[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne

Doesn't sound like you understand where he might have been coming from, nor his background.

I don't advocate racism, but to those who seemed racist, that wasn't it at all, but a way of life.

My granddad was born and raised in West Virginia. He called all black people by the N word. That wasn't an insult nor a slur. To him, it was just like you and I calling them black. He didn't understand what the big deal was.

He had lots of black friends that came to his house. He allowed black children to swim in his pool. He introduced his friends as 'this is my N friend, Joe'. Joe would smile, shake our hands, and tell us it was nice to meet us, and we said the same.

His friends even understood him and weren't offended.

I remember him coming to our church just south of Chicago when I was a teenager. We had about 100 black folks that attended at that time.

My mom introduced him to a military man. He happened to be black. My granddad spoke to him for several minutes, then ended with, "Brother Smith, you are the finest N man I ever met." My mom about fell on the floor, but Brother Smith, apparently understanding that it was a compliment, not an insult, replied, "Why, thank you, sir!"

My mom later apologized and started to explain, but this man was from NC, and said he understood and wasn't insulted nor upset.

Now, this doesn't mean I condone using that word if you aren't using it to be nasty, because in reality, there aren't many people alive today who would use that word as 'just a word'. I don't use it, my children don't, and we never would.

But to many elderly folks, especially those from the south, think of it as no big deal.

They used to be called 'coloreds' in the 60's. Now that's considered a slur, but to many who continue using it, it's not a big deal. That's what they were called.



Oh, please!! What his pastor stands for goes beyond mere racial and political issues. He speaks of America being the enemy and Obama nods his head in agreement.

You haven't personally experienced anything close to what Obama's pastor spews out from his pulpit.

AAAAUUUUGHH!!!

This post makes me cringe!!!!! The fact that the people you are referring to DO NOT see calling me a "N" or "colored" as offensive IS OFFENSIVE!!!

Nothing on you, mind you-- and I am glad we are having this discussion. It only proves Obama's sentiments correct that we have a long way to when it comes to race issues.

The last PUBLIC LYNCHING" was in 1970, in Georgia. Maybe when Michelle Obama made her statement about being proud of America, she was referring to how as a country we have COME SO FAR AS TO HAVE A BLACK MAN NAMED OBAMA as a serious contender for the white house.

As a whole, "Coloreds", and "N" historically was not heard in a positive way by the "Colored" or "N" person who heard it from the mouth of a white person. The "compliments" that may have been given by that white person were taken by a black person who excused their blatant ignorance.