Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word

316. Racism is a habit formed from many years of practice. Richards cut his teeth on "Sienfeld" the show and made his bone at the Laugh Factory. With everthing else going on in the world, I find it hard to believe RACISM is still a problem. "Do unto others as you would have them do onto you"

Posted at 9:50PM on Nov 23rd 2006 by Floyd

317. Saying that the word "Cracker" is not offensive and does not carry the same negative overtones because it is directed towards white people is an outrage. You cannot say that unless you know each and every white person individually. It is only natural when a person feels personally attacked, and in this case their race being contreversially thrown around, that person is going to react and defend their race. It does not make one a racist if they are proud of who they are and the color of their skin. You can't just assume that the word "Cracker" or "white boy" is not deragatory because whites are part of the majority race and depicted as strong and detached from negative comments. White people are individuals and each one will react differently. It is different if a white person reacts by returning racial slurs, then that just makes them as ignorant as the person calling them a "Cracker" or "White boy" "white trash" etc.. But nonetheless, do not downgrade these comments or rather I say slurs as not having the same negative impact and the "N" word. Mayber you would like to believe that because you have used it before and this gives you a chance to justify it. But racial slurs against whites are negative terms and hurt just as much. This is the present we are talking about, and not slavery which happened long before anyone on this site was born. But don't dare try to sugar coat any racial slur, it is all the same and carries the same negative weight, which is hurtful and demeaning. I would never say that the "N" word is not as bad as "Cracker" because I am not black and it would be wrong for me to assume. BUt I am white, and I know that these comments are very serious, hurtful and should be dealt with in the same manner as any other racial slur.

Posted at 9:17PM on Nov 21st 2006 by Elc

318. Hey #286 Boltafied, how can you say Richard's was just saying what most white people feel? That is such a narrow minded way of thinking. That is the kind of comment that gets white people all wriled up and on the defense. How dare you judge almost an entire race on the basis of one person's racial slur? Are you trying to condone or justify your own feelings about white people? How would it feel if I said that those black hecklers calling white racial comments are representative of how all black people feel towards whites? That would be as ignorant as you are being. You cannot judge an entire race of people on the basis of one white man's comments. Study some history and examine how blacks overcame slavery, oppression and segregation; it was not just the black race fighting for the rights of blacks, it was also thousands of white people in the march for equal rights for blacks. That is how the law granted all constitional rights to the black race, because it was a nation of people, many of them white, that fought for this right. Now, you turn around and say Richards is representative of most white people? how dare you. You are very naive and do not appreciate the kindness that most white people have shown to your race. Why is that?

Posted at 9:47PM on Nov 21st 2006 by Elc

319. To #286 READ & THINK, you say that black people should never forget what they have endured. Perhaps you mean past tense, and the ancestors of black people, the slaves in the USA. But I do not think anyone would ever ask any race to forget what their culture has been through, how they suffered so their off-spring could have a better life. But you also have to give the same due to other cultures who had fallen slaves, or were oppressed simply because they were of a different culture. You can't say it is okay for your race to remember the pain of your ancestors and dismiss the pain of other cultures. I am not Jewish, but I know that for literally centuries they have been the most persecuted race for the longest amount of time throughout history. The Jews livesd and died as slaves for over 400 years on the continent of Africa. And when they were finally free, the had fallen victim to anti-semitism in the middle east and germany. Thousands of years the Jews have been persecuted, murdered, raped, and many, many other atrocities that were so inhumane I can not even speak or write about it. I have to say that I admire the Jews because they do not run around saying they are vicitms, they stand up for each other. They educate their young early in life so their children will be awarded better opportunities. They, the Jews, were oppressed for centuries on several continents, but they are strong people and will not allow anyone to keep them down. They are not asking for anything from anyone, they keep themselves out of the gutter by being strong, raising their children to become decent human beings, respecting and taking advantage of the education opportunities that are available to ALL races. That is just one example of a nation or specific culture that has endured centuries of slavery and oppression, yet they do not run around pointing fingers, they keep their families together, support each other and stay strong. There is a lesson to be learned here for all of us; this is how each person who feels they have been a victim can pull themselves out of the victim role and be a hero for themselves and their children.

Posted at 10:12PM on Nov 21st 2006 by Elc

320. MR. RICHARDS REALLY LOST IT AT THE WORSE TIME. I THINK THE COMMENTS GENERATED HIS TRUE FEELINGS ABOUT BLACKS. i WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THE HECKLERS SAID TO HIM BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE WHAT HE SAID RIGHT. I WILL PRAY FOR HIM AND THE NEGATIVE BUTHOLES THAT ARE ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE. AS FOR CHRIS ROCK, YES HE USES THE N-WORD BUT HE DOES NOT USE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE REFERRING TO WHITE PEOPLE. TWO WRONGS DOES NOT MAKE A RIGHT. iF YOU WERE BORN BLACK AND HAD TO ENDURE WHAT THE BLACKS HAVE HAD TO ENDURE, YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S SO OFFENSIVE WHEN A WHITE PERSON SAY THE N-WORD. THIS IS JUST ONE NIGGER FEMALE OPINION.

Posted at 1:10AM on Nov 22nd 2006 by JO ANN KING

321. To 312 M.Wisdom If blacks are the birth of man what happened to evolution did the blacks get left behind? I agree with you that man started out black in Africa and then some of us evolved into modern man the real true man and some of you were forgotten and didn't evolve into the men of today the color of your skin proves that your closer to the apes than the white man so the black apes of today you naturally will take a little longer too learn manners social skills morals how to be fathers to your children. So us white men the true man will be patient and wait for you blacks to come around but some of us get impatient like Mr Richards us real men cant blame him but you wouldn't understand that its a white thing another 5 or 6 thousand years and your race will start catching on so us white men the true man will try and be patient.

Posted at 4:15AM on Nov 22nd 2006 by kaven kaines

322. #288 Paulie, you are right, the days of blacks sitting on the back of the bus are over. and I do not think any white person is telling blacks how they should feel about the "N" word; it is a bad word and NO ONE should use it. But many children are calling each other the "N" word as a term of endearment. Other white children here this and do not think there is anything wrong with the word. Had it not been used so much, even by the black race, the "N" word may just be a memory. Why keep such a nasty offensive word alive by using it daily? How can you expect any race other than your own to accept the fact that the "N" word is highly offensive when blacks are calling each other that on a daily basis? So who are the ones at fault here? Who is keeping that word alive and popular? Also, just as no white person can tell you how you are supposed to feel in regards to an offensive remark, you must then afford the same courtesy to white people. You cannot tell a white person that being called any racial slur is not as bad as the "N" word towards blacks. You cannot demand respect and not return it, that is unfair. No one is asking blacks to forget their heritage and the pain that their ancestors took upon themselves to afford their heirs a better life; but you must respect that white people also have different cultural backgrounds and they have had their own crosses to bare. You cannot compare what you do not know; nor can you assume that the black race was the most severly oppressed in the world and the holocost comes second. It is all in the mind of the individual, and that does not make them racist if they look at the sufferings of other cultures before the blacks, just as long as the individual respects the pain and suffering of another race. So do not feel as though anyone is telling you how you should feel, no one can change what is inside your heart. But that same passion you feel about your pain should be used as a tool to understand how other races feel about their pain and what they consider offensive. Just something to think about.

Posted at 7:30PM on Nov 22nd 2006 by Elc

323. First and foremost, everyone needs to realize that Black people DO NOT say "Nigger" to one another! The use foms like "nigga", "nikka", etc. That said, I am Black, and I find all uses inappropriate and don't allow ANYONE to use any form of the word with me; However, all of you here complaining about how "nigger" can be used colloquially amongst Blacks are wrong! The words they use aren't the same and do not mean the same thing.

Next, Richards was wrong! I don't think I can ever watch Seinfeld again.

Finally, What is all the hate about on this site? Is this really representative of the way most Americans feel towards one another? If so, I can completely understand why this country is the way it is. Come on guys, why can't we all just get along (trite but effective here)? Don't judge anyone based on their skin color alone. Also, don't judge a whole group based solely on your experiences with one or two people who just happen to be of the same skin color.

As I read through the majority of the post on here, I keep seeing the word "race" come up. I am not sure if you all are aware of this or not but there are no different "races" within the human RACE! We are all (Black, White, Chinese, Russian) of the same race. When race refers to different origins, it is being misused. That use of the word is nothing more than an ill-advised social construct. Move past that and maybe we can all start to see the big picture.

P.S.- I don't know if any of you read the post, but for those of you that were upset about Kramer being heckled in the beginning by the Black guys, he was NOT! Eye witnessess from the show said the original hecklers were sitting next to the Black guys and were of Arabic or Hispanic descent. THEY WERE NOT BLACK. What stereotypes of disillusioned comments will you come up with now?

Posted at 10:56AM on Nov 23rd 2006 by Steve

324. #321 Steve, stop trying to sugar coat the "N" bomb, it is still representative of the word most people hate, not matter how one says it. And we are not all the same "RACE", we are the same species, but race is representative of a person's color, culture is representative of a person's ethnic background and beliefs; Species is representative of a specific creature, in this case Human Beings in the animal kingdom. Next, I do not think anyone on this site, with the exception of very few agree with Richard's remark at all. But the majority of whites that were defending their race, were upset because of the comments made that Richard's represents what all white people feel. That makes a person feel under attack. and it does not make anyone a racist just because they defend their own race; everyone should defend their own race and be proud of who they are and the color of their skin. No one should be quiet when they have been negatively stereotyped on the basis of what one person out of millions had said. So yes, this is a question of race. As far as the hecklers, they were black. But regardless of their skin color, they should have never been treated that way by Richard's. I am almost certain that if the hecklers were of another race other than black, Richard's would have made racial or some kind of negative comment to them because that is the kind of person he is. I do not agree with what Richard's said at all. But I do not like it when someone says that is how all white people act, and their were plenty of people on this thread that said that along with the racist statements against white people are not as bad as the ones against blacks. How could anyone say such a thing? Racist statements are hurtful to EVERYONE EQUALLY. And for anyone of any color to think for a moment that a racial slur against a white person is not that bad is without a doubt a racist. Because they are thinking of white people as second class citizens, and we certainly are not as a whole. So do not talk about us, the white folks, as if we are the ones to make this a race issue, it always was a race issue. If you seen the video on Richard's and the hecklers remarks, you would see that they were all using racial slurs. I have no doubt in my mind that Richard's was the one who started this ugly tirade, but it does not justify what the hecklers said either.

Posted at 6:58PM on Nov 28th 2006 by Elc

325. Michael Richards IS a full fledge racist pig, and he is not white. Has he forgotten what the KKK would have done to him and the Jews 50 years ago also? He would have been hung upside with something shoved up his rear also!! Who does he think he is? He wasn't sincere in his so-called apology because he meant what he said. Can I call him a kike or a Christ killer? How would he like to be called those words that dumb ignorant racist Jew boy?

Posted at 9:55PM on Jan 19th 2007 by C.A.