Oppressive Language

Why do black people always smell so bad? So blind people can hate them too.  Bet you thought that was funny, right?  Well this is the type of crap we all tend to hear every single day. Oppressive language is constantly around us, like a swarm of flies around your face.  Some find it extremely offensive others know it’s just a joke and not true.   My mom always told me “ Sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt you.”  I still agree with that statement to this day, and feel most of society feel the same way.  We here the degrading jokes and statements, but people don’t believe them and people don’t take as much offense to them.  Although commonly used, oppressive language has only had mild affects on social circles. 

Oppressive language is so widely used because of the media.  I’m pretty sure the blockheaded media knows by now that people will copy whatever they say or do.  Yet, they continue to spit out movies such as Superbad, College, Pineapple Express, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Knock Up, which are all great influences on the youth of America. “Well I’m going to State where the girls twice as hot and twice as likely to flesh me”- Superbad.  How many times have you heard people recite this quote? I would have to say it sort of degrading teenage girls, especially those going to a state school. Another beneficiary to the oppressive language of society is the music industry, particularly the rap music industry.  Thanks to the profound and insightful lyrics of current rap music, my friends and I always find ourselves saying “nigga.” We call everyone and each other “nigga”, even if they are not African American.  Besides the word “nigga” ,I also love a rap songs  that talk about pimps, hoes, strippers, sluts, prostitutes, girls shaking their “big” booties and girls licking “lollipops”.  Teaching the youth of America at a young age is always great.  I mean if they have the word “ass” in the PG movie Shrek, might as well teach them more great words. It seems that the vulgar and demeaning language has only intergraded itself into everyday language, but has become part of our culture. One again, in the end language is merely a bunch of words and only words.

 

Oppressive language only affects social circles if people let it. It is only offensive if the oppressor truly believes in what they are saying and if the one being oppressed takes it to heart.  I have African American friends, and when I use the word “nigga” they know I’m only messing around.  Vice versa if my friend tells a joke on how cheap Jewish people are, yes we may laugh but my friends and I don’t truly believe all Jewish people are cheap.  Even if I watch a South Park episode on how all Catholic priests are sick child pedophiles or a Simpson’s episode on how all bums are dirty and evil doesn’t mean I will believe it.  I know they are just using it for twisted entertainment.

 

There are some people truly believe the non-sense they do say.  I see those people as extremists or gang members.  If you sincerely despise African Americans you are probably a member of the Ku Klux Klan, or might as well be.  If you truly hate Jewish people, you are probably a member of a Nazi White Supremacy Club. Gangs are generally grouped by culture or race, so that can be a circumstance as well. There are plenty insane extreme dangerous people in the world.  So if you hangout with one of them likes, oppressive language could be an issue in your social circle and I recommend you find a new one.  Generally most people are extremists, but rather joke around. On the other spectrum some people could see discriminating jokes or comments as offensive. Yes, racism still plenty exists. Yet I find when talking with people who same something crude, they are only joking, so lighten up.

 

Language can be a powerful weapon, but it is only as powerful as people let it. Hitler’s speech moved whole a whole nation into starting a world war and genocide.  George W. Bush’s speech gets made fun of on the Late Show. As for oppressive language, I don’t find it that powerful in today’s social circles. I find people don’t take it as offensive any more because it has become part of the American culture and is so widely used.  Yet, I still don’t recommend shouting racial slurs and telling stereotypical jokes to everyone you see.