Lemme translate the Dutch wikipedia of this.
Quote:
The American sensitivities concerning the word are not easily translated in the Dutch speaking Netherlands. The term 'nikker' (translated as the n word ending with er) is often looked upon as a very negative word and has a racist and discriminatory meaning but for the word 'neger' (could be translated as the n word ending with an a) that's not the case. In The Netherlands and Belgium it's often seen as a common, non-offensive word used to refer to people with a black skin and can be compared to the us of the word 'white'. One can question whether using the word 'zwarte' (translated as black) isn't more offensive than the use of the word 'neger'.
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I feel like the word isn't that controversial here and personally the n word doesn't sound as racially charged as calling someone black. Everyone uses it. My white teachers, family or friends... all in the presence of black people. White television hosts, even the courts used to say it.
It's not the MOST political right term (it's better to call someone 'donker' which means 'dark') but it's definitely not as horrible as Americans see it. I really understand it may be a horrible word in English with the slavery and all that but for example whenever a song has that word people here believe it's just referring to a black person/ a friend. It's not gonna turn heads when you rap along to a song that has the n word here in public.