As you’re walking to class during passing time, the hallways start to become very crowded and noisy. There is one large group of kids standing in the middle of the hallway. As you struggle to get around them you hear the word “nigga” being used casually between friends.. Should students be using the N-word?

“Honestly I feel like lots of people just say the word because they think it’s cool and they hear others say it. Not many people know the history and background behind the word,” sophomore Jazzy Johnson said.

The N-word originally comes from a Latin word meaning black. But when Americans started using the word they changed the spelling from negro to nigger. They used this word to describe African slaves. By the twentieth century the N-word was recognized as a racist insult. The N-word carries so much hatred directed towards African Americans. It’s a derogatory term used to discourage and put down black people. Throughout time, the N-word has become very popular in the Black community as well as many other communities. The N-word is used frequently among the younger generation of all races in the United States.

“If you walk in the hallway on the first floor by the girls bathroom that’s all I hear that and the F-word is used constantly,” sophomore Justin Hall said.

Rap music may be a huge reason why the word “nigga” is so popular among young people. Many music
artists use the n-word in their music from Kanye West to Nicki Minaj. Jay-Z and Kanye West even have a song that is titled “Niggas in Paris”. Many kids look up to rappers and if they hear a word like “nigga” being used so freely in a song they will be more likely to use the same word. A big question that many people have is if the N-word is used in a song is it okay for other races to say it?

“It’s still racist and a derogatory term. That’s like saying if a rapper uses the sentence ‘Raping young children is okay’ and asking if it’s okay to say that line because it’s in a song,” Johnson said.

Others question why African Americans even take offense to a word that they use all the time. If African Americans can use the word whenever they want why can’t anyone else?

“In reality you can say whatever you want, you can say the truest thing in the world and somebody would be offended no matter what you say someone will be offended,” Hall said.

But many African Americanstake offense when other people say the N-word because other races didn’t go through everything African Americans went through.

“I think that if any race is entitled to saying the n-word it would be African Americans. Caucasians, Asians & Hispanics did not go through slavery and were not the ones in the systematic oppression African Americans went through and still go through when the N-word was originated. As for the people saying no race should say it then it’s just a denial response because you can not tell someone what they can and can’t do with their oppression,” Johnson said.

Many people of different races still feel uncomfortable saying the N-word even though some people having no problem using the word.

“I don’t think anybody should use the word. I just don’t like it and people get offended when other people use it,” sophomore Shelby Cook said.

Many African Americans would appreciate it if other races would just stop using the N-word completely. It’s a derogatory term that many people still find offensive.

“I simply believe other races use the n word so much because lots of races want to steal black culture. Everyone wants to “be black” but nobody wants to actually BE black and go through the systematic oppression we are,” Johnson said.

Next time you want to use the word “nigga” stop and think about all the people you are offending and making feel uncomfortable by using that word