Wrong. The "n word" is only bad because people think it is; it is not intrinsically bad. "Cracker", "honkey", whatever is not thought to be a bad word because PC has not said so. The sentiment of the person using both words is the same. Both words are derogatory to an entire race for no reason but the color of their skin. Both words are EQUALLY wrong and NEITHER should ever be directed at another human being.
He is wrong. Claiming it is worse to call one person a name than another person is discrimination. You're saying one person is more important than the other, and we have to be nicer to them than we have to be to the less important person. As I said, the hatred and bigotry behind either word is the same. A black person calling a white person a "cracker" is doing it with the same racist intent as the white person that calls a black person a "nigger". We are all "people" and are all equal.
Words are words. If there's no intent behind it, what does it mean? I could call my friend a cockwaffle and laugh it off with them, but if I called a stranger a cockwaffle, I'd be punched in the face. It's all about context and intent.
From Merriam Webster:
Definition of nigger
1
: a black person
2
: a member of any dark-skinned race
3
: a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons <it's time for somebody to lead all of America's niggers … all the people who feel left out of the political process — Ron Dellums>
Yeah, that ignores the etymology, and focuses on what people today believe it is. It literally means black. Do some research, and stop taking things at face value.
Yes the origin of the word nigger is negro, which does indeed come from the Latin niger.
However, it has been used toward the "low class" "working class" or "trash" regardless of race, (as in "I've been working like a nigger cleaning this house!") though I personally have only heard nigger used toward the type of person we would today call white trash, by older people.
Sooo... y'all both right!
Definition of nigger
1
: a black person
2
: a member of any dark-skinned race
3
: a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons <it's time for somebody to lead all of America's niggers … all the people who feel left out of the political process — Ron Dellums>
However, it has been used toward the "low class" "working class" or "trash" regardless of race, (as in "I've been working like a nigger cleaning this house!") though I personally have only heard nigger used toward the type of person we would today call white trash, by older people.
Sooo... y'all both right!
Or just an asshole.
Don't ask me how I know. ;)
It's said The Ancient One has eyes and ears everywhere...