Hateful Slurs to target a specific group

Racism…what does it mean to you? There are several definitions to describe this word, but there are two definitions that stick out the most to me. The first definition is that racism is a prejudice belief that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races. The second definition that racism is that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and racial differences.

My religion professor brought up a good point today. He asked the class to give an example of one time in history where people were given a name to represent them that did not exactly explain who they were. A student in class said the “N” word. He stated that because the word was used to characterize Africans so often, that it kind of became a word to represent them collectively but did not explain to people who they were. My professor agreed 100% with him and used the word “queer” as an example as well. He said that because the word "queer" was used as a hateful slur towards homosexuals, it has now become a word that most people identify them with.

I do believe that using these words as examples or racial slurs can be offensive and demeaning to an individual. It is never okay to constantly demean or through racially insensitive remarks at an individual no matter how often you hear them do it to themselves. If I encounter a homosexual who refers to themselves as a "queer" I would not be offended because they are using a word that is so often used to represent them by everyone else. So if anyone is granted the right to use it, it should be homosexuals themselves.

This also is true for the “N” word. Racial demeaning is never ok, but considering the nature and extent to which the “N” word has been used in history, if anyone should be allowed to use the word it should be African Americans. I do not use the word because I do not like it, but if I ever felt the need to use it I believe that I have the right to do so, because my race was targeted through its creation. It’s the same situation with the word “queer” and even the word “slut”. I have encountered so many double standards where women will say that it is ok when a woman calls another woman a “slut” but if a man uses the word is goes against all things. This is a belief for many women because for so long the word has been targeted towards them. When you feel like you have ownership or the most involvement with something you feel like it is your right to use it.

Like I stated earlier I do not use the “ N” word because I just choose not to, but if I ever do feel like it I believe that it is my African American right to use it. As an African descent living in America I have the right to use the "N" word because it was targeted towards my race. Homosexuals should be allowed to use the word "queer" because as homosexuals living in America they have been targeted because of their sexuality. Unless you have any personal emotion or connection to a word you should not be allowed to use it because otherwise you have no idea how deep of a meaning on connotation is possessed by the targeted individual because of it.