Derogatory Words

Derogatory words
Words in general are quite innocent; it is the way in which they are used that gives them the power to minimize and offend. The use of derogatory terms, especially those in reference to race or religion, control our society in certain ways because of the power these words have in affecting the way different races may or may not interact. There are several offensive words that are used to minimize another race or religion, such as “towel head”, “camel jockey” and “sand nigger”, all used in reference to people of Middle Eastern ethnicity. The one word that has caused the most problems within America thus far has to be the word ‘Nigger.’
White America is generally the main group of people who use the word “nigger” in a demeaning way. In the essay “A Question of Language”, Gloria Naylor uses a young white boy in her third-grade class as an example of white America's insensitive use of the word. In the class, she remem...