Words and the Modern World

In England at the moment a professional soccer player has accused another professional soccer player of racially abusing him.  The player making the accusation is a french black man.  The person being accused is an Uruguayan white man.  In the United States I am not sure if those terms are correct.  Those who were once negroes, then coloreds, then blacks, are as far as I know now labeled African Americans.  This makes it difficult to define which group a French man of somewhat African descent might be called, particularly if any of his family had lived somewhere other than France or Africa in the intervening period.

The word that is suggested was used is the deeply offensive "Nigger."  Of course, the accusers first language is French, in which that word would be "Negre", equally offensive.  The accuser also speaks some english having lived there for some time.  The accused speaks primarily Spanish, with almost no English as he has lived there for barely six months.  In Spanish the word would be "Negro" which means "Black" in Spanish, but can also be considered a racist descriptor of a, hmmm, black (?) person.

To unfortunately complicate the situation the use of the word, "Negro" towards someone has different meanings depending on the country of origin.  In Spain or Mexico it is deeply offensive.  However, in Uruguay, Venezuela, and Argentina the word is used as a term of endearment regardless of race.  A mother might well call her little white boy "un negro pequeno."  It is also used between close friends and so on.

So what we have is a French black man, who couldn't be called that in the USA but can in England, being offended because someone said something in Spanish that in many places would be considered a deeply offensive racist remark, but isn't in the place where the speaker came from.

This is a complicated issue, that involves intent, meaning, legal ramifications, language, and culture.  The most widespread area where a discussion that could elucidate and educate people's understanding of the issue would be in forums and commentaries on-line.  I have found out that any mention of the word, "Negro" on any forum will have the message removed, and all follow ups removed too.  This is regardless of the meaning of the word, or whether its use is intended to educate or denigrate.  Even further, any comment about whether it is appropriate to delete the message is also deleted.

So, a complex issue about offense taken involving race and culture cannot be commented on if at any point you talk about the offense and involve words about race or culture.  Fear of the offense of racism taken to the point where it cannot be explained that it might not be racism in the first place.  Ah, the modern world.