A Couch Don Imus Should Avoid

I too have a bi-racial (black and native american) adopted 8 yr old daughter and definately feel for this family. We live in a small Northern Ontario town which is predominately white (as am I) and “isms” of all kinds are alive and well here. What breaks my heart is that her generation should never have to hear that word or worry about the color of their skin but here we are. As her father said its 2007.

It’s more amazing that this young girl never heard the “n” word before via rap music or in a random street conversation among other black youths. There are those that consider this word completely taboo in some contexts and allowable in others.
Here is an instance where it likely cannot even be proved who left this comment or why and these people are looking for some sort of personal apology, refund, gain, etc…. If I got a pair of shoes that arrived with the label “honky white,” I doubt a) that I’d really care, b) get any help finding the source and c) obtaining some kind of recourse.
If someone is genuinely oppressed via racism, we should fight with all our might against it. A single word on a couch label that may or may not be intentional, that doesn’t have any real consequence? Let’s move on, people.

I think this article is going to cause the next big scandal. I hope the authoer is ready to apologzie to the millions of Canadians offended by the first sentence. “All of America…” is concerned by the Imus Scandal. Canada, on the other hand has its own issue…

I am a 30 year old African American women with very high standards. I can understand why people may get mad over the talk show host comments because they were directed directly to that group of young ladies. But why should any African American get mad over the word.

Why would the Daughter even question the word if she had never heard it before. GET OVER IT!
We all have to walk around scared to be sued over anything and everything.
The American dream (now)is someone will make a MISTAKE so that we can sue them and be rich or get something for free. ITS HORRIABLE

I am a porcelain skinned American who feels sick to her stommach when I hear or read that word. You don’t have to be a person of color to be offended by this. I feel very sad that there are people in this world who enjoy trying to take another individual’s power away from them by devaluing them. My only word of hope for this family is that they teach their daughter that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. You are beautiful no matter what another individual says or writes… believe in yourself and retain your power. I hope that they find out who did this and moreover I hope that the individual is remorseful and can learn from this nasty act.

Are you kidding me? Who do these people think they are? Ni**er brown? That’s sad. Look, this isn’t 1860, we’re talking 2000′s! SUE THEM!!!!!

I think that racis people are messed up. I think that the government should try to do something about it!! Thats just messed the heck up!

Outside of America, it’s not commonly known that “***” is such a politically charged word. I’m sure the manufacturers did simply made a translation mistake and did not intentionally mean any slight to African-American’s by this.

Isn’t it possible the word was used in a translation error? The dreaded “N” word was originally “negro,” which means “black”, and is NOT insulting. The ONLY reason the so-called “N”-word is insulting is because we ALLOW it to be.
I have English background, but the term “Limey” doesn’t bother me. Why are black people so hung-up over a word? It’s ATTITUDE that matters!
Another “tempest in a teapot”.

If people would stop screaming racism at every little thing – this “racial profiling” wouldn’t exist. If you say “Negro” its now racist – but it’s also Spanish for black!

accident? come on man, and there are only a few of these pieces that are like this. im only 22 years old but im not stupid. either that was a badly soured prank by an employee or this company new that these pieces were leaving out like this. If they didnt know, well then they should pay better attention because these are million dollar errors.

Maybe the people who are up in arms and screaming racism, hate, etc. should stop using these words to describe each other first. You cant own words within your race or “culture” and forbid others to use them. Change starts within your own communities.

It was just a label. Nothing had shown that racism had been related to it. This is the America, people should be able to say anything they want to say as they have the constitutional right for “Freedom of Speech”. I think most of the people are sick and tired of being “Politically Correct” !!! At least I am !!!

yes, its 2007. i had a 12th grade civic social problems teather in 1959 tell the class that it will only stop when there is a complete amalgamation of the races. i happen to be 66 now & we have things that are politically corect to say, but that really changes nothing.

cry me a river a mile wide & a mile deep it’s just a word, doesn’t anybody remember the old saying…sticks & stone may break my bones but names will never hurt me, GET OVER IT!!!!

Why does everyone have to be so mortally offended these days.
Being one who has their sexual orientation constantly degraged, I can understand the hurt, but, get over yourselves.
You must always know that those who do these things have the problem, not you. Rise above their level, hold up your head, and quit whining.

Refund????? Give me a break. Is the sofa what they wanted? Remove the tag and move on. This is just plain cashing in on the Imus hype…they should be ashamed of themselves.

Why should the store be held resposible for something they did not put in place and probably never saw? Why does someone have to be held accountable for hurting your feelings? Some things just happen, and not everyone is out to get you.

Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that somewhere in this young girl’s life she will either hear or at least know the heritage of the word, including the way modern black society is allowed to use the “word” but heaven forbid anyone ELSE in the rest of the world use it.

isn’t niger in spanish the color black? When working with other countries color translation can be mistranslated. What civil rights have taken away from this family. Now they want the couch for free. There were no burning cross’s or windows broken.

The use of the term is despicable!
But maybe the salesman, cashier, and deliverymen should also be sued. Oh yeah, how about the customs guy?

I am sorry to say that racism will always exist in some way, shape or form. Rather it is color, gender or ceed. Even though slavery ended, people have mostly remained seperated and living around “people of their own kind”. We really need to pray and try to get to know others for who they are. We will never be able to change how someone feels, yet the more try to understand the better thing may become. I am sorry that things are this way ,but we can remain strong and work our way through these situations.

I do believe the maker should indeed apologize for such stupidness that word should have not been used at all. I feel awful that the 7 year old little girl had to find that written on the tag.

Seriously this is so lame!!!!!
First: Typical dishonesty/misrepresentation by some businesspeople. The couches were from supposedly from Italy (aka China)!!!
Second:It was an “innocent mistake” made by somebody else in China and left to stand (i.e., not corrected by the Business when they receive the couches)but the guy had to hide until he was tracked a radio station?!! He could not fix this seemingly “minor innocent” mistake before it was blown into the public arena by the media???

Yes – there are no excuses for this sort of “mistake”.
NO – this is not a case whereby someone NEEDS to waste our courts time and incure taxpayer expenses just so someone can take advantage and make big money!!! This is 2007, when will this type of profiteering stop.

In order to ban the N word, the black community and its leaders should address the black “entertainer” first. Those are the people who glorify the N word and use in every single sentence. Why is it OK for them to use the N word, but not others? This is worst than double standard, it is reverse racism.

Black in spanish is actually negro.

They were simply wanted to buy a couch and they got insulted instead.
{if that violated laws in Canada, then it will be dealt with that} The Business manager dodged them over some “innocent mistake.” Afterall. racism in its insidious form is “simple innocent mistake.”
In spanish there is a word for brown to not just black. So if some apologist is trying to claim that the label was a spanish translation , we would have expected the entire label to be in Spanish.
If you have the strength ignore the racial slights that some people endure frequently, thank God for giving superior inner strength. But the dismissiveness with which some react to these incidents does not help people move on.
The label could have very well been an honest mistake made by some factory people who are not aware of the Market they were selling to. What is really annoying is the behavior of Vanaik prior to being outed in the media!

How wonderful that the child has never heard the word. As for the rest, these people need to get a life. As for a lawsuit, on what grounds?

She wants to sue over a translation mistake? Give me a break.

I think that we tend to take things to seriously here in America when something offends us. The most proper thing to do was to call the manufacture and explain that the translation of the word was offensive and move on. If her daughter wanted to know what the word meant it would have bee easier to let her know it was the other name for a color and not use it as a rascist term

I have to say that while this isn’t an acceptable description of the color of the couch, I think it’s ridiculous for this family to be causing such a mess over it. The family was not personally attacked and therefore should not in turn personally attack the store owner.

No, Niger is not spanish for black, it’s actually negro (same spelling different pronounciation). However I do agree that this was quite obviously a very embarrassing software translation error and getting a free couch or taking legal action is a bit over the top. Like everyone else has said ‘Get Over It!’, they got apologies and no one was scarred for life so move on.

Does anyone else think it’s silly that the article won’t even use the word at issue?

Oh please! Why is it ok for some young “person of color” to drive down the road with his stereo turned up full blast shouting all kinds of racist words for all the world to hear, but let someone else speak those words and it’s like the world is going to come to an end. GET OVER IT!!! Niger also refers to a type of thistle seed fed to finches. It is a dark brown/black colored seed. DUH!!!!

It’s just a (very) unfortunate translation error. No need to summon the Authorities.
What they meant is that the couch is black-brown. And if that’s it behind the Offended Party, the label is accurate.
Apologies should be made an accepted. Nothing racist is happening here. Unlike Imus, who is clearly a racist and has been for many years. Why are people suddenly surprised?

No jj the word for black in spainish is negro, nice try though. As for all of the “get over it comments” Why in the heck should the “get over it”? These people paid good money for an item that turns out to contain something that attacks the very notion that they are human, and espouses the idea that they are not human and are less than human. How would you feel if you spent 1200 bucks on something only to have your 6 year old find a picture on said item depicting gay anal sex? Would you just get over that? Those who made comments like “get over it” need to “get over” the idea that these kinds of incidents are still acceptable and to be overlooked, and that those who cause them will not be held accoutable as the law requires.

It is a shame that african americans don’t get mad at their own color for using the “N” word, but God forbid anyone else. Start holding your own color accountable for using that word any ANY fashion. It’s a double standard.

Is there evidence that the store or supplier added the label? I believe the mistake was made at the manufacturer in China. The software used to make the label probably is to blame. Maybe the Chinese meant to describe the color of the couch as black-brown, but mistakenly used the word *** for black.

OMG! PEople will try to get paid for any thing. It was not directed towards her or her family or their race. I swear there are those in this world who think everyone is out to get them. Yes, there are a few that are racist but racisim comes from every race, but you don;t hear them hooting and hollering about it. grow up – those time are over. Computer error- Human error who cares no one is perfect. Just like the imus situation – Yeah he was a jerk for saying what he said, but he did not say the blacks were “nappy headed hos” He mad a general comment about them all, but it all of a sudden is a race thing. I am so tired of hearing its about race. All it is, is someone is out in hopes to make money of the smallest thing. and have A FREAKING PITY PARTY. BOO HOO. GET OVER YOURSELF!

OMG! People will try to get paid for anything. It was not directed towards her or her family or their race. I swear there are those in this world who think everyone is out to get them. Yes, there are a few that are racist but racisim comes from every race, but you don’t hear them hooting and hollering about it. Always seems to be one in particular. Grow up – those time are over. Computer error,Human error, who cares no one is perfect. Just like the Imus situation – Yeah he was a jerk for saying what he said, but he did not say to any particular race. He made a general comment about the whole team (isn’t that freedom of speech – it is his opinion. What happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but WORDS may never hurt me – yeah an old childhood saying but so true – unless you let it hurt you), but it all of a sudden is a race thing. I am so tired of hearing its about race. All it is, is someone is out in hopes to make money of the smallest thing and have a FREAKING PITY PARTY. BOO HOO. GET OVER YOURSELF!

If we got rid of all the ignorant people and the people who have said or done something stupid in their lives, there would be nobody left. We’ve ALL stuck our foot in our mouths or unintentionally offended or hurt someone at one point or another. Is anyone out there really going to say they haven’t?

Interesting, the word *** is removed from all of our comments and replaced with stars. It’s not a curse word like **, so why is it censored? And none of the comments use the word in a disparaging way, we’re merely talking about the word. So why censor it? I wonder if a computer is reading our comments and censoring them or an actual person is.

Doesn’t anyone remember the old saying sticks & stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me? I’m sure a couple of trillon dollars will put thier little babies mind at ease though.
I know when someone calls me a dumb ** it take at least two or three years for me to get over it.

I do believe that the comment may have been translated with no harm intended. However, to state that there is no offense by the use of the word in any context (however innocent) is to be blind and to want to stay blind of the fact that, historically, the very word “***” was created to humiliate and oppressed all people of color.
It is a fact that ever since the 1800′s, all colonial powers promulgated the word (in various translation)among their culture to humiliate and oppresse people of color during the height of the global enslavement of the African.
This was done, of course, without regard to the damage such an offense does to a people, overtime. In short, it is important that this word be wiped out from the world’s vocabular and those who choose to use it (White, black, asian etc). Sometimes the only way individuals stop the spread of an injustice, whether or not they are cognizant of the injustice, is when it stricts them in their pocket–$$$.
So the moral is–if you chose to use the offensive (and evil word) you do it at your own risk. You never know who is watching or listening and will decide to give you a just lesson on how evil and offensive the word is to many around the world. Hopefully, the right choice or, for some the economical choice, is to just not use the word.

Did the people in China know that the furniture was intended for a couple that is from Ghana and now living in Toronto Canada or did they simply “fill an order”? You must respect the couple for not wanting to subject their family to such language but at the same time they must know they were not purposely targeted. This is only my opinion.

OK I can understand these people being a bit “shocked” at what was found yet I don’t believe that Doris had to explain so much to her 7 year old! If this label was applied in China there may very well have been some kind of mistake so how would the store have known about it? Are all stores required to look at every single label on every item that comes through their store? My God they would have to hire someone just to do that, how unreal is that? The one thing that bothered me most wasn’t even the fact that the “N” word was used it is that these people are actually thinking about what kind of fincial gain they can make from this even after getting a PUBLIC apology. *Shakes Head* I guess it isn’t just the USA that is sue happy…. Oh and one more comment: This hsppened in CANADA people not in the USA… *ggls* see there are greedy people in other countries too!!!

Um, Isn’t nigro spanish for brown?
Duh!

*** brown is an old term used by some Australians to describe dark brown. I can see how someone in Asia may have used this old tanslation.
The person also was not African American. They were African and on top of that from Ghana the country the capture and sold the slaves.
Family of Kuraseni

Bob Gilmore:
There IS talk of suing the store that sold her the sofa…
“Doris Moore has filed a formal complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the family is considering suing both the store and the supplier.”
I think this is ludicrous and makes me think she’s just out to make a buck–this is not about her civil rights supposedly being violated. If she were concerned about that she’d sue the millions of people who use it every day including many blacks.
You need to read the story.

My sister lives in Norway, she and her kids, 12 and 15 y.o. called the Blacks as ni..r without any malice.
They thought that the word ni..r is not offensive to the Blacks.

NOT RACIST ! Oh really.. how come it was FOUND on a DARK couch; and NOT on a white or pink or red couch; had that been the case then I might be incline to buy into error. P>S Whats the IQ of the people that work at these places to not see something so blatant.

It saddens me that she’s willing to sue. She’s been given a tremendous opportunity by being allowed to live in Canada. Lord knows what her life would be like if she were still in her home country. I think she has been affected by our sue-happy culture and is only out to make a buck.

i’d like to reply to the very first comment on here
it says the lady’s last name is moore
not brown
do better

In the words of Rodney King, “Why can’t we all just get along?” We live in the greatest country in the world but we are rapidly creating our own demise with bigotry and hatred. Any racial slurs against any race of people should not be allowed or tolerated whether it’s on the air waves, a furniture label or in everyday speech.

This is all ridiculous!
I am a white female – from the south. Who has many black friends AND family members. And none of them can believe that everyone is making such a big deal about either big headline this week!
Most of my black family members/friends are all college grads with really good paying jobs and are so tired of watching/hearing Al and Jesse – THIS IS LIFE PEOPLE -
Between the Imus remarks and the Couch label – this is getting crazy!
The label – however the label got there did someone know the black family would be buying it???? No, so it was not meant for them much less about them.
And Imus – who cares what he says? Does anybody base their morals on what he says or does not say?
There are Black only colleges, scholarships, internships – and the white people are not protesting – I mean if that is what you want – do it. But let someone have an ALL WHITE COLLEGE, ETC., then here comes Jesse and Al!!! And then ALL THE WHITE PEOPLE ARE RACIST and the NAACP would be all over it demanding to allow black people in.

Give me a break, another gold digger.

Myself, my husband, and child are all caucasian. We live in a predominately black area and hear “the word” spoken frequently by our neighbors and their children. Do you think I ever wanted my child to know that word either? Of course not, but it is still apart of the culture, but it is no longer seen as derogatory- unless spoken by someone who is not of African decent. Children are going to be exposed to these words and many more, tell them the truth. Hoping your child never hears a hurtful word does not protect them; explaining these terms to them so they understand is much more valuable.
This term was not used purposfully. It is a label on an item of furniture that came from overseas. If you are that offended by it, take the furniture back and purchase furniture made by a local manufacturer. Everyone benefits: you have furniture you wanted (that is probably of a better quality), you have help your local economy and you have let the manufacturer know that you will not tolerate their practices, even if it was just an error in a computer program.
Remember, just because you were offended by a word does not entitle you to special treatment.

Who cares? Its a typo. And why is it that black people are the only people on earth that can be scarred for life by a word?????

The 7 year old girl had never heard the N word??? WHAT? are you kidding me? Black youth use this word after every other word. Not to mention the rappers. Give me a break. Get a life woman, you are obviously after some free cash. If you are so offended by the N word, maybe you should start suing the millions of blacks that use it every day. You should be ashamed of yourself to expose your little girl to such a huge deal out of nothing. All you needed to do is tell her that was a mistake in the label and explain to her why this word is offensive. One other thing, if the little girl have never heard of the word before why would she question it?… I smell something fishy.

White people just don’t get the point of racist comments because they have never had to experience racism like other minority groups have in the country and around the world. They have absolutely no clue what the “N” word means to people of color and it’s negative, demeaning, degrading origin which goes back more than 200 years. They have never had to sit at the back of a bus or be forced to give up their seat to a white person. They never had to sit in the back of a theater or eat in the kitchen instead of the main dining areas or be refused service because of the color of your skin. They have never had to drink out a drinking fountain labled for “Blacks only”. Many black people including myself have experienced these things. Our experiences are much different than theirs. Caucasians can afford to take the attitude “so what’s the big deal” because they have been given a pass on a lot of these issues and simply cannot relate. It doesn’t matter what race uses the “N” word because it’s demeaning and why do they want to use it anyway!
sticks and stones may break your bones and yes, words can hurt your spirit and heart and soul. We all need to respect each other and act like human beings regardless of race, color, sex, religion etc….

People have to see the bigger picture about the ‘N’ word and it is associated along with it. In this case, who ever wrote the was labeling the colors used the ‘N’ word because he associated it black or brown colors. That is the bigger problem. What people associate people of color with. Why not associate people of color with the word ‘person’ or ‘human’. This has to be deal with but people don’t like to deal with problems for some reason.
And to JelloBiafra, quit forging your own reality and then commenting about it. Because lying to yourself just doesn’t help, and having facts as you want them to be, that contradicts reality as it is makes everything you say invalid and would like to NOT see you write anything again because of it.

Karin, it IS the same thing as a picture of gay anal sex, it is horridly offensive to some, inappropriate on a item bought with out teh consuers knowledge, and not appropriate for a young child. It is appels to appels, its the same thing to these people and that is the point. No one is loking for an excuse to keep racism alive, most of us are sick to death of it, but we WILL NOT pretend its not around and just “get over” the fact that it is still very much around and your comments highlight that fact. You do not see the people in this story laughing, and as you admitted you would not be laughing over gay porn. You get over the idea that racism is not around because it is.

The black people who say, “90% of black people don’t use that word” – really, you know 90% of the black population? Wow. The white people who say, “rappers use the word all the time” are quoting an inarguable fact. Turn on a radio station – bam, there it is. Myself, I have personally heard more than 1, 2 or 3 black people speak the word. The point is, if this incident – where there are at least three solid non-racist-related reasons as to how that word got on there, is so unequivocally wrong to you, why aren’t those rap songs? Those even isolated personally-witnessed utterances?

notsofast-
For CRYIN’ out loud!! INTENT matters? You tell me how a picture of gay anal sex could get on a couch label by sheer accident, and THEN we’ll talk. This is NOT a nebulous discussion of, oh, is the ‘n’ word as offensive as anal sex? It’s about whether THIS occurrence of it is ACTUALLY an offensive use of the word. The FACT is, the ‘n’ word IS used by black people – let’s forget prevalence, suffice it to say it’s not rare or uncommon – without ramification, so clearly not EVERY single appearance of the ‘n’ word is cause for action.
Question: what if we found out a ‘person of color’ (god, that term is even dumber than ‘African American’ – why does NO caucasian race go by “X-American”??) was the last one in the processing plant before this got shipped??

I think the couch should stand in the corner for hurling racial epithets at its owners

From one hyphenated american to another — when my grandparents came here from Italy they were met with discrimination. It has been that way for virtually every ethnic group that ever came here. Black people got it worse — a lot worse — than most. There might be some hypersensitivity involved, but then this county was downright ugly to black americans for a long long time and it’s going to take some — and trying — to heal.

After reading the comments left behind by bloggers I can see that we still have a long way to go as far as race relations in this day and age. I am really shocked by the number of people trying to minimized the issue at hand. I also think that people are missing the point. If the Manager of the furniture store had taken the time to address the issue( exchanging the sofa and apologizing TO THE FAMILY))instead of dismissing them, the whole matter probably would have ended there, but now the family is angry and is taking a stand ON PRINCIPLE. Does anyone find it odd that the store didn’t see fit to return the CUSTOMERS call but apoligized ONLY when the media got involved????

I think that people are getting too worked up over a stupid word. Im 14 years old and have been taught the old “sticks n stones” by many adults. Yet when something like this comes up everyone has to make a huge fuss over it. Please someone listen to any rap. This stuff is everywhere, but no one seems to care much. But then “OH NO! my couch has the N word on it” this gets more publicity then the entire american youth being exposed to these words daily by people like 50 cent and Ludicras. So please, either get angry at every time someone uses the N word, or don’t get mad at all. Geez.

*** is a made up word, so what translation software would have mistranslated this word unless it was first programmed to do so.
Get Real!!

Tighe–
This is America. My ancestors were stolen from Africa. I am however, proud to be an African American.
Black is a color, were not black.
The Chinese live in China. The Japanese live in Japan. The Italians live in Italy. The British live in Britain. Due to ignorance, greed, status & power, America has chosen to place emphasis on race. This is why America will NEVER reach its full potential.

How did the discussion of the color of the ssofa as identified by thr manufacturer turn into a discussion about Al Sharton? After reading most of the comments on this site, I got a real feel for the number of racists there are left in the world. It is a sorry thing that there are stil so many ill-informed people who think they are better because of the color of their skins. As long as there are ignorant racists, the mother will not be able to protect her daughter from the word **

Man. I should print myself a label that says Honky White and sue everyone and go to the news and demand apologies from Richard Pryor’s estate and Eddie Murphy and all other Black comedians who have insulted white people. Im insulted and I want a cookie because Im entitled. What a nation of whimps and whiners.
I guess racial slurs are completely wrong except in rap music which absolutely denigrates women and destroys the black community.
Is it just me or Do Rev. Sharpton and Jackson just move from place to place wanting ‘Sorries’ all the time?
Si vis pacem, para bellum.

All of this is besides the point. What matters is whether the distributor’s arguement carries any weight. I can’t imagine any software which would translate any color into n*****. In other languages, negre, noire, are all words for black, but that’s not what the label says. In to language is n***** an actual word that software would accidentally use in a translation

What a scam! This Lady is trying to get something for nothing, and feels good about it, bacause its white/asian people she is trying to extort money out of.
Why are we not talking about her racisim, and using her own child
in the commision of what most consider a crime?

Thanks Kay, Bryan for your intelect and empathy regarding this situation. Thanks also Bob Gilmore for clarifying to these people who obviously did not read or understood the artlce being referenced. Well said Slick, Faye Mitchell, Eric. I have one comment to those of you who’s forefathers enslaved and created this derogative name(****)to taunt and degrade a race of people for your own interest have NO RIGHT to tell someone to “Get over ANYTHING”. The best you can do is to be empathetic to these people who have experienced this insult. Do not critizize them or tell them how they should feel or tell anyone how BP use the N-word amongst each other until you have fully understood the devastating impact SLAVERY/RACISM has on a society, otherwise make no comment!

This is my first and probably last visit to the so called “forum”. I should be amazed (but I am not)at the raw ignorance displayed in these E-mails. Fortunately, I do not believe this is representative of maany Whites I have known over the years. Thousands worked for me and they all had the ability to structure a simple sentence or correctly spell a one syllable word. However, racism is alive and well and its adherents find refuge and aanonymity in Imus, Lim baugh, and forums such as these. Ironically, I bet many of you go to segregated churches on Sunday with lofty expectations. Disappointment will surely follow. The use of racist words is emblematic of the powerful versus the powerless. If a Black person calls a White person a name, it has very little consequence since (1) there are no really hurtful words to use, (2) very few Blacks have any economic control over Whites. Do you really believe that a white who choses to use these words and have power over Blacks are going to play fair? This the real crux of the issue.

After reading comments this afternoon, I searched for the word on the internet:
_________________________________
Used in combinations (e.g. nigger-brown, nigger-head, nigger-toe) since 1840s for various dark brown or black hues or objects; euphemistic substitutions (e.g. Zulu) began to appear in these senses c.1917.
_________________________________
It is not a pretty word, for sure, however, it stands to reason that it was used as a color description, only–
Other countries many times use words or phrases that in interpretation, are at best awkward, and depending on what any particular person is sensitive about–could be construed as hurtful. This was not a personally directed insult.
I am fat,and have been called purposefully hurtful names many times in my life; but I sure hope I don’t start getting insulted every time I hear or see any “fatty” word.

Etymology: alteration of earlier neger, from Middle French negre, from Spanish or Portuguese negro, from negro black, from Latin niger.
Some people need to get over their paranoia!
Why do you get so upset over being called ‘negroid’,black, which only denotes your origins, but you want to be called ‘AFRICAN-AMERICAN’, which you are not!
Most of you (black & white) would have trouble finding Africa on a map and you have surely never been there.
Drop the ‘AFRICAN’ and just be an American. I think you will find that people will have fewer problems with you. Claiming to be something that you are not just irritates people.

PRAY,
Once again the problem against was not so much SLAVERY as it WAS and IS RACISM!!!!!There were never any seperate cars or barriers imposed on those “European slaves” onces they were{or had} free themselves of their indenturedness. However, even the returning military Blacks who had the served the US overseas in World War II were being made to give their seats for captured NAZI POWs?!!!!! This was LONG after Slavery had been Outlawed in the USA. If you feel as Native American who has more right to whine but has chosen, you can go ahead and congratulate yourself on your “high/Superior” morality but do not expect those who see “RACISM to pretend they do not see any!!

So Don Imus has been raked across the coals for making inappropriate comments. I get that. But who is Al Sharpton to complain, when he appeared in a Saturday Night Live skit, (as the REVEREND Al Sharpton) called Al’s Chicken Shack?
Pardon me, Mr. Sharpton, but aren’t you propogating the very stereotype you’re slamming Don Imus for?
Though I’m not defending him, worse comments have been aired that what Imus said.

Two words:
Tawana Brawley
Google it, then talk to me about apologies.

As a gay man, I can say I’ve experienced slurs similar to those of black Americans. So telling me I can’t voice my opinion because I’m white makes me a little angry. Anyone has a right to voice their opinion on any issue, but minorities especially on this issue.
Think about it: Would this be that big of a deal if I got a piece of furniture whose color was *** Blue? I don’t think so.

this is just dumb. everywhere in the world (except usa and canada) the N word just refers to the color, has nothing to do with racial slur.
its a translation issue that needs to be worked out and is not a big deal at all.

To R. Taylor et al.
First off, none of the blacks writing in here has ever been held as a slave here in America, so stop whining. Second, whites have been held as slaves by blacks in Africa, usually when white sailors wrecked off the coast of Africa made it to land and were taken as slaves by the locals, so stop the self righteousness. And anyone can be the subject of slurs regardless of their race or position in society, it is just a matter of what the slur is about e.g. it could be a slur about gays, or Italians, or Packer fans. Secondly whites in America are enslaved in a way by blacks in the form of the vast amounts of taxes collected to support what is largely a black population of welfare receiptients. Every time a single unemployed black woman chooses to have unprotected sex and then has a child with no means of her own or the baby’s daddy to support it she further enslaves the general tax paying population, mostly whites, by putting it on their financial resources to provide for said child. Also many white communities in American cities are enslaved in that their freedom of movement is restricted by the constant threat of unpredictable and senseless violence coming from the black communties.

If all you have to say is “get over it,” obviously you think this is acceptable. And the point about “black people using the word” is irrelevant
simply because she said her daughter has never heard it. I don’t know why it is that some of you people feel the need to trivialize something like this. Oh wait — I remember; it’s because it doesn’t offend you. It’s because you don’t know the meaning behind the word. It’s because you don’t know the history of the way it was used. IT IS because YOUR ancestors were not subjected to the hatred behind the word for 400 years.
I get it. It’s because you don’t understand. If I got a couch or anything for that matter with a hateful word labeled on it I would be offended. I would then hold whatever company the product came from responsible. It’s like if someone calls in for customer service somewhere and JOHN DOE (the rep) calls him/her (the customer) something offensive. JOHN DOE represents the company and one would then hold the company responsible even though the CEO might not even know who the hell JOHN DOE is. You guys amaze me more and more eveyday– and I hope that doesn’t offend you too much.

white people are smart… you all say the right things to try and keep my people down..WHY? because you all are scared that African americans will one day very soom be better off than every biggot in the world… And white people are also jealous.. why do you all tan and get lip injections because yall want to be black! I dont know what they do in other countries so i cant say if that comment was a mistake or not but i do know that world can hurt… No now black people are not slaves but that is a very derogatory term that is just bad to use… I know that there are black people who use the n word and i think that is very bad mabey worst then when a white person says it but lets say there is a name just your friends or family call you Like FAT BOY it may be okay for them to say it but when someone you dont know says it

I am glad that some of you find the n-word offensive when it is being directed at a person of color.
And, yes, the word is still being used in our community and it is an issue that we African-Americans have to deal with by applying heat to the African-American entertainers as well.
Perhaps, in a few more generations this word will only mean “black” in spanish, as one of you mentioned earlier. But for now, whether you can understand it or not the word remains hurtful to many.
Also, just because the Reverends Jackson and Sharpton stepped to the fore on this issue doesn’t mean they speak for the entire group.
As far as Mr. Imus’s comments are concerned, AA’s have always had to endure jokes and ill-humor. Recall the days of Stepin Fetchit and the minstrel shows that blatantly made fun of African-Americans.
Get over it? I don’t so.

That couch would look great in my living room.

barry g
JUST STOP! you are sinking further in your ignorance; Show me the RAW DATA from a reputable national census site… that SHOW the amount of BLACKS on WELFARE and the total amount of BLACKS in AMERICA; And lets see if your stereotype assumtion that the majority is on welfare.

I am very sure that this was a translation error. The Chineese don’t even have such words in the language. We all know that niger is another word for black or sometimes dark, so the label said niger-brown meaning dark brown the mistake is clearly seen here. I believe that the complaintant is just looking for the payoff!!! Come on this is not the store owners fault. Also I doubt very seriously that the daughter has never heard this word. Listen to the radio or BET and you here it all day.

Thats right we should punish people for things they didn’t do just because the don’t like a word that was translated wrong by a person who has no clue what that word means. This is all about the money and you know it!!!!

Amen Brother!!! I am part Native American my self. Where is my retribution??? This crap of saying we were slaves is nonsense. Most blacks in this country never had a ancestor that was in-slaved, that’s a racial misrepresented get something free card. You all should be ashamed to even claim something like that!! For those who were in-slaved, they would surely not approve of your actions!! I don’t think hurtful words should be used at all!! Tell all those so called rap artist to stop using them!!! Tell them to stop singing about killing cops and whites!! Talk about a hypocrite!!!!

You guys don’t get it. This is not about Imus or rap artists. The woman did not say that she ever used the N word. If her daughter did not know about the word then it’s obvious that she is not in the habbit of saying it. If she is uncomfortable with this couch she should return it. Depending on how they handle the situation she may need to sue. Don’t be so blazay with the N word because it does not personally offend YOU!

What are you talking about? This has absolutly nothing to do with Bush and the Iraq war. Talk about a SPIN!!! WOW is right!!!

Does this really require a lawsuit? This is a joke. This woman needs some real hardship in her life. Some people just love to be the victim.