Agreed. This is more dumb than racist, but I won’t fault anyone for getting offended by it.

Won’t argue with you there.

Exactly. What upside? You said you see no upside in white people using it. I asked why you specified white people. It would appear to me that the word is either harmful/offensive or it isn’t. Or at least the intention is.

It is curious that you consider whether or not white actors using the word are racist on a case-by-case basis depending on the context but won’t do the same when it comes to white people singing a song.

You’re trying to set rules in a situation where there are no hard and fast rules. We’re talking about people and their reactions to stimulus, not robots. The simple fact of the matter is that this word contains connotations that make it volatile. It’s like playing with nitro glycerin. You can do it, but you better…

I hear you. I’m not saying you need to be offended. And I totally agree that singing along to a song changes the context somewhat. But I don’t think it just overrules 500 years of oppressive cultural connotations, and I wouldn’t fault anyone for being offended by this situation.

No. The song IS the context.

Does the fact that they are saying it while singing along to Chris Brown not change the context at all though?

True, and that context should be considered, but it doesn’t automatically trump all other contexts. The historical context still figures into the situation as well, especially when we’re talking about half a millennium’s worth of really horrific connotations.

Indeed. And yet, regardless of connotation, I hear young Hispanics and Asians use the N-word all the time as well. Around me, it is very awkward.

Nope. Race plays into historical culture, and this is a word with 500 years of historical context. That context doesn’t just disappear because you added a beat.

Why do you only fail to see the upside when it’s a white person using it?

Historical context is a very subjective thing that depending on how far you go, can be applied to just about anything in any way.

That context has to be taken into account, yes, but it doesn’t automatically overrule 500 years of historical context. It’s just one more thing to consider.

I agree. But awareness of the history and effects of the word and use of the word itself are not mutually exclusive.

That’s part of the context, yes, and should be taken into account. That’s why there’s more people here calling them stupid than calling them racist.

So legit curious, from a linguistic sense, did the white person change the lyrics of the song without changing the lyrics of the song?

But to begrudge anyone who says the word and assume they are racist and/or ignorant is ridiculous.

And that’s fine. People aren’t robots. They don’t automatically react to any particular stimulus based on hard and fast rules. The people at the concert you were at didn’t care. Cool. Good for them.

Yes, but let’s not pretend that the context of the immediate moment erases 500 years worth of historical context as well.