Quantcast

Gwyneth Paltrow Tweets the N-Word: Insensitive or Overreaction?

SodaHead Celebs 2012/06/05 18:00:00
You!
Add Photos & Videos
Gwyneth Paltrow found herself in the middle of a media storm on Monday when she tweeted a photo of herself standing next to Jay-Z and Beyonce with the caption "Ni**as in paris for real." She was, of course, referencing a song by Jay-Z and Kanye West, but the media immediately jumped on it. Watch the video below for more.



Some were obviously offended by Paltrow's use of the word, stating that people who are not African American should never, under any circumstances, use it. Others argued that Jay-Z and Kanye are to blame for including the word in the name of the song. Still others felt that her use of the word was harmless. It's an intricate issue, and Gwyneth Paltrow's tweet sits in a complicated spot. Do you think it was insensitive -- or an overreaction?

jay z beyonce
Add a comment above

Top Opinion

Sort By
  • Most Raves
  • Least Raves
  • Oldest
  • Newest
Opinions

  • Sarah TH Marshall Switcher 2012/06/06 15:52:48
  • Fran 2012/06/06 15:49:22
    Overreaction
    Fran
    +3
    Her comments referenced the song. And she is posing with one of the artists who recorded the song. If the word is that offensive then it should be banned once and for all from usage by EVERYONE regardless of race, creed, color, ethinicity...WHATEVER.
  • Riku Xander 2012/06/06 15:47:36
  • Dogzebra 2012/06/06 15:43:54
    Overreaction
    Dogzebra
    Gwyneth Paltrow, daddy's little rich girl of Hollywood genre. I liked her best when her head was in a cardboard box in Se7en.
  • John Hall 2012/06/06 15:39:55
    Overreaction
    John Hall
    +1
    if the blacks dont want whites to say it they themselves need not say the word .
  • BlackSouth John Hall 2012/06/06 17:49:42
    BlackSouth
    I know a lot of whites that use the words in fact I have seen white using the word in reference to themselves.(I don't really get that, but I have seen it.) I have often seen whites use that word in the company of blacks. Maybe it has something to do with acceptance and trust. Maybe it's the context in which it is used. I don't use it myself, but it doesn't bother me in anybody uses it. This is really a non issue.
  • John Hall BlackSouth 2012/06/06 18:15:18
    John Hall
    i asked a friend once why the n word is so bad why does he greet his friends with hay ni@#a he said it was ok for blacks to use it .
  • Detective_Alibi_Lawliet 2012/06/06 15:36:40
    Insensitive
    Detective_Alibi_Lawliet
    I lost a little respect for her.
  • Michael 2012/06/06 15:19:18
    Insensitive
    Michael
    For all of you people who say it's ok I strongly advise that you go to the black neighborhood closest to you and engage in conversation with all you come across. Please be sure to work in the "N" word no less than 4 times per sentence.

    See how it goes for you!

    Be sure to post your before and after pics!
  • Twinky Michael 2012/06/06 16:42:27
    Twinky
    So you're suggesting it's insensitive because you'll be hurt?
    Are you suggesting that black neighbourhoods ARE/SHOULD be violent towards people who use insulting terms?
  • jc Twinky 2012/06/06 17:21:32
    jc
    Black neighborhoods are violent towards ANY and EVERYone regardless.
  • BlackSouth jc 2012/06/06 17:41:39
  • Twinky jc 2012/06/07 00:55:29
    Twinky
    lovely piece of racism...
  • Michael jc 2012/06/07 15:38:56
    Michael
    Comment too stupid for any meaningful response.
  • Michael Twinky 2012/06/07 15:24:58
    Michael
    Neither, I simply think that the response of the populace in question should be considered. You want the right to say it, I say go ahead, but the response you receive may not be pleasant.
  • jc Michael 2012/06/06 17:20:10
    jc
    And yet if I beat the ass of any black that I was offended by, that would be a hate crime right? Words alone NEVER justify assault.
  • BlackSouth jc 2012/06/06 17:43:12
  • Michael jc 2012/06/07 15:37:22
    Michael
    Good luck with that LOL! "

    The next time a man calls your wife or daughter the "c" word. remember that "words alone never justify assault".

    Your views are both common and simplistic, and your arguments are obvious and sad. There are words like freedom, honor, justice and family which men and women fight and die for. There are words spoken like "never again" which are rallying cries against facism and tyranny.

    Tell the hamster on the wheel in your head to run faster.
  • N-RagedOwner 2012/06/06 15:18:25
    Overreaction
    N-RagedOwner
    +1
    It's the name of the song, geez. Be different if she was just randomly saying it.
  • Eva 2012/06/06 15:15:11
    Overreaction
    Eva
    +1
    In context, it's absolutely an overreaction. However, I admit, not knowing the song, I may have lost some respect for her if I'd only seen the tweet. I think she was trying to be clever referencing the song standing next to one of the artists thereof.
  • kneedragon76 2012/06/06 15:14:52
    Overreaction
    kneedragon76
    +3
    quoting a song title is no more offisive than the song itself.
  • Car 2012/06/06 15:13:47
    Overreaction
    Car
    People let it Go. What's disturbing is when people as a race become sensitive of a word or words which allows their judgement to be tainted or exploited
  • Andrew 2012/06/06 15:11:50
    Overreaction
    Andrew
    +1
    It's the name of the song. I think it's a stupid name for a good album, but I digress. It was just a very poorly thought out joke.
  • Jackster12 2012/06/06 15:11:22
    Overreaction
    Jackster12
    +2
    This is silly... it's the name of the song that the performers sing. Does anyone out there REALLY believe she's a rascist?
  • PapaBC 2012/06/06 15:05:49
    Overreaction
    PapaBC
    +2
    We are so PC that it is very difficult to communicate sometimes.

    Suppose somebody is looking for a person by name but had never seen him. That person just happens to be black. Where my wife works you can not call him a black man so I asked her how would you describe him.

    I work with a few men of color and one just happens to be African American but you better not call him that. This is a proud man that calls himself a Black "American".

    There are those that I work with that are from Mexico, Barzil, Asia and so on. Instead of HIspanic they like Mexican, Brazilian, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese and so on.

    Only in America do we seem to make this difficult.
  • Mary Ann PapaBC 2012/06/06 17:20:17
    Mary Ann
    I am an Albania White woman, never ever call me otherwise :)
  • wrwheelerjr 2012/06/06 15:03:37
  • Jermaine Pollard 2012/06/06 14:59:24
    Overreaction
    Jermaine Pollard
    +2
    She was referencing a song, not the African American population. If she would've said in with these n**gas Beyonce and Jay-Z it would be very unprofessional! She wouldn't lose much audience due to the majority of her fans being caucasian.
  • wilsonmja 2012/06/06 14:56:53
    Overreaction
    wilsonmja
    +2
    It was a reference to a song. In context it's not offensive. What IS offensive is that this word still has this much power.
  • hey you! 2012/06/06 14:53:48 (edited)
    Overreaction
    hey you!
    +1
    It is the line in the song! I personally believe NO ONE should use that word. However, she is just as guilty as the writer and performer of the song.
  • elijahomar496 2012/06/06 14:51:46
    Insensitive
    elijahomar496
    I am a black man ,
    and I am affended by the use of that word! the question we should be asking is why she has chosen to use a word that clearly is offensive to others?
  • BoomLover elijaho... 2012/06/06 14:57:01
    BoomLover
    Because...she was quoting a song that a "Black" man wrote and sang....I think there is more than just a bit of "OVERREACTION" goin' on, just like the Trayvon / Zimmerman thing...
  • wpsegura BoomLover 2012/06/06 16:03:43
    wpsegura
    +1
    I am a black man and I am not offended at all. I think that people tend to overreact to the N-word. I don't see anyone offended by the use of it in the song.
  • Gddyupn BoomLover 2012/06/06 17:18:42
    Gddyupn
    Yes, you are right, innocent unarmed folks being shot to death by other folks who are armed and stalking them constitutes "overreaction" every time in my book. I don't see why we just don't start living like the wild, wild west again. Oh, wait, they had a code of honor back then. Darn!
  • Mary Ann elijaho... 2012/06/06 17:05:12
    Mary Ann
    are you equally offended by the song to which she was referring to written by a black man?
  • ROCKER elijaho... 2012/06/06 17:30:05
    ROCKER
    I have an honest question for you..I am not being facetious. When a person of another race is listening to music by an african american artist that contains that word, and they are singing along, do you become offended? (Assuming you overhear them?)
  • Lauren Mulford 2012/06/06 14:39:55
    Overreaction
    Lauren Mulford
    +5
    If one person is "allowed" to use a certain word, then all people are allowed to say it. If it's offensive when one person says something, it's offensive when all people say it. I'll start caring about derogatory remarks against black people, when black people stop calling themselves those very same words. I don't use any derogatory terms, personally.
  • AIRS DM 2012/06/06 14:38:17
    Overreaction
    AIRS DM
    +2
    she quoting a track she likes! I'm black and have no problem with this at all.. if she was using it to offend or insult someone then this would be a different response.
  • MLU103169 2012/06/06 14:38:05
    Overreaction
    MLU103169
    +2
    Stop turning everything into a race war. If you want to blame someone...blame who recorded the song. Get your panties out of a bunch. Not everything in life is a battle. If you think this is, I feel sorry for you.
  • Shelby Best 2012/06/06 14:34:09
    Overreaction
    Shelby Best
    I don't say it, but it's just a word. White people are called names and it's okay, but the N-Word is taboo'd.

See Votes by State

The map above displays the winning answer by region.

Entertainment

2013/06/19 12:27:41

Hot Questions on SodaHead
More Hot Questions

More Community More Originals