Personal Offence...?

[Captain Buff]

I am just reading about some young girl in America that had a short video of her using the ‘n’ word in a short derogatory sentence. It seems to have had some fairly giant ramifications for her...whether or not her life will continue is as it is; however I can only imagine the stigma that she will have to live with for quite a while.

Of note is that I have not a defended her actions. I will not apologise for what I haven’t said or any egregious statements that others <may> imbue I am alluding to.

My query is twofold:

1. I am from Australia...the ‘n’ word has become a much more serious issue than it once was. However it isn’t thought of as seriously as it is in America. I was recently on the PlayStation where two young guys (early teens, I am 40 FWIW) continually and in a derogatory manner used the ‘n’ word in describing their gameplay and insulting others (who weren't black...no one really is black around Australia as a general thing). I let them know that they were being little shits and that they needed to grow the f**k up. They ignored me; I remember being that age and knowing everything about the world I guess. However such extreme action as has been taken against this young girl in America due to saying a word does not exist here.

As such I wondered if someone could explain to me what I don’t understand...why has it become the way it is in America...? I do not see the reason why the likely ’brain fade’ and inept quip including the word by this young girl has managed to escalate to the level of completely blowing up her life. I don’t personally understand that...? I am naive of how Americans feel this concept and I am wondering if someone could respond on an intellectual level as to how/why it has become as it is.

I do not want to instigate hatred at me, Australia, Australians, white people, or any other form of insult. Big Al: kill this thread if it starts to head that way. That is not my intention. I am heading in another direction.

2. From another car audio site a private PM was leaked by a fairly mediocre excuse for a psychopath that detailed my personal religious proclivities (in a frequently offensive manner by said member). Following from that I was not ‘victimised’ as a result of it for the most part; however sadly most comments I made were followed by a remark alluding to my personal beliefs alienating me from the ability to have a logical intelligent opinion. Funny - no chance of trusting anything I say because I am Christian - oh well; pull out some American currency and see if it mentions somewhere on there who to trust. I believe the same statement is labelled ‘the American motto’ according to Wikipedia.

That was a purely logical however still a low blow...my apologies, I digress anyway.

Even from someone I hold in high regard on both this site and the other; I have been referred to as ‘god botherer’. That is water off a ducks back...I have received FAR worse insults through PM from the previous loose lipped member who revealed personal details and denigrated me publicly and privately.

I don’t care I have had it all my life; and people will feel as they wish. They will also openly express that opinion to my face with almost blanket member support in derogatory terms...

So my question: what’s the difference? I get called everything from moronic to indoctrinated to a deluded asshole. I am most certainly none of the above. Yet if I was to actually state the ‘n’ word here I would be black listed. I may be black listed for this post as it is. If it became public I would be hunted around the globe or god knows what (no pun intended).

Can someone explain to me what the difference is?

I would really like to see some amenable and respectful discussion on this. For what it’s worth my intended point is NOT to try to engender any sympathy for myself or for religious people at all. My interest is to get some clarification of how the seriousness of the ‘n’ word usage has developed and what it really means in America.

Should this go off the rails then just kill it with my apologies mods. If it turns into any form of unnecessary hatred of myself, religion, my ‘naivety’, my honesty, my (manufactured) racism or other attacks...that will prove what may be the real reason and I will succinctly deliver the inexorablecoup de grâce.

Peace

[miniSQ]

America has been headed in a steady progressive cancel culture direction for the past 15 -20 years. The media is systemically trying to erase/cancel everything that is america. It is so much more than the N word. That is just a tiny part of what they are doing.

[ca90ss]

If you're gonna say it you have to deal with the consequences.

[Captain Buff]

America has been headed in a steady progressive cancel culture direction for the past 15 -20 years. The media is systemically trying to erase/cancel everything that is america. It is so much more than the N word. That is just a tiny part of what they are doing.

I was not completely aware of the meaning of 'cancel culture' so just googled that...appreciate the comment.

It looks as if it is generally accepted that the responsibility for what is happening at present is the media...specifically social media. I think a few would agree that there is a pandemic around the world at the moment; just ask the media...

As much as it mystifies me why the usage of one word carries such a '$5,000 reaction to a $5 problem'; I am also interested as to where it has come from and who is giving it continued support.

You mention that the media seem set on erasing or cancelling everything that is America. How are they doing this...and why?

I will give away my thoughts regarding the young girl who has had her life turned upside down due to a three second video. Bullshit. Has every word that everyone said in their lives been perfect? Maybe so and I was the only one that said things that I look back on and regret...

[Captain Buff]

I would have thought there was a slight difference between walking up to a person and personally abusing them repeatedly to their face with the usage of the word; and saying that word once a three second video.

[BigAl205]

Here in America, people are tripping over each other to be the first to show offense on any particular topic. Oddly enough, most of the backlash comes from entitled white assholes who only show offense because it makes them feel empowered by being "woke". One example, a few years ago, a young girl performed a Japanese tea ceremony, complete with kimono and makeup, and her mom posted it on a blog.



Several Japanese ladies were appreciative of her efforts and complimented her.
...then one white chick posted this.



Calling a little girl racist is nothing to these people...but ironically, cancel culture is now eating their own. Ellen DeGeneres got a bunch of backlash for sitting next to George W Bush during a sporting event. I guess they were mad she didn't take the opportunity to stab him to death. Letitia Wright posted a video on Twitter made by some random guy who questioned the safety of the new Covid vaccine. During the video, he said something that offended the LGBTQ community, so she got so much hate in return, calling her trans-phobe and anti-vaxxer, that she had to shut down her Twitter account. Rosario Dawson, Gina Carano, and several others have been targeted also.

It's only going to get worse.

[Grinder]

In short, it seems that an unprecedented combination of postmodernism, corporate media sensationalism, and social media echo chambers, have given rise to a virtue-signaling outrage-culture purity spiral of escalating moral one-upmanship, where the most extreme voices are rewarded, and nuance is punished relentlessly.

Here is a fascinating essay on the subject:
https://areomagazine.com/2018/12/18/...ocial-justice/

[agm]

While I cannot comment on the young lady and what she said or why (none of us were there) I can say that the centuries of racism and slavery endured by many brown skinned people in this country has been ignored for so long, the inevitable harsh and concentrated reactions that have come to the surface only make sense.

It may not be right, but it is real. Since I am a minister, I can tell you my faith is definitely part of my identity: but I can speak one sentence and end it publicly (even if I don't do it in reality). I can medically and socially hide my gender. I can cosmetically hide my online and social image...but I cannot hide my racial makeup(nor should I or anyone). Since the hatred and malice directed toward a specific people for hundred of years has only been outlawed for a few decades, it is a continual problem.

For many who have little relationship or contact with persons of color (whose grandparents were enslaved and abused by community and government) the idea of bigotry and true racism seems like an outmoded concept. For those of another race, their daily experiences are considerably different (read: negatively impacted) on a daily basis. I can understand how you wouldn't imagine the name calling as impactful, living in a country with little slavery history (but oh did we treat those aboriginals badly!) and a majority caucasian populace. (I have a lot of family in Australia) It further confirms my point. Yo don't have people around you whom experience the ill treatment to tell you that it is bad.

Reactions like this are indicative of a social climate that minimized the social conscious mistreatment and misrepresentation for generations. My best advice? Love God and love people! The answer to the fear and hate is LOVE. When we treat our neighbor as our friend and brother/sister we all begin a journey toward unity and peace. Why are we so afraid to CHANGE how we treat each other and how we talk to each other to better love one another? I think you all are worth my time and my energy! May God bless these United States of America.

[miniSQ]

So in your opinion it is acceptable to cancel someone when it turns out that 40 years ago in college he went to a costume party in black face?

And to say racism has been ignored is just wrong. I am almost 60 years old, and i have been hearing about race my entire life.

[agm]

So in your opinion it is acceptable to cancel someone when it turns out that 40 years ago in college he went to a costume party in black face?

And to say racism has been ignored is just wrong. I am almost 60 years old, and i have been hearing about race my entire life.

If you believe "cancelling" someone is what I just wrote then you are looking for a fight. I did not write ANYTHING about that. I was explaining part of the WHY, which is the original ask of the author of this forum post. If racism has not been ignored, then why does it persist? Why are there so many examples of pervasive racism in our land? What do you call that?

Not to be overly simplistic: If I have a weight problem (and i do!)but I do nothing to fix said problem, wouldn't my doctor say that I have ignored (Not dealt with and remedied) the problem? Wouldn't that be considered "ignoring?" (again, not arguing my example just making an small example...the example is again, overly simplistic) Talking is not changing anything. As the elders say, "Talk is cheap."

My point: While being a great land, we have a problem that has not been addressed sufficiently, it has often been ignored...ignored because it mostly doesn't affect us...for now.