Joe Jonas Lover IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE, OH, YEAH, I KNOW.....MOST OF OUR ANCESTORS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST THEM!!! SINCE THEY DID, I BELIEVE THAT NOW, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO GET BACK AT US

Christie, when you were in school as a child growing up what were the conditions like?

Living in the Heart of Dixie, I've beared witness to discrimination on both sides of the issue. I don't actively HATE any race, religion, etc., but I do have my opinions, and these are based on personal experiences. How about growing up in a predominately black county and going to school where the standards of learning are dropped, just to pass the black kids. Is it fair to the taxpaying white citizens who fund the schools, to have their children be subject to a substandard education? No! How about being the MINORITY and being WHITE! How about being a victim of crimes committed by blacks just because they want to intimidate the "cracker-bit**", not to mention they're too sorry to get a job. They'd rather polute the air with their music and second hand crack pipe smoke and drink, leading to the eventual act of promiscuity throughout the government subsidized neighborhoods provided to them for free, creating yet more irresponsible menaces to society. In my perfect world "breeding" would require liscensing.. How about being screwed with at work because those that aren't there working, are just there to collect a pay check and will use the race card as an excuse to get out of any disciplinary actions they might have incurred by being a crappy employee, not for being black. Where I come from, I as a white female, am the minority. I have to work twice as hard just to stay afloat, because the government isn't going to help me out whatsoever because why? I'm white! I'm able to maintain a stable marriage, and am not out screwing anything and everything just to get a child support check and govenment check!! I work full time! I pay taxes! I have goals to work toward. Can I get financial assistance for a secondary education? Of course not! Why? Because I'm white! I work! I'm able to maintain a marriage and family! Hell, if you can do all that, why would you want to better yourself? Is there such a thing as "reverse racism"? You bet your sweet arse there is. Do black people discriminate? Yes indeedily-doodily. Why is it OK for "black music" to be protected under freedom of speech, while it's spewing hate towards the white race and police. Hmmmm. " Let's go out and kill a cracka for dey sh!#, den buss a cap in the 5-0's head 'cause he tryin' to pull ova the stolen ride I'm in... Oh they jus be hatin'!" I think I just wrote a verse to a million dollar song there! Now, should the shoe be on the other foot and the roles reversed, then there would be this HUGE national outcry for it to be banned, because it's offending. I also find it quite annoying that the word "Nigger" has so many meanings to it. If a black person says it, it's an insult, a term of endearment, or a benign noun. If a white person says it, Oh Lord! They're putting on their hoods and lighting up crosses. Give me a break! I'll jump down off of my soapbox now.

Tell me why it is that coloureds, no matter what race they are, seem to think they have the right to do as they please and to hell with the rules of the land they are living in?
Why do we have to stop saying this, that and other things because it offends them, them being visitors to our country.
I am not american I'm a scot and I am tired of the bowing and scraping that is being done to please these people. If they don't like you laws, religion and our dress code. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE.

I am confused. Why discuss the N word. What about all of the other nasty words that people use. Why this one?

Adam hits on the issue when he says "let people make the choice". Societal mores change over time and by location. What is acceptable for one person to say at one point in time in one place, could be totally different if one of the variables is changed (a different person, a different time, a different place). Imus got away with what he's been doing for a long time. He, and his place stayed the same, but the times changed around him. Even Russell Simmons is now against n-word in rap songs. He used to support its use there. Sure Jesse Jackson used a derogatory word to describe Jews, while running for office, but HE WASN'T ELECTED. So people did decide.

I think people also have the right of freedom of speech....I do not agree with the views of the KKK all they spew is hate.......However they still have the right to speak publicly.....and i believe everyone should have that right..........we also have the right to share are point of views....There are times when i think people take things to seriously an need to lighten up a bit......Imus made a bad choice.......but so did Jessie Jackson when he called Jews Heimi's. which is a derogatory statement...and he was runiing for office......but yet people seem to forgive him. Let people make the choice.......Advertisers refused to sponsor imus so he lost his job........that was their choice. If listeners did not like what imus was saying they could of stopped listening and he would eventually loose his job.....We all have freedom of speech that is what this country is all about.

I agree it is a delicate situation. If all people would just remember: "Do onto others as you would have others do onto you" they might think before they speak. I believe people in their hearts know what is right and what is wrong. They simply choose to do right or wrong depending on what is in their heart.

This is a delicate situation. There is a double standard for sure. The Imus comment was deplorable. Should he lose his job over his comments? I guess the answer to this is yes. Since this is true, shouldn't rappers loose their job over the lyrics? Should Labels drop them? Should advertisers stop promoting rappers who use inappropriate language and derogatory and racial remarks? It seems not.

Willie, your statement is on-target. People discriminate on many levels. The big "classes" of discrimination get most of the attention, but within those classes, such as 'black people', sub-classes of discrimination exist. The "Willie Lynch 1712" speech plays to this, with the intent to establish a 'divide and control' mentality. (BTW, althought the Willie Lynch speech is relevant, it is highly unlikely that the speech ever took place. I agree with the analysis written here: http://manuampim.com/lynch_hoax1.h tml).

People discriminate on many levels: against short people, against smokers, against uneducated. The list is huge. It's hard not to be quilty at some level. People have experiences that lead to biases, which lead to prejudices. But tolerance starts with every person at least being self-aware of their own biases and the risk of those growing into prejudices.