Below is a blog conversation that I had with a man over an incident that happened in September in Plainfield, NJ involving the infamous N-word. The article is entitled: PLAINFIELD STORE'S RECEIPT ANGERS CITY MAN. Click on the title to read the article. I guess the most shocking part wasn't really the actual events that took place, but the online comments. I know that the struggle for equality continues and I believe that their have been strides. But this article goes to the heart of our internalized stereotypes and deep racism that we truly have as an American people. We do a lot of pretending in this country, but events like these allow people to show their true colors. "Boomin" posted the comment below, which sparked our dialogue. The conversation is in chronological order.
______________________Boomin
You know what I love about the black community. a small section of the community want to have it one way and not the other. You make a big deal out of words and that is funny to me. Young black men can call each other "nigga", deal drugs to each other, kill each other in the streets and thats not a problem. But as soon as a white man uses the word nigga, its up in arms call in Al Sharpton(that racist) and call the papers. Have you people ever heard of context. The way this word was used in this instance was not in a hateful or malicious way. So stop it already, because in the long run you are only going to hurt yourselves. Try tackling some of the real problems in your community like the fact that a large group of young black people can't gather together without someone getting kill or a riot type situation breaking out. STOP going after the easy targets and try bettering your community.
______________________Me
You know what I love about self-righteous people? They love to suggest what people should do when clearly they lack the respect, understanding and education to advise anyone of anything.
Listen, I don't walk around calling white people "crackers", mexicans people "wet backs'' asian people "chink", gay men "fags", or men/women "bitches".
Why, because those words have historical and negative connotations. There is nothing positive about them. The same goes for the word nigger, nigga, or niggaz. However you want to mask it.
Now have I heard many people refer to themselves and others with those words. Does this mean that the definition has changed? Are those words now good/acceptable and that I should use them: NO!
Unlike yourself and others, one person's ignorance seems to be enough validity for your own.
As for the "Black community needing to tackle their problems" as you put it, I suggest you concern yourself with tackling your own apparent ignorance.
_____________________Boomin
You are correct those words have been negative in history. The key word being history. People who is this day still make a big deal out of a word give that word the power that it has. Now when someone call me a cracker or whitey I laugh at them. I give those words no power.My cousin is half hispanic. When someone calls him a spic he laughs at them. Again giving the word no power. People like you and others who draw attention to this behavior are giving the word power to hurt. Just as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson want to ban the "N"-word they are giving the word greater power. Yes in history it has meant horrible things. Its time to move on and put history behind us and stop letting a word cause so much pain. The past is in the past and we a a nation need to move on,learn from our mistakes and make this country a better place. That will never happen if people like you and Sharpton and Jackson keep further dividing the races
_____________________Me
I understand why the 'let's forget the past' argument is appealing.
Unfortunately, we live in a country where there is Jena-6, a black man can be dragged from the back of a pick-up, and states still raise the confederate flag...it's a little hard to forget history when we are constantly reliving it.
Well I'm happy that you and your half-Hispanic cousin are so evolved, systemic white privilege will do that for you.
I'm beginning to think this is a circular conversation and I will now get off the merry-go-round.
Have a Great Weekend!
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1 comment:
It's so funny how folks so easily want to sweep a history of pain and suffering that still continues today mind you, under the carpet, under the guise of "leaving history in history or just moving on." According to Bob Law, "Blacks are the most race-neutral people around. To some extent that is true, and when we start fighting for our rights, folks get upset at people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton or speak for some folks who can't articulate or criticise the problem as effective as they can. Of course many of the folks who feel this way about Jesse and Al,benefit from white priviledge, so they are just talking the talk and haven't suffered any, at least not racially.
Yes words are used in context, but words are pregnant with intent and it's history. What comprises 'context' anyway? The fact that some people go around calling each other niggas and other derrogatory names, in a 'friendly' context, still doesn't make it right. Some people just need to be educated about history. People perish who lack an understanding of their history. Even though times have changed some (in fact in many ways it hasn't changed)I feel the same way when you call me nigga, even if you are embracing or hugging me. There are millions of words that you can affirm me with, use one of those. I grew up outside of the US and I'm still shocked, stunned and amazed at how some words are normalized in the US. This egregious,dominant culture is also rubbing off on other cultures. Oprah talks about going to S/Africa, and a guide referred to her as nigga on more than one occasion, and someone had to educate the brother that that is not cool even though a section of the Black community uses it or even glorifies it. He felt he was doing the "American thing."
So my dear brother, if our schools would effectively teach Black history in schools, and parents would also take responsibility for educating their children instead of leaving it up to pop culture, that is a start to understanding that our history is important, and if we understand it young people would use better language, or find more positive ways to affirm their brothers and sisters.
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