Sunday, July 20, 2008
The "N" Word
Much controversy has been generated this past week throughout North America concerning what has commonly been referred to as “The ‘N’ Word”. A debate ensued with the cast of ABC’s “The View” (see the video below) following a leaked tape of Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson using the word. Jackson had called for the word to be banned after an incident at the Comedy Factory in Los Angeles where comic Michael Richards had used the word (click here to see the Associated Press article).
As you can see from the debate emotions on this issue are high. People obviously have strong feelings that seem to be well thought out. Yet one must ask if this is a healthy debate.
It is probable nobody has the life experiences to fully understand both sides of the issue. However history tells us that allowing different rules for whites and blacks is divisive. How are arguments justifying use of the word by blacks while banning it from the vocabulary of whites any different from the argument that whites and blacks be assigned seats in different areas of a bus?
Granted, the word is extremely hurtful to people – we do not want to distract from that aspect of the issue. But isn’t defending its use by one class of people only continuing that hurt? Does it not cause us to dwell on the negative? Does it not keep the word in the common vocabulary for future generations?
We have seen what separate rules have gotten us in the past. Separate water fountains, separate schools, separate rest rooms, separate employment and housing opportunities, and more “separates”. Could creating separate vocabularies lead to more “separates”?
This posting is designed to spur dialog. How about joining us with you thoughts?
As you can see from the debate emotions on this issue are high. People obviously have strong feelings that seem to be well thought out. Yet one must ask if this is a healthy debate.
It is probable nobody has the life experiences to fully understand both sides of the issue. However history tells us that allowing different rules for whites and blacks is divisive. How are arguments justifying use of the word by blacks while banning it from the vocabulary of whites any different from the argument that whites and blacks be assigned seats in different areas of a bus?
Granted, the word is extremely hurtful to people – we do not want to distract from that aspect of the issue. But isn’t defending its use by one class of people only continuing that hurt? Does it not cause us to dwell on the negative? Does it not keep the word in the common vocabulary for future generations?
We have seen what separate rules have gotten us in the past. Separate water fountains, separate schools, separate rest rooms, separate employment and housing opportunities, and more “separates”. Could creating separate vocabularies lead to more “separates”?
This posting is designed to spur dialog. How about joining us with you thoughts?
Labels: Culture_Clash, News, Race, Video
¶ 7/20/2008
Comments:
Links to this post:
<< Home
I hate it when people say "you can't do this or that" when they do it. What is the definition of hypocrite?
# posted by 
: 7/22/2008
: 7/22/2008
Most ethnic slurs have died out because there wasn't a national incident everytime they were used. But when the n word is used Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson make it a huge story. Perhaps if they wouldn't make it such a big deal it would die.
# posted by : 7/22/2008
: 7/22/2008
In the video Whoppi said her mother wasn't able to vote. Didn't all women get the right to vote at the same time? It was long after the Civil War.
# posted by : 7/22/2008
: 7/22/2008
If black people want white people to be color blind, why do they want us to teach our kids its only ok if black people say the n------ word?
Post a Comment
# posted by : 7/23/2008
: 7/23/2008Links to this post:
<< Home
