The Use of Derogatory Word and/or Terms

Just for reference: I was born in the Piedmont section of North Carolina in a cotton mill town. My paternal ancestry came from South Carolina, worked in cotton mills and lived in mill housing. Today they would be considered "White Trash." My maternal ancestry came from Georgia and were farmers. Because of their attitudes toward segregation today they would be considered "Rednecks."

I find both terms, white trash and redneck, to be offensive, regardless of whom may be using them. Never, in my opinion, could either of these terms can be used with affection or adoration. Both terms derive from derogatory means used to demean another and place them in a lower class of individuals. These are terms that have no place in our culture beyond being used in a historical manner.

This is why I find it hard to understand those in the Black/African-American community who embrace the "N" word as now being part of their culture. It matters not how the word is pronounced: a hard "er" or a hard "a," the origin is the same.

Individuals such as Stephen A. Smith contend that white society has no place in telling black society what words they can and can not use. He is absolutely correct. Yet, regardless of the pronunciation and the intent, it is keeping the word alive. While we can read about the origin of the word in history, we can not listen to it being used by those from the post Civil War era. If we could, I would wager that its use in the south, by a large majority, would be pronounced with a hard "a," not a hard "er."

Personally, I find the use of the term "‘N’ word" to be offensive since everyone that hears it or reads it, automatically thinks of the word "Nigger." If we, for what ever reason, need the word to be used, why no be adult enough to use it. In the mind of those reading or hearing it, the word is there.

A word or term entering into our vocabulary does not mean either has to used. I grew up using the word "ain’t" before it was in our dictionaries. The fact that it is now found there does clean the word up for polite conversation. No one knows when there may be a live microphone open in range of the a conversation.