THE N-WORD

                               THE N-WORD

October 7, 2014 Max Reed decide to do a paper on the N-WORD and how it’s used. He interviewed 5 people of mostly different races of what they thought of the N-WORD.

  

   First he interviewed Babari Nabbiean an amazing student who is on the tight twenty and in 6th grade won student of the year in 6th grade. Here is what she had to say the B is her and the M is max.

M: How many times do you hear the N-WORD per day?

B: A lot throughout the day mostly from black people.

M: When do you hear it?

B:  After school because people can say it at home so they say it there. I also hear it in the streets.

M: Why do most people think that it’s okay for black people to say that word?

B: It’s okay because thats what they are, thats what that word means.

M: Since you’re black how often do you hear it among your family?

B: My family says black not the N-WORD.

   Max’s next interview was with Jason KIrk a returning member of PCS. He was here in 6th grade then left then came back. He enjoys hunting and building models.

M: What does the N-WORD mean to you?

J: I don’t know.

M: What do you think of when you think of the N-WORD?

J: Black people.

M: Is it okay to use the N-WORD?

J: It’s okay to describe someone as the N-WORD but you can’t just call them it.

M: Do you say the N-WORD?

J: I do not ever.

M: Is it okay for someone who’s black to call each other the N-WORD?

J: Sure if they are friends.

M: What if they are white?

J: Sure, if there acting black.

M: Why is it okay for black people to say the word but not white people?

J: Whites owe it to the blacks.

M: How do you act black?

J: He acts like rappers, and thugs. He says cuss words and slang and sags and is a thug.

   

     Next Max interviewed John Johnson about this topic. Max has known John for a very long time John is a very gifted guitar player and he can sing. His interview is very short.

M: Is it okay to use the N-WORD?

J: No,because the N-WORD is a foul term used by slave keepers to make slaves feel bad. People shouldn’t use as a greeting but should not use it at all so they can reduce racism.

 Max’s next interview Kother Al-waeli is a girl who is fairly new to pcs she came in 7th grade to our school. She enjoys talking and is hilarious in class.

M: How many times do you hear the N-WORD per day?

K: A lot throughout the day mostly from black people.

M: So, do you think this is okay?

K: There just saying what they are there calling each other what they are.

M: Are you saying all black people are N-WORDS?

K: Well thats what the word means so yes there just calling each other what they are.

M: So people who aren’t black can’t say this.

K: Yeah because they're not N-WORDS so they can’t say it.

  Next Max interviewed Mr.Matt his classes substitute teacher that day. Mr.Matt is a 6’6 he enjoys basketball he played small forward in college.

M: How often do you hear the N-WORD?

MATT: Not that often especially in a professional setting.

M: Do you think it’s okay for people to use the N-WORD?

MATT: No.

M: What does the N-WORD mean?

MATT: The N-WORD is a slang word used in slave times to degrade black slaves.

M: What would you do if you heard a someones say this word?

MATT: If they were some random person on the street I would keep walking. If it someone in my family i would immediately correct them.

M: How?

MATT: I would tell them that that is a racist word and they should read a history book.

M: How often do you use the N-WORD?

MATT: I never use the N-WORD.

  Max was surprised of the ignorance of the N-WORD, here is an exact definition coppied straight from dictionary.com dictionary.

The N-WORD is now probably the most offensive word in English. Its degree of offensiveness has increased markedly in recent years, although it has been used in a derogatory manner since at least the Revolutionary War.The senses labeled Extremely Disparaging and Offensive represent meanings that are deeply insulting and are used when the speaker deliberately wishes to cause great offense. It is so profoundly offensive that euphemism has developed for those occasions when the word itself must be discussed, as in court or in a newspaper editorial: “the n-word.”

Despite this, the sense referring to a “black person” is sometimes used among African Americans in a neutral or familiar way. The sense referring to other victims of prejudice, especially when used descriptively, as to denounce that prejudice, is not normally considered disparaging—as in “The Irish are the N-WORDS of Europe” from Roddy Doyle's The Commitments —but the other uses are considered contemptuous

That is completely different than what I got from most people I interviewed