…

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The Champ Reply:

@pgh muse,

lol, is everything ok? are you stressed about the g-20 or something?

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pgh muse Reply:

@The Champ, NO!

It was the site’s fault!! :-P

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25 Smiley Face September 22, 2009 at 9:18 am

Definitely “urban” (especially said with the quotation marks), folk use this when they want to avoid saying black.

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Ivy St. Reply:

@Smiley Face,
Oddly, the store “Urban Apparel” doesn’t really sell clothing that would be considered “urban.”

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Smiley Face Reply:

@Ivy St.,

Exactly! LOL

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Smiley Face,

Not to mention Ugly Outfitters offended many of the “urbans” with that BS Ghetto-opoly game. Count me among them.

miss t-lee Reply:

@Me fail english?,
I remember that ish…
I think I’ve been in Urban Outfitters once…and it was for all of 5 minutes.

OrangeStar616 Reply:

@Me fail english?, very rarely do I find anything other than cool T shirts, accessories= shoes hats earrings etc por mi person and rugs, shower curtains, lamps etc por mi casa..they have really cool sh*t for your home

Sula is pro-Socialism Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Never knew that… I actually shop quite often at Urban Outfitters though… I guess I’m “urban”. Lol!

The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

i forgot about that sh*t. damn, does this mean i have to take back my furry white rugs and album sized picture frames?

Stuff Ghetto People Like Reply:

Since I’m not 5′8, 150, Urban Outfitters is pretty much useless to me.

26 JamaicanGirlisback September 22, 2009 at 9:28 am

My vote is for “Ghetto,” i cant stand when the clears use it and i def cant stand when other African Americans use it.

I would also like to add “Good Hair” to the list im not sure who died and gave the clears the deciding factor on what is “good and Bad hair”. Apparently “good hair” is 12 inches or more of straight hair hanging down your back.

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miss t-lee Reply:

@JamaicanGirlisback,
“Good hair/bad hair”

This is a good one.

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Ivy St. Reply:

@JamaicanGirlisback,
I’ve not heard the term bad hair (maybe kinky or nappy or tight curl), but I too have used the term “good hair”. If you hair is easily managed, then it would be considered good hair. No perm needed to straighten it, just so heat and gloss of biosilk. For example, if kids don’t act a fool in public and obey their parents, then they are good kids.
I don’t think good hair is a term that 2520’s use to describe our hair. We use it to describe our own hair. With that said, is it really a racial slur?

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Ivy St.,

Good points. I’ve never heard white folks refer to good or bad hair. Even when they’re making fun of our hair.

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MsJay Reply:

@Ivy St.,

Good hair/bad hair definitely needs to stay on the list (or make some other list of words/ideas that black folks don’t need to subscribe to) because it always raises the “internalized oppression” flag for me. What people mean is hair that most closely resembles 2520s (loosely curled/straight)= good; hair that most closely resembles blacks’ (tightly curled)= bad. As a free black woman I refuse to use 2520s as a yardstick for anything (except maybe how to be crazy, greedy, genocidal,…) and find myself and other black/brown folks lacking.
*stepping down from my soapbox*

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Me fail english? Reply:

@MsJay,

I hear what you’re saying. I used to feel that way too. You’re right, I think MOST black folks who use “good” vs. “bad” to describe hair mean it looks less black and more white. The most offensive part of this is that plenty of non-black women have hair that does not look typically African that is FAR from being what should be called “good”. I wouldnt trade hair with some of these oily/thin/stringy headed women on my worst day!

And then ppl started telling me I had “good” hair. To which I’d reply “No, my hair is just relaxed. I’m naturally nappy.” (internalized oppression on my part!). To which they’d reply “We know. We mean the way you can wash, blow dry, color, curl, relax or ignore your hair and it never falls out or thins.” I’d be happy with us just changing how we define the terms.

Sula is pro-Socialism Reply:

@Me fail english?,

“We know. We mean the way you can wash, blow dry, color, curl, relax or ignore your hair and it never falls out or thins.”

And I will wholeheartedly agree with this definition of “good” hair. In other words, hair that has an inherent quality that allows it to withstand all kinds of bad treatments.

Sula is pro-Socialism Reply:

@Ivy St.,

See I even have a problem with referring to kids who “don’t act a fool in public and obey their parents” as “good kids”. So what are the others? Bad kids?

Why can’t quiet kids be just that: obedient and quiet kids? This good vs. bad business just doesn’t sit well with me. Something is not inherently “bad” because it doesn’t follow some pre-established “rules” of “goodness”… hair that does not cooperate beign “bad hair”. It’s recalcitrant hair but is it bad because of that?

Ok, I may be splitting hairs a bit here but like I said I have a problem with good vs. bad and how people usually use those terms…. then again I have a problem with “rules” in general so there.

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The Champ Reply:

@Sula is pro-Socialism,

Ok, I may be splitting hairs a bit here but like I said I have a problem with good vs. bad and how people usually use those terms…. then again I have a problem with “rules” in general so there.

***reminding self not to put sula in charge of the games and activities portion of the vsb bbq***

The Champ Reply:

@Ivy St.,

the issue people have with the good hair thing is that if certain type of hair is “good”, then there also must be a “bad”, and, generally speaking, blacks are more likely to have hair that fits the working definition of bad.

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SexyCool Reply:

@JamaicanGirlisback,

I have good hair….so that phrase really doesn’t bother me. ~LOL~

(I am so totally teasing you right now.)

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27 OrangeStar616 September 22, 2009 at 9:41 am

ghetto,…….even black folk over and misuse the term..like I’ve said before some black folk think anything thats uniquely black cultured or hood related is ghetto and thats a dayum shame because its not and sad not to know the diff.

The regular thing used to make me mad LOL like what we are irregular, abnormal etc……..we anomalies like NEO and sh*t but thats quite alright cause its truly vicious indeed, to be the chosen ones LOL…

That whole NAACP thing showed how in touch they are LMAO….

I could comment on all these

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Me fail english? Reply:

@OrangeStar616,

I agree. Anyone who seems to have limited experience with the ghetto calling isht ghetto bothers me. Black or not. Also, even if you have a fair amount of experience with ghetto life, calling isht ghetto just cause its distinctly black sounds like self-hate.

I guess Im voting “ghetto” off the island.

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28 Yaa September 22, 2009 at 9:49 am

Great post!! I HATE the word “inner city”. It does in fact sound like we live in the tunnels underground!!

I would add “people of color”. We all have a COLOR!! I think it is just another way of calling us out & putting all NON-Whites (white is a color btw!!) in one category. You are either WHITE or OF COLOR. WTH!!!!

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Cheekie Reply:

@Yaa,

What’s funny about that is that in art classes, they teach you that black and white aren’t colors, but shades. I have no idea why white has its own distinct category. lol

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nikki87 Reply:

@Cheekie,

true, white and black are actually neutrals. but the weird things is u can mix all the colours to get black but u can’t mix anything to get white….hmm

about the race issue, y can’t we all just get along??!!…

ps, am i the only one who feels weird whenever ppl call me black? i dunno but where i’m from it’s like they take an extra breath just to get that word out. i can almost hear it echo

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29 CPT Callamity September 22, 2009 at 10:21 am

Funny you posted this, because even after we “buried the N word” there are a lot of people in our communities that didn’t get the memo. I’ve stopped using it and use it very sparingly, usually to describe someone with no gotdamned sense. However:
1. Women use it in the place of “men.”
2. Old heads use it and say they’ve been using and ain’t stopping (plus, you know what you are, boy)
3. Youngins use it without caring who or what is around and one context they use it in. As a matter of fact, when teaching they tried to tell me that they were taking the strength from it when using it.

Regardless, I cringe when people use it, especially in front of white people. It’s like accepting failure as the only option IMHO, but I digress. I’m sure the “real black men” will correct me and say it’s just a word (*Cmon Son Face via Shaq*).

Oh yeah, since blacks call everything black “ghetto” now, what do the Jews call their neighborhoods and or low-end economic conditions within a city?

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The Champ Reply:

@CPT Callamity,

i don’t mind n*gga, but only if its spoken with no non blacks around. also, i can’t have someone i’m not cool with referring to me as nigga, unless, of course, they’re saying “i don’t know that nigga, but i think i wanna give him fifty thousand dollars”

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30 Panama Jackson September 22, 2009 at 10:29 am

Perhaps i’m just ignant (a very real possibility) but I thought that the symbolic burying of the n-word was one of the most retarded half witted ideas the NAACP has had in a very long while. It felt to me like a tremendous waste of time and more or less doing something since they really ain’t doing sh*t else.

much like the word n*gga, i dont really mind any of those words. in fact, i often get some kind of sick entertainment out of deciphering what people mean by them. that’s one reason i teach…so i can take that kind of crap into the classroom and destroy all of that thinking behind it. i know i’m not eradicating anything, but it makes for interesting conversations about race.

plus, i pretty much like using all of those terms at my whim.

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CPT Callamity Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

NAACP needed something to waste time on since we are in [sarcasm] a post-racial time period [/sarcasm]…at least that’s what YT wants you to believe.

ATCQ described it best on Sucka N*ggaz. I let it slip sometimes but I don’t use it nearly as much when I was younger.

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K to the... Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

It felt to me like a tremendous waste of time and more or less doing something since they really ain’t doing sh*t else.

Glad I wasn’t the only one feeling that way!

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Cheekie Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

“It felt to me like a tremendous waste of time and more or less doing something since they really ain’t doing sh*t else.”

Actually, I think you’re more enlightened than ignant. That time could’ve been spent doing something much more productive. For one, it’s not gonna change a thing. I’d even wager that even folks who attended the ceremony has used the word since then, even if referencing it. I understand the sentiment of burying the word, but it’s not necessary. There’s a lot of words out there that are negative…what we need to work on is not the word, but working on NOT representing it. Eff a word.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

*RANT*

The NAACP, like countless non-profits/not-for-profits before it, is more comfortable serving the community the way it wants to rather than the way we need them too. They’d rather set up a soup kitchen than help kids learn to read…as if the biggest problem these ppl have is getting soup into a bowl.

Thanks for nothing.

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OrangeStar616 Reply:

@Me fail english?, I see I am not alone, I thought that sh*t was supremely dumb,because I knew like others know that word isn’t going anywhere and when I and most folk I know use it, there is no negative connotation, I even use it for animals LMAO etc …but what did offend me recently was the way some 2520s unleashed that mofo on twitter after the Kanye incident, misplaced anger and a bunch of other evils SMH…post racial society my a$$

Cheekie Reply:

@OrangeStar616,

“I even use it for animals LMAO ”

It cracks me up when folks refer to their pet as the buried N-word. Maybe it’s because I’m goofy, but it is crazy.

And yeah, the Kanye thing was BULLSH*T. I called all kinda folks out on that mess. Just because I think he was wrong doesn’t mean — by default — I’m gonna condone that sh*t. I don’t condone folks stooping LOWER than the previous offender just because I agree that he was rude. Please. Nice try.

Me fail english? Reply:

@OrangeStar616,

LOL. U sound like my homegirl from college. Whenever I ask about the cat it’s all “Eff Mittens! That ninja be actin stank.”

Humble_One aka $5 Footlong Reply:

@Panama Jackson,

“It felt to me like a tremendous waste of time and more or less doing something since they really ain’t doing sh*t else.”

I am still trying to figure out what the NAACP does. And I was a member when I was younger. The country has changed and they haven’t. All the ills in the hood and you’re still doing the same thing you were doing 100 years ago?

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The Champ Reply:

@Humble_One aka $5 Footlong,

I am still trying to figure out what the NAACP does

hold meetings to discuss the agenda at the next meeting.

and accept dues.

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31 K to the... September 22, 2009 at 10:37 am

I vote “ghetto”!

And unrelated…”swag” and “haters”

That is all…

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OrangeStar616 Reply:

@K to the…, I 2nd and 3rd, your 2nd and 3rd….I wish those words would die a horrible death…
alot of folk don’t even really know what a hater is these days……… to not like something arbitrarily, does NOT make you a hater SMH…like say IMO Alicia keys music is bland as he11. that does not me a hater, new single included LLS
..to hate requires lots of energy and care ironically, you have to care a WHOLE lot see thats where it differs thats key, thats when you get into the hate zone often brought about by jealousy but then some folk just plain ol ugly inside……. now haters do exist in abundance its just the masses are confused as to what constitutes such……

and Swag, *eye roll*, folk that don’t have it, have killed this word bout two years ago for me……..

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Anger Management Reply:

@OrangeStar616, I wholeheartedly co-sign. I abhor the fact that people use the word “hater” just because you disagree with them!

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Cheekie Reply:

@Anger Management,

Yeah, I got a hit out on the word “hater”.

The Champ Reply:

@K to the…,

***a dollar to the person who can come up with the best sentence incorporating all three words. i’ll go first***

“you’re just hatin on my ghetto swag”

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Cheekie Reply:

@The Champ,

My contribution:

“Anyone who roasts Lil’ Mama is a ghetto swag hater.”

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OrangeStar616 Reply:

@The Champ,
My Swag on Sextillion, n*gga, haters hate on my inter galatic ghetto super star times a trillion …..

* poses in B girl stance *

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32 Miss Patterson, arsonist in training September 22, 2009 at 10:44 am

my vote is n*gger. i remember the first time i was called one at age 7. it stung so bad. there is something about that -er ending that feels like a knife going through your heart. i say ‘ninja’ now all the time, and i thank vsb for that.
but if i had to pick a true ‘euphemism’ that grinds my nerves…it would be ghetto. too many people use that word and act like it has some universal context. and i guess on some level it does, i.e.) warsaw ghetto.
but in america, let’s be real. the new mtv generation that uses the word ‘ghetto’ all willy-nilly is referring to one visual concept and i hate it.

however, i have noticed that some folks have begun to say ‘champ‘ and ‘panama‘ in place of negro and colored, respectively. i tell ya, it never stops!

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Miss Patterson, arsonist in training,

“however, i have noticed that some folks have begun to say ‘champ‘ and ‘panama‘ in place of negro and colored, respectively. ”

LOL. Are these the same ppl who use words like “men” and “everybody” as a substitute for “me” and “I”?

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The Champ Reply:

@Miss Patterson, arsonist in training,

i’m just happy to see someone use “ghetto” and “willy-nilly” in the same sentence

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33 Cheekie September 22, 2009 at 10:48 am

I’m mad you put a watermelon as the picture. And by mad, I mean “currently in a fit of giggles”.

Another term to bury:

Chitlins.

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miss t-lee Reply:

@Cheekie,
Chitlins ain’t going nowhere…
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news chick…ctfu

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

What’s wrong with chit’lins? I mean other than that rank ass smell when you clean em out? I’m just glad they were retired from my great-grandma’s house after she passed. Other than that, let the chit’lins live!

It’s pig’s feet that should be made illegal.

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Cheekie Reply:

@Me fail english?,

“Other than that, let the chit’lins live!”

The chitlins can live. It’s what’s livin’ inside them dayum things (i.e. tapeworms) that should die. *gag*

*Mama Gilbert at the A Different World Dwayne/Whitley wedding* Die…just DIE!

And yeah, pig’s feet gave pickles a bad name. lol

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Cheekie Reply:

@Me fail english?,

“Other than that, let the chit’lins live! ”

Chitlins can live, it’s what’s living inside them (i.e. tapeworms) that should just die. *gag*

And yes, pig’s feet has given pickles a bad, bad name.

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Cheekie Reply:

WTF…dayum deju vu arse comment section…Disregard one of these…I’ll let ya choose which one.

The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

“let the chit’lins live!”

this is actually the working title of tyler perry’s remake of “babe the pig”.

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Cheekie Reply:

@The Champ,

LMAO

Me fail english? Reply:

@The Champ,

lol! Im done with yall!!

34 deN.I.A.l is not a river in Egypt.... September 22, 2009 at 10:58 am

I forgot to add…
“We want our America back”, or “I want my America back” or “We are taking back America.”

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Me fail english? Reply:

@deN.I.A.l is not a river in Egypt….,

I know, right! From whom?

And the better question would be, if yall dont have it, who do you think does? That answer scares me more than anything. These are the same ppl who try to justify “white power” as a rallying cry as if it induces the same sentiment as “black power”.

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The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

lol, yeah. i definitely haven’t been hiding “america” in my closet. i don’t know where the f*ck she is either.

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Cheekie Reply:

@deN.I.A.l is not a river in Egypt….,

Word! You can’t re-claim something that was never yours. It’s like a robber going into the bank, stealing some cash, and then complainin’ a few weeks later than their precious and once-crisp hunned-dollar bills are torn a bit from wear-and-tear.

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35 Smiley Face September 22, 2009 at 11:02 am

I think it’s rather ironic myself.

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The Champ Reply:

@Smiley Face,

me too.

(what are we talking about again?)

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Smiley Face Reply:

@The Champ,

LOL….hush!

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36 SexyCool September 22, 2009 at 11:13 am

I’d like to add to the list the following word:

Disadvantaged.

That is all.

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The Champ Reply:

@SexyCool,

disadvantaged is definitely a worthy nominee, along with its fraternal twin sister, underprivileged.

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37 Freaknik September 22, 2009 at 11:42 am

Im actually warming up some chitlin as we speak just because someone wants to bury them. Bout to put on some collards and pour a big glass of Kool-Aid to complete the tri-fecta.

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Cheekie Reply:

@Freaknik,

Put the chitlins in a sound-proof room somewhere so I can’t smell ‘em and I’ll be right over!

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The Champ Reply:

@Freaknik,

are you watching dolemite too? and getting head from khloe kardashian?

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Freaknik Reply:

@The Champ,
naa im getting head from Becky and doin lines off her as$. haha

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38 Omar September 22, 2009 at 11:48 am

We could add…

“Radical”

… to the list.

I know they call white people radicals too but they get it for trying to overthrow the government, we are radical for being opposed to police brutality.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Omar,

Yeah and “militant”, just cause you dont wanna get shot or discriminated against. I see this alot towards women too. Should you ever feel the need to assert your rights to speak/work/exist as anything other than a doormat or whore, consider yourself a “feminist”.

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The Champ Reply:

@Omar,

its funny how radical and maverick are basically the exact same word, but have been given completely different connotations.

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39 SouthernCharm September 22, 2009 at 11:54 am

You know what I loathe? What really grinds my gears? When white media refers to r&b singers as “rappers.” Chris Brown hadn’t spit ONE bar in his life when that Rihanna situation went down, but all of a sudden the media is referring to him as, “Rapper, Chris Brown.” As much as I dislike R. Kelly, they referred to him as a rapper. They’re not rappers! They’re singers! It’s like catching a case automatically moves you over from the genre of R&B to Hip Hop. SMH @ Rick James being referred to as a rapper after one/multiple arrests. And what’s worse is they’re now trying to blend R&B and Hip Hop into one category: Urban. So yeah, this word needs to be buried to. LOL

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SouthernCharm Reply:

@SouthernCharm,

*too… don’t want to add to the stereotypes. LOL

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Cheekie Reply:

@SouthernCharm,

Dang I can’t believe I never heard this. Is this for real? RAPPER, Chris Brown? Eff journalism’s life.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

lol. I remember when Bobby Brown started acting crazy he was all of a sudden a rapper too. Haha.

Yeah, journalism aint isht.

Reply

The Champ Reply:

@SouthernCharm,

yeah, when akon was facing those assault charges last year, i saw “rapper akon” on a few conservative media outlets

Reply

Stuff Ghetto People Like Reply:

It’s all a slippery slope borne of Bobby Brown rapping….and catching cases.

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40 Freaknik September 22, 2009 at 12:49 pm

Can we vote to bury Al Sharpton? He shouldn’t be a post-racial survivor. Is it me or does everything he is associated with instantly less credible?

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Panama Jackson Reply:

@Freaknik, this comment is funny.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Freaknik,

Let’s throw Charles Rangel in the pit with him.

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The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

if you do that, i have first dibs on his suits (after alterations, of course)

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Humble_One aka $5 Footlong Reply:

@The Champ,

If there are any suits that will be buried it will be Steve Harvey’s.

41 voiceovereason September 22, 2009 at 1:30 pm

‘”…all you’ll see is a d*ck and some teeth”‘

Love the post, but I’m confused. Maybe this question’s been answered but why is it that the d*ck can be seen? Is someone wearing a glow-in-the-dark condom?

Reply

The Champ Reply:

@voiceovereason,

lol, because implies super blackness also implies super big d*ck. it can’t help but be seen.

or, maybe i was just thinking about dr. manhattan

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42 Me fail english? September 22, 2009 at 1:32 pm

I gave my vote to “ghetto”, but the reason I’m really struggling to pick is cuz I use alot of these words and I can see where someone would get offended by me using them too. Classism is real and it can be pretty hurtful. Not to mention the self-hate that is sometimes assoc’d w/ blacks using the n-word (shout out to Champ). I had a black man scold me 3rd grade teacher style for using the word even though Im clearly black. I actually felt bad too. And although I still use the word, even with other black ppl I try to watch my mouth and feel them out as to whether or not theyll take it offensively.

Also, I have a back-and-forth with one of my girlfriends sometimes about which words should be reclaimed and which are better left unuttered. For example, she finds “retarded” offensive. I don’t since I take it to literally mean “slow”, as in developmentally slow, which I think applies to most people labelled as such. Further, its been my experience that all the less offensives stand-ins (“challenged” , “special”, etc.) take on the same negative connotation as retarded after a while so we may as well stick to the original. I say this, knowing fully well that somebody could post a similar thread on verysmartspecialpeople.com chiding me for my insensitivity/insincerity and they’d be absolutely right for doing so.

Blah, blah, blah this post has no point…

Reply

SexyCool Reply:

@Me fail english?,

I like “retarded” as well as it’s closely related cousin “functionally retarded.”

~lmao~

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The Champ Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Blah, blah, blah this post has no point…

lol, i thought i was just lost.

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43 jolie fatale September 22, 2009 at 1:54 pm

I really want to bury the word “ghetto” my white counterparts here at work love to use the word “ghetto.” They like to call U street in DC “ghetto” .. lemonade that doesn’t taste right “ghetto” … a video game that stops working correctly ghetto. Unless you are talking about the jewish ghettos of the holocaust I don’t want to hear the word anymore. IT seems to be used for just about everything and its rather irritating. FIND A NEW ADJECTIVE as its not even an adjective ..its a NOUN!!

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OrangeStar616 Reply:

@jolie fatale, thats funny, cause its mostly them that live on U street now that its been all shined up and gentrified, tourist trapped etc o_O

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Smiley Face Reply:

@OrangeStar616,

Girl!! For Real!!! I’m smh every time I hear them say they ‘discovered’ this little jewel down on U street or they’re going to hang out on U street…oh for real? o_O

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voiceovereason Reply:

@Smiley Face,

That’s just as bad as Harlem being called Upper Manhattan or NoMa (North Manhattan). smh

TPeezy Reply:

@Smiley Face,

That reminds me of that one concert spot across the street from HU Hospital. I swear all the Georgetown/GW kids used to look shook as hell standing in line for some ironically named punk band like “White Flight” or “Black Success”

Panama Jackson Reply:

@OrangeStar616, it might be all pretty on U Street but folks STAY getting jacked on V Street. i personally know of at least 10 people who’ve been robbed, carjacked, or mugged at gunpoint on V Street…which you can SEE from U Street at 11th street.

it might not be ghetto…its definitely HOOD.

Reply

OrangeStar616 Reply:

@Panama Jackson, hood fo sho, and yes you get got on any of the surrounding side streets LMAO!!!!!!!

44 SexyCool September 22, 2009 at 1:57 pm

Oh…I’ve got another nomination…..POST-RACIAL

Um, yeah. Right. WTF does that mean anyway?

Reply

Cheekie Reply:

@SexyCool,

LOL…this is probably my number one.

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The Champ Reply:

@SexyCool,

i still have no idea

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Omar Reply:

@SexyCool,

Post-Racial means we should be invisible, which is crazy because they’ve been trying to act like we didn’t exist since slavery was over.

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Omar,

lol. Pretty much. Whenever someone says “post-racial”, all I hear is “You got your black president! Now stop crying.”

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45 Siobhan Means Woman of Wisdom September 22, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Good post…all I can do is shake my head at the people who fail to realize the subtle framework in place that allows racism to occur in code.

Moreover, aside from white women being the those who benefited most from Affirmative Action, can someone please point out to these people that “Legacy” benefits are a form of affirmative action?

Reply

Me fail english? Reply:

@Siobhan Means Woman of Wisdom,

On top of nepotism, dont forget about sports scholarships for college or my school even showed preference for candidates from fly-over states in order to promote geographic diversity. Yeah, I tried making those arguments to ppl in college. They’ll just find a way to twist it into why those things (athletic ability, legacy status, etc.) enhance discourse and make us more multi-faceted while merely blacks just makes the campus/office more ghetto.

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Damn, lookin at this comment you’d think I really DID fail english.

*weeps for my edu-macation*

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Cheekie Reply:

@Me fail english?,

That’s unpossible!

Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

HAHAHA!

Siobhan Means Woman of Wisdom Reply:

@Me fail english?,

I get the deer in the headlights look when I explain there are three forms of affirmative action including the diversity/quota one that is so maligned…people don’t read and just go with what the tv tells them.

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pgh muse Reply:

@Siobhan Means Woman of Wisdom, “Legacy” benefits are a form of affirmative action

Thank you for this!!!

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Siobhan Means Woman of Wisdom Reply:

@pgh muse,
Your welcome…now go raise some hell

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46 oliver September 22, 2009 at 2:26 pm

1. communist/socialist

—although this coding seemingly surfaced overnight, america has a long and storied history of branding educated blacks as anti-american anarchists perpetually plotting towards the country’s demise (which we are…but thats besides the point.)

““““““““““““““““““““““““““`
i dont know if this was meant to be humorous but honestly i beg to differ here..i am black male, a firm believer in capitalism and the last thing i want to see is America1s demise

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The Champ Reply:

@oliver,

i dont know if this was meant to be humorous but honestly i beg to differ here..i am black male, a firm believer in capitalism and the last thing i want to see is America1s demise

thank you, oliver.

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Dorian G. Reply:

@The Champ,

LOL

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Sula is pro-Socialism Reply:

@oliver,

branding educated blacks as anti-american anarchists

..i am black male, a firm believer in capitalism and the last thing i want to see is America1s demise

But are you educated though? :lol:

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Siobhan Means Woman of Wisdom Reply:

@oliver, Historically African Americans did look to the communist/socialist movements for a method to reach the long desired goal of equality but ultimately they did not provide them. Unfortunately by utilizing communism or socialism some great African American figures were erased from history…i.e. Paul Robeson.

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47 Me fail english? September 22, 2009 at 3:16 pm

LOL! On a sidenote, I just got an invite to a hip hop brunch in DC…on U Street to boot. Should I be offended?!

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Me fail english?,

Me Fail’s note: There will be steak and eggs.

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Cheekie Reply:

@Me fail english?,

But will there be blood?

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Cheekie,

There will be blood.

ha!

Sula is pro-Socialism Reply:

@Me fail english?,

What makes it “hip hop”? There will be tributes to Hip Hop Legends? Who comes up with those things anyways? *smh*

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Me fail english? Reply:

@Sula is pro-Socialism,

I have no idea, girl! I dont know how ppl get my email. I mustve signed the WRONG petition at some point. (Which reminds me, anyone interested in a loft in downtown Brooklyn? A lovely young man, I dont think Ive met tells me he’s looking to unload it.) Its being thrown as part of the CBC (Congressional Black Caucus) wknd so I’m guessing its old folks pandering to the new young hipsters???

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48 Ms. Hall September 22, 2009 at 4:15 pm

I’d like to add “under privileged.”

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49 Daydreamer September 22, 2009 at 4:19 pm

This is so funny you bring this up. #11 was the topic of a convo a girlfriend of mine and I had this past weekend. We came to this conclusion….Basically white folks have taken ‘ghetto’ and applied to to ALL things ill or malfunctioning. For example you may hear your white co-worker say: “this pencil is so ghetto”, when in fact it’s just broken. Or they’ll say “Jules, this food is SO ghetto!!!”, when when she really means is the food is not good. Or my fav “Becky, you are so ghetto”, when what she really means is you are acting like Lil’ Kim- please stop.

I’ve refrained to using the term ghetto when referring to black people or anything at all really. It’s annoying. I simply call them/it: ‘HOOD! Perhaps white folks won’t take this word on as quickly as they did ghetto. <—–May you rest in peace.

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Daydreamer Reply:

@Daydreamer,

By the way I LOATHE Watermelon. Not for it’s taste but for what it represents! UGH! All I see is porch and monekys. I can’t. Nothing Watermelon enters my home- soap, gum, candy, juice. Let’s put Watermelon to death!

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Omar Reply:

@Daydreamer,

While I don’t to eat watermelon around white people unless it’s chopped up, iRefuse to give up the ONE stereotypical black food that will not kill me.

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Siobhan Means Woman of Wisdom Reply:

@Daydreamer, I don’t like watermelon because of the taste…imagine growing up in SC with that attitude, where EVERYONE eats watermelon, while being a vegetarian…whew!

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50 Caramel Eclair September 22, 2009 at 9:13 pm

I hate the new age substitute for the n-word…”GOON”…rhymes with Coon and sounds even worse…all thanks to “Plies” and the white folks over there at whatever record company laughing their arses off….I cringe every time I hear it in a song(for lack of a better word)…

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51 Island Muffin September 24, 2009 at 5:16 pm

CEO
Businessmen
Owner
Company
Corporate
Greedy
Fascist
Oppressor
Bourgeois
Occupier

Are code-terms used to demonize white and Anglo men so that Racial Marxists, like Obama, use race as a proxy for the victimization class to promote economic envy, class warfare and racial hatred in order to facilitate their progressive redistribution schemes.

Add Racial Marxist

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52 speakerwheels September 28, 2009 at 3:27 pm

gritty as a synonym for poor
low-income
confined to a wheelchair/wheelchair-bound-wtf, if I’m tied to my chair, how do I use the toilet?
retarded
sassy-to describe Latinas or black women
working poor-seems to imply that most poor people don’t work
credit to his/her race

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53 skullylover January 9, 2010 at 11:17 am

I’m surprised when anyone, regardless of race/color, speak properly. I swear ‘down syndrome’ is a language taught at public schools nowadays. I hope I didn’t sound as bad in Jr. High and High School.

I now know I’m getting old.

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