Eden Prairie Coach

[Bob_Loblaw]

I don't think it's nuanced at all, barrister. Given the history of the word, if a white person uses it, regardless of context, it's a racial slur.

Drink again loser! But you're far too dumb to understand nuance.

So when Leonardo DiCaprio says it, he should get cancelled? Or no?

 

[goldengophers]

Drink again loser! But you're far too dumb to understand nuance.

So when Leonardo DiCaprio says it, he should get cancelled? Or no?

Your example is DiCaprio using it as an actor in a civil war era period piece?

 

[BleedGopher]

Al Nolen chimes in:


Go Gophers!!

 

[CentralGopher]

I’m really impressed that some white folks are arguing about the use of a word that was used as a slur. Almost like some got mad when the word got taken away from them in their preferred context. Most cases just upset about the loss of power (If we can’t use the word in our context, then no one can in any context).
Again for myself it’s pretty easy to just not use the word or have the want to use the word. I also could not care less if the group whom it was used to oppress uses it for themselves. Not much different than the North adopting the word Yankee, but it’s different when a southerner uses it. Lot less oppression and hurt, but similar logic.

How hatred, division, and derogatory language continues right here

 

[Gophers_4life]

if a white person uses it, regardless of context, it's a racial slur.

This isn't isn't being challenged. Very few regular, normal white people want to use the word.

The very valid challenge actually is: why isn't that true for anyone using the word?


The reasons given so far seem completely arbitrary and made up.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I also could not care less if the group whom it was used to oppress uses it for themselves.

How noble of you.

A better and preferable opinion is that no one uses and proliferates a word that had and has no meaning other than to convey hatred.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Al Nolen chimes in:


Go Gophers!!

Not showing up for me.

If a chime doesn't chime, did it ever actually chime?

 

[Some guy]

Al Nolen chimes in:


Go Gophers!!

What did it say before he deleted it

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Not showing up for me.

If a chime doesn't chime, did it ever actually chime?

Why do you hate the deaf?

 

[MNfootballfan]

What did it say before he deleted it

I am also curious.

I know David and his family a little and I would be 100% shocked if he had any malicious intent with the word. I wouldn't have said it but guessing he felt comfortable enough in the teaching moment and would assume he ran it past his assistant coaches.

I heard Larry McKenzie was a huge supporter of David's and quickly came to his defense, as I believe the two of them have worked together on different social justice programs.

 

[GopherPlaya]

Accepting/not worrying that some can say it will only perpetuate the use of derogatory language and racial slurs. Is that the goal? Or is the goal to end those? If we’re trying to end those then it needs to be unacceptable for all.

Civil Rights movement ended over 50 years ago yet the words still exists. We have known the impact of that word since before then especially when used by white people. I don’t understand 1 why people think it will ever go away & 2 why would a white person use it in 2023 knowing the consequences?

 

[GopherPlaya]

Again, white person in relationship with black person may say the n- word. Is this agreed upon? cuz it seems kinda gray.

I guaranteed if a white person in a relationship with a black person say it to a random black person the results will be the same

 

[GopherPlaya]

two thoughts:

1. language changes as society changes. there are a lot of words that were used freely when I was growing up that are now seen as improper or wrong. WARNING - EXAMPLES - like "retard" or "cripple."

leading to the second point:

2. if you have having a discussion about social media within an educational setting - and trying to explain to young people that what you post has consequences - how do you get the point across if you can't use specific examples?

i.e. If I tell you "it's not a good idea to use objectionable words" - how is the student supposed to know which words are objectionable? because their idea of objectionable might be very different than mine.

as I understand it, that is what the EP coach was doing - reading a social media post as a specific example of what not to do.

----- and not to make light of a serious subject, but I suddenly have George Carlin in my memory bank doing the "7 words you can't say on TV" routine.....

He couldn’t have made the point without using the word? If he said N Word instead saying the actual word, wouldn’t he have made the same point

 

[Gopherfan84]

How noble of you.

Thanks

A better and preferable opinion is that no one uses and proliferates a word that had and has no meaning other than to convey hatred.

That is your better preferable opinion. Mine is that I don’t have much of a say besides the fact that I don’t get to use it (nor want to). Again should the north stop using the word Yankee? That word was used by the south in a derogatory way towards the north? I just don’t see why it matters beyond me not saying it.

 

[GopherPlaya]

How hatred, division, and derogatory language continues right here

So explain how

 

[Gopherfan84]

Civil Rights movement ended over 50 years ago yet the words still exists. We have known the impact of that word since before then especially when used by white people. I don’t understand 1 why people think it will ever go away & 2 why would a white person use it in 2023 knowing the consequences?

I think most struggle with the idea that they have consequences for saying a word that others wouldn’t. The irony

 

[Spaulding!No!]

I guaranteed if a white person in a relationship with a black person say it to a random black person the results will be the same

Fact.

 

[jamiche]

This isn't isn't being challenged. Very few regular, normal white people want to use the word.

The very valid challenge actually is: why isn't that true for anyone using the word?


The reasons given so far seem completely arbitrary and made up.

You make it sound like white people are so woke these days!

 

[jamiche]

I am also curious.

I know David and his family a little and I would be 100% shocked if he had any malicious intent with the word. I wouldn't have said it but guessing he felt comfortable enough in the teaching moment and would assume he ran it past his assistant coaches.

I heard Larry McKenzie was a huge supporter of David's and quickly came to his defense, as I believe the two of them have worked together on different social justice programs.

As I've said, it sounds like Flom is a good guy who made a mistake, is sincerely contrite, is trying to atone for it and should be forgiven because of the sincerity of his word and deed.

What I don't understand is why there are folks on here who are outraged that they can't use the word without consequences and/or that they can't control whether or how black people use the word.

It's sort of like white people used to have control of that word the way they had control of black folks. Now they don't anymore and it's upsetting.

 

[Gophers_4life]

You make it sound like white people are so woke these days!

You must be a black belt.

I haven’t seen someone dodge out of the way like that since Bruce Lee.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Thanks

That is your better preferable opinion. Mine is that I don’t have much of a say besides the fact that I don’t get to use it (nor want to). Again should the north stop using the word Yankee? That word was used by the south in a derogatory way towards the north? I just don’t see why it matters beyond me not saying it.

It seems this easy for me:

if it is so offensive for a southerner to use the word that they just ought to never use it, then no one should ever use it.

Why is it not that easy?


Put even more generally: if it’s banned for a subset, then it should be banned for all.

I see no valid argument to the contrary. Just arbitrary hand-waiving.

 

[MNfootballfan]

As I've said, it sounds like Flom is a good guy who made a mistake, is sincerely contrite, is trying to atone for it and should be forgiven because of the sincerity of his word and deed.

What I don't understand is why there are folks on here who are outraged that they can't use the word without consequences and/or that they can't control whether or how black people use the word.

It's sort of like white people used to have control of that word the way they had control of black folks. Now they don't anymore and it's upsetting.

Yeah, I am not sure. All I know is as a white man, I will not, under any situation, use that word. I don't know if there is one positive that can come from it.

 

[BleedGopher]

Not showing up for me.

If a chime doesn't chime, did it ever actually chime?

What did it say before he deleted it

I am also curious.

I know David and his family a little and I would be 100% shocked if he had any malicious intent with the word. I wouldn't have said it but guessing he felt comfortable enough in the teaching moment and would assume he ran it past his assistant coaches.

I heard Larry McKenzie was a huge supporter of David's and quickly came to his defense, as I believe the two of them have worked together on different social justice programs.

Essentially he said he dealt with this situation last year and kudos to the kids and coaches for taking a stand. He said this is very common in schools.

Go Gophers!!

 

[Gophers_4life]

Very common in schools for a white coach/teacher to use the N word in an education context?

No S?

 

[CentralGopher]

So explain how

It’s really not rocket science. Everyone knows derogatory language is not acceptable. If it’s only unacceptable for certain subsets of the population that still allows the derogatory language to be perpetuated and we get to continue having these stupid threads and accusations of white people wanting to be able to use it too. If it’s unacceptable for everyone it’s likely it won’t be gone overnight but should be far less.

 

[alaska]

what about the word Ninja?

 

[GopherPlaya]

It’s really not rocket science. Everyone knows derogatory language is not acceptable. If it’s only unacceptable for certain subsets of the population that still allows the derogatory language to be perpetuated and we get to continue having these stupid threads and accusations of white people wanting to be able to use it too. If it’s unacceptable for everyone it’s likely it won’t be gone overnight but should be far less.

It was unacceptable and not mainstream or common through music from 1970 to at least 90s rap and the word never disappeared. What slur has actually ever disappeared? This is very delusional. This thread isn’t even about a white person wanting to use it. It is about a white person actually using it in front of black players & coaches. If it wasn’t something they shouldn’t be offended by then why the most of the players and all of the black coaches quit. There is no reason a white person should use the word. I can’t believe this thread is this long because people are upset that someone faced consequences for using the word. I’m black & don’t use the word. I also know better than use terms or slurs that would be offensive in other groups because I wouldn’t want to face consequences or offend anyone. If I slipped up, I know I would face similar repercussions as Flom.

 

[BarnBurner]

It was unacceptable and not mainstream or common through music from 1970 to at least 90s rap and the word never disappeared. What slur has actually ever disappeared? This is very delusional. This thread isn’t even about a white person wanting to use it. It is about a white person actually using it in front of black players & coaches. If it wasn’t something they shouldn’t be offended by then why the most of the players and all of the black coaches quit. There is no reason a white person should use the word. I can’t believe this thread is this long because people are upset that someone faced consequences for using the word. I’m black & don’t use the word. I also know better than use terms or slurs that would be offensive in other groups because I wouldn’t want to face consequences or offend anyone. If I slipped up, I know I would face similar repercussions as Flom.

Seems to me the thread has been extended because its OK, according to some, for some people to use it and other people cannot should not use it at all.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

What about someone writing a serious history of African-Americans' role in US Society? OK to use it in that context or not?

Or if someone wrote a book on how certain words' meanings have changed over time?

I just think that saying you can never use a certain word under any circumstance ignores any sense of nuance or context.

......................and for what it's worth, if you come for my copy of Patti Smith singing "Rock & Roll N-word" you're going to have a fight on your hands. that song kicks ass.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Seems to me the thread has been extended because its OK, according to some, for some people to use it and other people cannot should not use it at all.

Serious questions -

Why do you care?
How does this specially impact you life?